Once a relatively affordable option for many families, the cost of attending public colleges and universities is getting out of reach. Host Rachel Martin talks to NPR education reporter Claudio Sanchez about the huge rise in public college tuition as states face a budget squeeze.

On Jan. 1, the Missouri state school board revoked the Kansas City district's accreditation. Now parents have a difficult choice: struggle to afford parochial or private school, move, or keep their children in a system that's been labeled a failure.

Each year, roughly 750,000 high school dropouts try to improve their prospects by taking the General Educational Development test, or GED, long considered the equivalent of a high school diploma. But the latest research shows that people with GEDs are no better off than dropouts when it comes to their chances of getting a good job.

The men's basketball team at Jeremy Lin's alma mater, Harvard University, is making its mark on the national scene — and benefiting from powerful Ivy League recruiting tools: a stellar academic reputation and a big increase in financial aid.

A spike in metal prices and a shortage of miners is opening up new prospects for high school graduates. While many students finalize their college plans, some in Western towns are being recruited to head underground. Although mining pays better than typical entry-level positions, it is still dangerous work.

This school year, 23 tubas have been stolen from eight different high schools in and around Los Angeles — not something many of these campuses can afford. Police aren't sure where they're going, but one theory links the thefts to the local popularity of tuba-heavy banda music.

Obama has proposed using the tax code to create incentives for manufacturers to create jobs in the U.S. rather than abroad. Rick Santorum, who is running for the Republican presidential nomination, has also proposed tax-based incentives for manufacturers. But it's worth noting that some economists see risks in politicians and other policymakers making such a big fuss over manufacturing.

President Obama's 2013 budget calls for a $5 billion competitive grant to get states to overhaul teacher evaluations and training programs. Also, the president recently gave 10 states waivers from some of the rules of the No Child Left Behind Act. Host Michel Martin speaks with NPR's Claudio Sanchez and Kentucky principal Tim Roy.

Charitable giving to the nation's colleges and universities reached $30.30 billion in 2011, an 8.2 percent increase over the previous year, a new survey says. The 20 institutions that raised the most received $8.24 billion. Stanford, Harvard and Yale topped the list.

President Obama unveiled his fiscal 2013 budget at Northern Virginia Community College Monday. His proposal includes $8 billion for community colleges to partner with businesses to provide training in job skills that are in demand. Students there were pleased to hear the president call for more support for their type of school.

Everybody says children don't get enough sleep, and they've been saying that since at least 1905. Scientists still aren't sure how much time children need, according to a new study. But the experts always say they need more.

Some students just don't do well in high school — many struggle with bad grades or have discipline problems, and others choose to drop out. But there's also an alternative that some students are taking advantage of: A few school districts are opening up specialized schools inside shopping malls.

The achievement gap between black and white students has narrowed significantly over the past 50 years. The gulf between rich and poor students, however, has widened dramatically. Several studies suggest that family income serves as a better predictor of school success.

Dickinson State University awarded hundreds of degrees to foreign students who didn't earn them, signed up students who couldn't speak English and enrolled a handful without qualifying grades, according to an audit.

A student in Cranston, R.I., sued the city over a banner in the high school auditorium. She started receiving death threats after a federal judge ruled in her favor, ordering the banner removed. The school board is expected to decide Thursday whether to appeal the judge's ruling.