Inflated grades fool parents and students into thinking they're doing well.

Adopting the "science of reading" and high-quality curricula -- and holding schools accountable for achievement -- are the most cost-effective ways to improve schools, says a New York Times panel of researchers.

How AI is used -- or not used -- in the classroom makes a big difference.

Teach for America cared about student achievement -- till they decided teaching students "to interrogate systems of power" was more important, writes Doug Lemov.

Dillon was the only white student at the Harlem charter his mother started. He thrived. It's teaching, curriculum, assessment and school culture that count.

Educators often say homework doesn't matter, but those who do the most (themselves) learn the most.

An Atlantic writer who overcame her "abysmal education" will send her son to private school.

Parents can find effective urban public schools, especially if they consider charters.

"Grading floors" -- a minimum grade of 40 or 50 percent even for missing work -- are now banned in South Carolina schools.

She sent her daughter to a low-performing school, thinking she could make it better. It didn't work.

Getting "a good job" motivates young people to enroll in college, but many don't have realistic career goals.

Can the University of California be "excellent" while admitting students who struggle with math?

Graduation standards are weak. The state graduation exam is gone. SAT and ACT tests are optional. New Jersey's flagship university is adding low-level math classes.

It's not fair to expect students to pass academic tests, says a New York Regent, because fish can't climb trees.

AI cheating has robbed homework of its value.

AI can improve teaching and learning -- especially if it's employed by teachers, not by students.

Good picture books aren't simple.

Don't talk about who hijacked the planes on 9/11, advises a teachers' guide in Fairfax County, Virginia.

Students around the world have trouble reading complex texts and evaluating data, says the OECD, which blames heavy AI and social media use.

Reading and math scores are falling across the globe as teenagers lose the ability to pay attention.