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One of the largest school districts in Virginia and across the country is in the construction phase of a new high school that may serve as a prototype for public schools in the future. The all-new Kellam High School design for Virginia Beach City has collaborated with school staff, students and community members. The new building will reflect a whole new approach to the education process through architecture and style elements not seen in many other public schools today. The building will replace the old Kellam High School building, which has become too small for the current student population.

Student Competition Results in Courtyard Design

When the superintendent of Virginia Beach City, James G. Merrill, began the planning phase of the new high school, he recruited help from unexpected places. According to , the superintendent sought input from students and teachers at the current school to determine what they thought would make for a more effective learning environment. Six of the classes at Kellam, including five environmental design classes, created designs for the outer courtyard of the school, which incorporated gardens for the school's science and culinary arts programs.

The competition consisted of 140 students on six different teams, each creating their own drawings of what they thought the courtyard should look like. Inform, an architectural design publication, reports that student plans went well beyond the overall look of the gardens. They also designed irrigation systems, rain-water infiltration systems, and an outdoor café.

Race to the Top, the education reform championed by the current administration, is now in full swing. States nationwide have received funding from the program in exchange for changes to their public education systems that would benefit the students in those states. While some are touting the program's success already in its early stages, others are voicing concern that it is not doing what it was meant to do.

An Overview of the Program

Race to the Top was introduced by President Obama in 2009 as a competitive fund to promote school improvement on both a state and local level. At that time, $4.35 billion was pledged in what the White House called the “largest ever federal investment in education reform,” according to the . State governments were called upon to submit plans for education reform to gain a portion of the funding pledged for the program.

The stresses four key areas of reform for Race to the Top funding criteria, which include:

• Improvement of assessments and more rigorous standards for schools
• Turn-around of failing schools through increased emphasis and resources
• Support that allows teachers and staff to be more effective
• Better methods for tracking the progress of both students and teachers

Each state had the opportunity to submit a plan to the U.S. Department of Education for education reform, keeping these four criteria in mind. Since the program was launched, 46 of 50 states have submitted plans, and some of

Dual-enrollment programs have become a popular way for high school students to explore the world of college curricula prior to their high school graduation. These programs typically exist between high schools and neighboring community colleges, offering students the chance to earn college credits – often tuition-free - while still in high school. The rising popularity of dual-enrollment has led many students and their parents to explore the potential benefits of such a program in their own academic endeavors. Check out these benefits of a dual-enrollment program – as well as some of the possible reasons why dual-enrollment may not be the best choice for you.

What is Dual-Enrollment?

According to the website for Columbia State Community College, dual-enrollment is a program that provides the opportunity for qualifying juniors and seniors in high school to take college-level courses. The courses may be offered on the community college campus or right at the high school. Specific laws involving eligibility, tuition rates, and earned credit opportunities vary from state to state.

In many cases, there is no tuition charge for high school students participating in the dual-enrollment program – a huge boon to those concerned about the cost of higher education. Other programs might involve a tuition fee, although it is often highly discounted from what students will pay after graduating from high school. High schools are generally responsible for overseeing dual enrollment programs.

This video explores the suitability of dual enrollment.

One of the largest school districts in the country, Boston Public Schools, is joining the rest of the state of Massachusetts to explore the issue of gender identity. A new law passed by the Massachusetts legislature in 2011 has led schools across the state to reassess their gender identity policies to ensure all students in those schools are treated fairly and equally. However, the new law is not without its share of controversy, as not everyone in the state agrees with some of the recommendations made by state lawmakers.

An Act Relative to Gender IdentityMassachusetts Transgender Political Coalition

The new law, titled, “An Act Relative to Gender Identity,” was passed by Massachusetts lawmakers in November, 2011, and went into effect in July, 2012, according to . The law adds gender identity to the state’s non-discrimination code. The law also defines gender identity as “a person’s gender-related identity, appearance or behavior, whether or not that gender-related identity, appearance or behavior is different from that traditionally associated with the person’s physiology or assigned sex at birth.”

reports on the results of a 2011 survey by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, which found that more than three-fourths of transgender students had been verbally harassed during the previous school year. More than 32 percent had been physically harassed and nearly 17 percent had been physically assaulted. Numbers on the website for the are even higher.