¾ÅÓÎÌåÓý

The American public school system has shown a steady rise in the number of enrolled students since the beginning of this century. According to the , 47.7 million students attended public schools in 2001, a number that increased to 49.5 million by 2011. By 2023 the public school population is projected to be over 52 million students.

Not only is the overall student population growing, but its ethnic makeup is also shifting as well. As shown in the graph at right, as the number of white public school students has decreased, the number of minority students has rapidly increased, especially students who identify as Hispanic. In fact, by 2023, white students will comprise just 45 percent of public school students nationwide, while Hispanic students will represent 30 percent.

Educational Disparities Follow Racial and Ethnic Lines

As the student population in the United States continues to become more and more diverse, it becomes evident that students of color are often shortchanged because to educate children of various cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Particularly in the West and the South, where population growth has been explosive, public schools are struggling to provide services to children who have little or no English speaking abilities. Furthermore, since poverty disproportionately impacts children of color, districts additionally struggle to finance free and reduced lunch programs, before and after school academic support, additional classroom personnel, and

The teen suicide rate in the United States has . Suicide is currently the third leading cause of death among adolescents, and the second leading cause of death among college students. Although suicide is highly preventable, with clearly identifiable warning signs, it continues to occur in many communities across the nation. In fact, in February and March 2014, ten New York City public school children .

The Numbers

According to the , each year, approximately 4,600 youth between the ages of 10 and 24 take their own lives. The vast majority of suicides are carried out via firearm or suffocation. However, it isn’t just deaths by suicide that are part of the issue. Nearly one-fourth of American high school students report thinking seriously about suicide, 13 percent report having a plan, and 8 percent report having actually attempted suicide in the last 12 months. That translates to well over 150,000 emergency room visits by children who have injured themselves as part of an attempt at taking their own life.

This video was created to promote the prevention and awareness of teen suicide.

It is well documented that boys are much more likely to die as a result of suicide. However, girls are much more likely to attempt taking their own life. In addition to these gender differences, ethnic and cultural

Like it or not, the SATs are a critical opportunity for students to prove themselves to college admissions committees across the country.

If you want to be at the top of your game, you need to develop an effective strategy to prepare. We spoke with sInstaEDUome of the top experts in college admissions to find out more about the best ways to prepare for the SATs.

1. Start Reading

If you have a lot of time to prepare, the first step is get reading. Richard Bernstein, Executive Director of Huntington Learning Center (Cherry Hill, NJ and Turnersville, NJ), says this is crucial. “If you have a year to prepare, read, read, and read some more.�

2. Create a Balanced Study Regimen

Build a study pattern that will get you ready for the test. Students can effectively study in a group, one-on-one sessions, or by themselves. No matter what you do however, make sure you don’t overload and always keep a reasonable study/life balance.

Setting goals is only useful if they are realistic. The best way to be productive during crunch time is to “schedule play activities first into your calendar, then your work.� Piers Steel, a professor at the University of Calgary, says in a . “It makes sure there is a payoff for being productive.�

A student who elects to devote an inordinate amount of time to studying for the

As students begin to face the realization that their days of sleeping in are nearly over, school districts continue to debate the benefits of later start times for older students. With plenty of research to back up the idea that teens sleep on a different cycle than many schools allow, districts must once again consider the theory that later start times could mean higher student performance. Would later start times really impact how well high school students learn?

Research Supports Later Start Times

As back-to-school logistics are put into place, research on the benefits of later start times comes back into play. There is plenty to choose from in that category with most showing teens that head to class later tend to perform better overall. Unfortunately, coordination of school schedules doesn’t always support allowing teens the later start.

According to a recent report at , 40 percent of high schools in the United States start prior to 8:00 a.m. A small minority, 15 percent, start after 8:30 a.m. That minority is often the result of coordination of bus schedules, which tends to favor younger students for the later start times.

Logistics aside, research certainly seems to favor allowing older students to hit the books later. Students in the teen years require just as much sleep as younger children, according to the . That amount can range from 8 ½ to 9 ¼ hours of sleep every night. Decades of studies support

Project-based learning is a unique type of pedagogy that moves beyond the traditional “memorize and regurgitate information� approach that is commonly seen in classrooms today. Project-based learning brings relevancy and practical application to the lesson, by making students active participants, rather than mere bystanders. Although project-based learning is still used on a relatively limited basis today, there are a number of reasons why educators might want to consider incorporating this methodology into their classrooms.

In this video, a teenager explains project-based learning.

A Definition of Project-Based Learning

According to the , project-based learning involves students coming together in groups or working individually to explore real-world problems. Through their explorations, students create presentations that sum up what they learned and their proposed solutions to those problems. Teachers in project-based learning classrooms serve as facilitators and guides, helping students find answers to questions without spoon-feeding the answers directly to them.

The website explains that project-based learning comes from the belief that students learn best by becoming active participants in the education process. The methodology involves the following:

• Students using knowledge learned to tackle problems experienced in the real world
• Students exercising more control over their learning environment
• Students typically working in groups or pairs, although individual projects can also be used
• Teachers serving as coaches to encourage student reflection and problem-solving skills

Project-based learning is similar to problem-based learning,