Doris Mackins had been retired for more than a decade when she decided to return to Coppin State University to finish her degree in 2022. The 68-year-old said her decision to return to higher education was a spontaneous one — she was excited by the opportunity. This semester, Mackins is completing her last 12 credits […]
Education
Posted inEducation, Higher Education
Can the Increase in Higher Education Diversity and Inclusion Efforts Solve Health Disparities?
As a young girl, Shaunessey Burks remembers walking up to the plant where her grandfather worked. Pierced in her memory were the fumes radiating from inside the building, where no one was wearing protective equipment. There was no barrier between her grandfather and the hazardous chemicals floating in the air he was breathing. Years later, […]
Posted inEducation, K-12
What’s Missing in Financial Literacy Courses in School? Experts Explain.
At least 15 states have joined the growing movement to make financial literacy a requirement for high school graduation. Utah became the first to require a half-credit financial literacy class as a graduation mandate in 2004. Today, eight states require a stand-alone course that provides students with an understanding of personal finance and skills to […]
Posted inEducation, K-12
The College Board’s Race Problem
History teacher Valanna White found herself in a quandary last fall when an administrator at her Tennessee high school pulled her syllabus for Advanced Placement U.S. Government. The course is designed to give students an analytical perspective on American government and its political system. But it was the unit on civil rights and civil liberties […]
Posted inEducation, K-12
GOP States Are Targeting AP Black Studies. Here’s How Kids Can Learn It Outside of School.
This story has been updated. At least four Republican-led states are considering whether a new African American Studies course is in compliance with its laws that restrict lessons on race, following Florida’s ban on the proposed course last month. Officials in education departments in Arkansas, Mississippi, North Dakota, and Virginia are reviewing the advanced placement […]
Posted inEducation, Student Loans
What We Know About Biden’s Student Loan Debt Relief Plan Ahead of the Supreme Court Hearings
In less than 24 hours, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on President Joe Biden’s $400 billion student loan forgiveness program and consider whether the administration can advance the plan forward. The court agreed to hear two separate cases challenging the legality of Biden’s plan or whether Biden exceeded executive authority. After announcing […]
Posted inEducation, K-12
‘These Kids Can’t Wait’: The Struggle to Address the Black Youth Mental Health Crisis
At first, Mira Ugwuadu felt a sense of relief when her high school transitioned to remote learning in 2020, allowing her to work on advanced placement courses at her own pace. But soon, the 17-year-old found herself studying outside of school hours, unable to separate academics from her home life. When her classmates went back […]
Posted inEducation, K-12
Florida’s Rejection of Af-Am Studies Reflects the Historical Fight for Black Education
Florida officials have rejected a new Advanced Placement course on African American Studies, calling it “woke indoctrination” that “significantly lacks educational value.” The state education board released a list of their concerns with the new course, which, like others in the AP program, allows high school students to earn college credit through an advanced curriculum […]
Posted inEducation, HBCUs
An HBCU Student’s Viral Classroom Arrest Sparks Alarm and Anger on Campus
Distressing cellphone video of police officers arresting a student at a North Carolina HBCU following a verbal altercation with her professor has reignited debate about the use of law enforcement in education and has some people wondering: Where are Black students safe? Police at Winston-Salem State University arrested the student in front of her class […]
Posted inEducation, Student Loans
Student Loan Forgiveness Is On Hold. What’s Next for Black Borrowers?
A Texas judge this month halted President Joe Biden’s landmark student loan relief plan, which aims to forgive up to $20,000 in debt for tens of millions of borrowers. Now, the U.S. Department of Justice is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse the judge’s ruling and allow Biden’s debt forgiveness program to move forward. […]