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With the Obama Administration’s recent addition of an abstinence-only program to the pregnancy prevention programs the government will fund, many are questioning once again whether abstinence teaching is really the best way to prevent teen pregnancy and lower the rates of sexually transmitted diseases. While many conservatives are applauding the President’s recent decision, liberals are voicing serious concern over the direction the Administration is taking in sex education. Who is right? It may depend on who you talk to and which research you review.

Misinformation Common Problem for Young Adults Recent Study Found

According to one recent study published in Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, the lack of comprehensive sex education in schools does not appear to do young adults any great favor. The study, conducted by the Guttmacher Institute and reported by , found that young adults between the ages of 18 and 29 do not appear to have a clear and accurate picture of the importance of contraception use in preventing pregnancy. A quiz was given to 1,800 men and women in this age range, and the results were discouraging, to say the least.

This TED Talk discusses the abstinence of essential information about sex education.

The large majority of young adults who took the quiz scored poorly, with more than one-quarter earning a “D� or “F� grade. In addition, approximately 60 percent of

The state of Virginia will not be requiring public schools to accommodate home-schooled athletes in their sports programs, now that the bill dubbed the “Tim Tebow� bill has been shot down in a congressional vote. The bill was named for the NFL quarterback currently on the roster for the Denver Broncos, who was home-schooled through high school but played on the football team of his local public school. While the vote was close, some republicans and the majority of Democrats in the state agreed that a requirement would be unfair to public schools on both an economic and participation level.

This video reports on the failure of the so-called Tebow bill.

The Impact of the Bill

According to a report at the , the “Tim Tebow� bill would have ensured tens of thousands of home-schooled student across the state had the right to participate in athletic programs at local public schools. State officials estimate that around 32,000 students are home schooled in the state, although the Home School Legal Defense Association believes that number to be much higher. There is no way to predict how many of these students would take advantage of athletic programs if they were given the chance.

Currently, 25 states allow for such participation, under a variety of guidelines, according to information provided to the by the Home School Legal

Washington D.C. high schools have one of the lowest graduation rates in the country, standing currently at just 43 percent, according to the . Many efforts have been made to raise that number, but not all have received as much dialogue and debate as a recent proposal made by a DC council member. DC Council Chairman Kwame Brown (D) has proposed a new requirement for high school seniors in the city � that they show concrete evidence of college readiness before donning a graduation cap as they exit the hallowed halls of high school.

Taking Tests, Completing Applications

The Washington Post reports that Brown plans to introduce a bill to the city council that will require high school seniors to show college readiness before they graduate from high school. Under the new bill, students must take the SAT or ACT college entrance examination while still in high school. They will also need to apply to at least one college or trade school before graduation � even if the student has no intention of continuing his education after high school.

This video takes a look at a college admissions committee's deliberations.

The point behind the bill is to encourage students to complete high school by showing them what their opportunities might be after graduation. According to some education experts, taking college entrance exams and showing students and their parents

The New Haven public school system, like others across the country, is dealing with a high drop-out rate that leaves many students unable to climb out of their current poverty trap. To help combat the problem in this New England state, Yale University has pledged a large amount of money over the next four years to help high school students in Connecticut go to college without worry over how bills will be paid. Yale has recently announced the New Haven Promise. This new program will allow public high school graduates in Connecticut the opportunity to go to college for free if they qualify for admission and keep their grades up during college.

This video explains how financial aid works at Yale University.

New Haven Promise

New Haven Promise is a scholarship and support program created by the city of New Haven and Yale University. It is designed to reduce the public school drop-out rate by allowing many more New Haven students to attend college.

According to the , the organization hopes to accomplish the following:

• Cultivate an aspiration for higher education among New Haven public school students
• Build a community of support and parental engagement
• Grow the economic development throughout the city of New Haven

The organization wants to be the catalyst that reduces not only drop-out rates but poverty, crime, and incarceration rates in New

Public schools have taught the Advanced Placement curriculum for decades. AP courses offer students the opportunity to accelerate in the subjects in which they are particularly gifted. In addition, students who score well on AP exams can obtain college credits or test out of courses before ever attending a university. However, some schools are taking the advanced placement program one step further, requiring students to take exams that will bolster the school's own standing in some national rankings.

Those Opposed to AP Requirements

The AP examinations offer many benefits to students, but they cost a lot to take. Most of the exams cost between $50 and $100. Some schools pick up the tab, and others charge students directly for the exams.

One of the complaints parents and students alike have in districts that are requiring the exam is that some families cannot afford the expense of the test. This means some students will not benefit from the Advanced Placement classroom because they can't afford the required exam with the course itself.

Others are unhappy about the requirement to take an exam that may or may not offer much benefit to them. For students taking Advanced Placement courses, the time required to prepare for many examinations may be more than the students can handle. Most will pick and choose the exams to take based on their expectations of which exams they predict they will master.

The percentage of students enrolled in advanced placement courses who