Out of Tragedy, a Protective Glass for Schools. In the two years since the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Conn., schools across the country have become more serious about safety. They have bought familiar items like surveillance cameras, panic buttons and key-card entry systems. More recent innovations include bulletproof whiteboards to help teachers shield students inside classrooms and a smartphone app that starts a school lockdown with the swipe of a finger. Read more at www.nytimes.com
School District Program Helps Parents Of Homeless Children With Rent And Support Services. His four stepchildren didn’t put it into words, but Bobby Gantt saw the insecurity that gripped them as they spent much of their young lives moving between temporary living situations. First, they spent several years in California shelters with their mother, then they crashed with family in Washington state after she married Mr. Gantt. Next, they squeezed into a one-bedroom apartment with their parents and a new baby the couple had together. Read more at www.huffingtonpost.com
Colleges Reinvent Classes to Keep More Students in Science. DAVIS, Calif. — Hundreds of students fill the seats, but the lecture hall stays quiet enough for everyone to hear each cough and crumpling piece of paper. The instructor speaks from a podium for nearly the entire 80 minutes. Most students take notes. Some scan the Internet. A few doze. Read more at www.nytimes.com