Andrea Mitchell Stands Behind NBC's Education Nation (Capitol File - September 13)

NBC's Andrea Mitchell supports Education Nation, saying it has rekindled her "early love of the classroom." She highlights her early years in public schools, from writing columns in local newspapers to learning the violin to fieldtrips to the Metropolitan Opera.

Spending Inequity in Colleges Has Risen (New York Times - September 14)

Even though tuition at public and private universities continues to increase, there is a growing gap in their incomes because public colleges have to make up for a loss of state and local appropriations. As community colleges' net tuition increases, their per-student spending declines due to shrinking state and local financing.

With Bipartisan Support, Law on Expansion of Charter Schools Passes the House (New York Times - September 13)

The House approved a bill Tuesday that will support the expansion of charter schools as well as civil rights and school improvement groups. The legislation passed by a vote of 365 to 54. If it's passed by the Senate, it will replace the charter school provisions of No Child Left Behind.

CALIFORNIA: Magic Johnson Gets in the Education Game (NBC LA - September 13)

NBA legend Magic Johnson announced his partnership with for-profit education reform company EdisonLearning. The Magic Johnson-EdisonLearning Assist partnership is dedicated to the development and renewal of schools, beginning with the establishment of 10 Bridgescape Learning Centers.

CALIFORNIA: Court Says Teacher Has No Right to Banners Referring to God (Los Angeles Times - September 14)

Brad Johnson, a San Diego-area mathematics teacher, claimed that his First Amendment rights were violated when the school principal ordered him to take down banners referring to God, but a federal appeals court rejected his claim on Tuesday.

CALIFORNIA: Throwing the Book at School Libraries (Los Angeles Times - September 14)

L.A.Unified school district is laying off 227 school library aides and cutting the hours of another 193 aides by half. Several of them are now asking why Supt. John Deasy can request money from deep-pocketed friends and non-profits for new senior executives, but not for library aides.

CONNECTICUT: New Haven's School Effort Hits Hurdles (Wall Street Journal - September 14)

The sweeping reform effort launched three years ago to turn around schools has not rid the city of many challenges, including a student achievement gap, poor student discipline, and vetting poorly performing teachers and principals.

MICHIGAN: Michigan Makes It Tougher for Kids to Pass State Exams (Detroit Free Press - September 14)

The Michigan Board of Education voted Tuesday to increase the number of questions students will have to answer correctly to be considered proficient on the Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) and the Michigan Merit Exam (MME).

OHIO: In Ohio, Obama Emphasizes School Upgrades as Part of Jobs Proposal (New York Times - September 13)

President Obama pitched his jobs plan to a friendly audience at Fort Hayes Arts and Academic High School in Columbus on Tuesday. He said $25 billion of the proposed $447 billion would go to education construction and improvements in order to modernize American schools and put construction workers back to work.

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.