Education Impact of Jobs Bill Under Debate (Education Week - September 19)

President Obama's jobs plan portions off $55 billion to help school districts cover the expense of long-overdue school repairs and help ward off program cuts and massive layoffs. But the White House has still predicted 280,000 teacher layoffs this year.

Get Smart About College (Wall Street Journal - September 19)

There are many big decisions that factor into picking the right college, and how to pay for it seems to stump parents and students alike. The process is not simple or foolproof, but there are some observations and techniques that can guide families to avoid the traps.

Putting Parents in Charge (New York Times - September 17)

"Parent trigger" laws are popping up nationwide and giving "parent engagement" a whole new meaning, writes author Peg Tyre. They allow parents to take a role in improving their children's schools, but this means they also need to become more informed and sophisticated about schooling. (Ask Peg Tyre your questions directly in our "Ask An Expert" section.)

A Digital Promise to Our Nation's Children (Wall Street Journal Opinion - September 19)

Digital Promise, a bipartisan initiative recently launched by the Department of Education, aims to help advance technologies that can transform teaching and learning, writes Arne Duncan and Reed Hastings. Technology is part of Americans' everyday life, and now it’s becoming part of education to personalize and accelerate instruction for all students of all learning levels. 

CALIFORNIA: L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa: Jobs Gridlock Igniting 'Collective Frustration' Among U.S. Mayors (Huffington Post - September 19)

CHICAGO: Recess Is Making a Comeback in Schools (New York Times - September 17)

Starting in November, recess will be required by the Chicago Department of Public Health for children in preschool and day care centers to make sure kids spend less time in front of televisions and computer screens.

TEXAS: Deion Sanders, Former Redskin, to Open Texas Charter School (Washington Post - September 18)

The Texas State Board of Education voted Friday to allow former NFL star Deion Sanders to open a charter school. His application was among eight approved.

GUATEMALA: Guatemalan Schools Built from Bottles, Not Bricks (GOOD - September 19)

A non-profit in Guatemala is building schools from discarded plastic bottles - for less than $10,000 a school.

All statements and opinions expressed on this blog are those of the individual contributors, and not of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation or NBC News.