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A recently issued by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, a non-profit educational think tank, indicates that more than 1.7 million American students attend what the report terms “private-public schools” – that is, public schools where low-income students make up less than 5% of the student body.

The Fordham Institute report criticizes these “private-public schools,” arguing that they go against the ideal of a public education system whose doors are open to everyone. The report will likely spark vehement reactions both from those who share its support of school choice reforms and those who do not.

This report from the Thomas B. Fordham Institute discusses bad schools.

The Report’s Findings

Geographic Disparities

The accompanying the Fordham Institute analysis highlights the fact that the percentage of students attending “private-public schools” varies from state to state. Some states boast high percentages of students attending “private-public schools,” such as:

• Connecticut: 18%
• New Jersey: 17%
• South Dakota: 16%
• Arizona: 14%
• Massachusetts: 12%

However, in other states, no more than 1% of children attend “private-public schools.” The states with less than 1% of children attending “private-public schools” are:

• Florida
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Nevada
• New Mexico
• North Carolina

Racial Disparities

White and Asian students appear to be disproportionately represented in “private-public school” populations, while African-American and Latino students are under-represented. The press release accompanying the report notes that while African-American students make up 17% of public school students nationwide, they comprise only 3% of

Several years ago, the word “sexting” was not part of American vernacular. Unfortunately, in the past year, the word has become a part of our society, permeating news articles as a description of a disturbing trend: teenagers sending sexually explicit photos of themselves and other teens using their cell phones.

The Unfortunate Consequences of Sexting

The trend became the focus of increased attention after a high school student’s suicide in July 2008 was attributed to sexting. Jessica Logan, a senior at an Ohio high school, had sent nude photos of herself to a boyfriend.

After the relationship ended, her ex-boyfriend sent the photos to other female students at Logan’s school, which resulted in months of harassment and teasing for Logan. Logan reported, according to MSNBC, that the other girls called her a "slut" and a "whore," and that the teasing was so disruptive that she began to skip school. Logan hung herself one month after her high school graduation.

Logan’s parents recently filed suit against the high school and several other defendants, alleging that the school and the local police did not do enough to protect their daughter from being bullied and harassed, reports the .

According to a recent study commissioned by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy and CosmoGirl.com, “20 percent of teenagers have taken nude or semi-nude pictures or videos of themselves and sent them to someone or posted them online,” reports the New York Times blog

The consequences for school fights may no longer be limited to a visit to the principal’s office and detention. In light of the last decade’s rise in school violence, many students find themselves facing legal consequences for their misbehavior on campus.

In years past, school fights and bullying would only result in school-based punishments, such as suspension or detention. Today, however, a rising number of middle school and high school teens are being arrested for their in-school malfeasances.

School Fights: The Rising Threat

Public schools nationwide report more severe punishments for school fights and student misbehavior. For example, of Wake County, North Carolina, reported that three students were arrested after several fights erupted at the Knightdale High School. According to reports, the police were called to the school after multiple fights broke out among students.

Allegedly, one 16-year-old student and another 17-year-old student were engaged in crimes such as “disorderly conduct” and “simple affray,” resulting in the two students’ arrests. In addition, an older 18-year-old student was also arrested, as this particular student allegedly tried to join in the fight, and reports also suggest that the 18-year-old student “Took a swing at an officer who was trying to detain him.”

While students 18 and older are understandably tried as adults, many community members question whether the 16 and 17-year-old students should have been similarly reprimanded, as they are technically minors.

This video discusses how to deal with fighting in

When picking classes for the next school year, parents often fret over whether their kids should dive into honors courses. These classes offer more challenges, but do they mean sacrificing top grades? It's a dilemma: better marks or tougher academics? With honors courses demanding extra effort, it's a tough call. So, here are some insights from school and college pros that can help students navigate this critical decision.

Honors vs. General: What's the Big Difference?

While each state and school community has curriculum standards, most honors and general courses adhere to similar philosophical practices. For example, , one of the largest school systems in North Carolina, divides its high school courses into "honors" and "academic" (average) tracks. In examining the differences in Wake County Schools' 9^th grade English course options, parents and students can discuss the similarities and differences between the honors and academic options.

• Honors 9^th Grade English: Students in both honors and academics must read specific texts from a county-wide reading list. An honors course, however, will generally read more texts than an academic course, as the honors course is conducted at a much faster pace. To work more rapidly through diverse materials, honors students will undoubtedly be assigned more homework than an academic class. Additionally, suppose a student in an honors course falls behind or is struggling. In that case, the student must typically seek out tutoring assistance during their own time (during lunch, before/after school, etc.), as

In the wake of nearly 10 years of increased school violence, all public schools are legally required to possess specific lockdown and emergency response procedures. Specifically, middle schools and high schools, which experience greater safety breaches due to their age groups, should frequently practice their emergency response protocols to ensure that all students and staff are ready to respond in the rare case of a serious emergency or threat. An awareness of the public school’s emergency protocols can help protect all community members—especially the students.

This video outlines how to set up a protocol for handling a crisis situation.

Types of Emergency Response

Public schools have different “threat levels” that result in specific emergency responses. For example, in Rockville, Maryland employ two specific threat level procedures. The first type of threat is labeled as “code blue.” A “code blue” threat signifies that there is an emergency or serious crisis near the school. In the case of a “code blue,” all Montgomery administrators announce appropriate information to the whole school, resulting in immediate teacher response.

Teachers in a “code blue” situation are to ensure that no students in the building are unsupervised. Classroom instruction continues, however, students are not permitted to leave the building unsupervised. While a “code blue” can potentially turn into a serious situation, this type of threat is generally not a