'No Child Left Behind' poisoned us, and it's okay to accept when a child doesn't have the aptitude. I'm a freshman composition professor, and the number of students I get who are functionally illiterate is shockingly high. 'Special education has become a dumping ground for behavioral problems, and the kids who truly need it are being neglected.' 'Class sizes are too big.
We don't need more courses. We need better ones. Everywhere I look, someone is launching a "Learn Figma in 5 Days" crash course or a "Top 10 AI Hacks for Beginners" tutorial. And don't get me wrong - those courses aren't useless. They scratch an itch, they help you pick up a tool, and sometimes they even get you to a quick win.
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
We've just spent two weeks in London, staying in south Kensington (London has turned into something crazy': is the city in the grip of a crime wave?, 11 October). The only crime we witnessed was being woken up in the early hours by people racing Lamborghinis and Ferraris, with little enforcement by the police. We travelled all over using public transport and walking, and felt safe, so I don't think the supposed crime wave is anything to fear. Fran Leach Plymouth, Massachusetts, US
Call it the "college or Chipotle" dilemma: Ted Dintersmith says schools are giving students two bad options - overpriced degrees or low-wage work - while AI is taking over the real jobs in between. Dintersmith, a former venture capitalist turned education reformer who has toured classrooms in all 50 states, said the US education system is "not just outdated, it's harmful."
Even when she was a little kid growing up in New Orleans, Stacey Gilbert knew she wanted to be a special education teacher. She remembers her reaction to the 1962 film The Miracle Worker, about Helen Keller, and watching other movies about children with special needs. In 2005, when Hurricane Katrina hit her hometown, Gilbert had been teaching in the city's public schools for almost two decades.
The University of North Carolina System's Board of Governors required each campus to develop a subcommittee to evaluate compliance with the anti-diversity, equity and inclusion policy, mandating neutrality from administrators on political and social issues.
Experts caution that while the reported increases in reading scores are notable, the short assessments should be interpreted carefully, as they may not fully capture overall literacy improvements.
The rising number of children receiving extra help has placed pressure on schools and councils, indicating that the current trajectory for managing special educational needs is unsustainable.
The current special needs education system in England is failing, with families reporting long waiting times for assessments and many children lacking necessary specialist support.
Neuroplasticity reveals that our brains remain remarkably adaptable throughout our entire lives, allowing for continuous optimization of cognitive function.
In the future, if you want the country to give you the keys to the car, somebody's got to be articulating an agenda that's fighting for America, not just fighting Trump.
