In a school discipline discussion that's focused primarily on the plight of young men of color, girls are being overlooked and officials aren't developing the types of gender-specific policy supports that would prevent young women from being pushed down the school-to-prison pipeline.

America's education policies are brimming with contradictions, particularly in the movement surrounding charter schools. While the intent of some charter backers may have once been for educators and parents in a community to create a different learning space for students who weren’t being well served, that’s all changed now. Charters have instead ventured into a brave new world of a movement contradictory to the ends it purports to serve.

"What pleased us most about the public discussion of education this year was the growing awareness of how state funding decisions affect schools over a multi-year period. AQE has been sounding the alarm on the devastating consequences of classroom cuts over the last four years. We are pleased that state officials, this year, finally started to listen."

It’s no longer good enough to just know that Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s 2013-15 budget proposal is bad for kids in the state's public schools. Now that you know it, think about telling your friends and neighbors and, equally important, ask your elected representatives to change the plan. Here's how.

A new voice is chiming in to the school discipline debate: the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently released a policy statement condemning the overuse of out-of-school suspensions and expulsions, and advocating instead for positive discipline polices and wraparound health and social services for all students.

Hundreds of young people from across Massachusetts convened at the State House to represent their communities in this year's fight for state funding for education, transportation and infrastructure, and youth jobs through progressive revenue proposals. Young people from Lexington to Boston, from Lowell to Arlington and beyond visited their representatives to share their personal stories and explain the significance of more state funding.

A report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation finds that "a sea change is underway in our nation's approach to dealing with young people who get in trouble with the law." Though the US still leads the industrialized world in youth incarceration rates, that rate has dropped more than 40 percent over a 15-year period. However, five states – Arkansas, Idaho, Nebraska, South Dakota and West Virginia – bucked the norm and saw an increase in youth confinement.

A+NYC, a coalition of 45 grassroots education groups in New York City, led a bus tour this past week across the city to let community members make their voices heard in the education debate. The group put together a visual exhibit for a "new direction" for NYC public schools showcasing the classes, programs and policies that work to build successful public schools, and elevating the voices of the parents, students and teachers who are usually left out of these conversations."