First Bell 1-14-13

yes Pamela Tatz / January 14, 2013

A first look at today's most important education news:

Critics of “gifted-and-talented” programs point to the odd racial composition of these accelerated programs, arguing that they inherently favor middle-class students and create racial “castes” within public schools. (New York Times)

New York City’s school-bus drivers warn that they may go on strike as early as Tuesday, affecting 152,000 public and private school students. (Wall Street Journal and New York Times)

This year, five states will pilot a program that will lengthen the academic calendar by 300 hours. (Huffington Post)

Education Week profiles how Arne Duncan, who grew up on Chicago’s South Side, became a fierce advocate for gun control.

A Huffington Post poll on Obama’s education performance finds that most people haven’t given the issue much thought.

Category: First Bell