Larry Abramson is a telecommunications correspondent at National Public Radio. He covers a variety of topics, including telecommunications regulation, computer privacy, legal issues in cyberspace, and efforts to bring technology into the classroom.
Recent Stories
The Department of Education releases the rules Thursday for getting Race to the Top money — $4.5 billion in funding for education innovations for which states must compete. But some local officials are irritated with the process because they feel their concerns are being trampled on in the rush for cash.
The shooting at Ft. Hood left 13 dead and 30 wounded. They came from cities and towns all over the U.S., where relatives and friends are left in shock.
A White House proposal to give every Social Security recipient a check for $250 next year has provoked a debate over whether seniors really should be given the extra help. Critics say the proposal will just run up the deficit, while others say seniors need help to counter things like rising health care costs.
The Federal Communications Commission is scheduled to vote Thursday on whether the Internet needs rules to stop large telecom companies from discriminating against their rivals. Telecom companies vigorously oppose what's called "net neutrality," saying unfettered access will clog their "pipes." Supporters say the telecoms have a track record of slowing and even blocking access to sites offering large files, such as video.
The Louisiana Federation of Teachers charges that teachers from the Philippines were brought over to fill a teacher shortage, then held in servitude by the recruiting company. The firm is accused of taking chunks of the teachers' wages and threatening to deport them if they complained.
Until a year ago, Beverly Harvey was more familiar with balance sheets than attendance sheets. Harvey had spent 25 years in the banking industry before switching careers and becoming an elementary-school teacher.
Everyone from President Obama on down seems to agree: a good teacher can make a huge difference in the life of a child. What is a good teacher and what goes into making one? Over the next year, NPR will examine how teachers are evaluated, rewarded and disciplined.
The comedy world has eagerly awaited the arrival of Community, a new NBC sitcom about a band of wacky misfits who attend a community college. And community colleges have been getting ready too, hoping this show will not add to the image problems they face.
Across the nation, thousands of children already have missed school because of the swine flu pandemic. Most of those students are being kept home, while schools stay open, thanks to new guidance from the federal government. However, some schools continue to close, believing it's the only way to slow the spread of the virus.
The Knowledge is Power Program, known as KIPP, was founded on the idea that poor children need to spend more time in schools — more than nine hours a day, and every other Saturday — to succeed. But the teachers union in Baltimore says, if you want extra hours, you must pay for it. KIPP says it pays a stipend, but can't afford the rate the union wants.
The administration has released the text of a speech that President Obama will deliver Tuesday to the nation's schoolchildren. The move was meant to reassure parents and conservatives who may view the address as a political intrusion into the school day.
Flu season has arrived at some colleges and universities even before some classes have begun. Symptoms are spreading in at least two schools in the south, and 2,000 students are reported sick at Washington State University.
As many as half of all students who attend college might never complete their degrees — and many schools view that as a crisis. At Millersville University outside Lancaster, Pa., retention is a priority — from bonding with students at orientation to spotting depression and risk factors.
College students need many things to make their dorm room a home. Retailers are selling lamps, towels and other items college students need to make the transition from their parents' house to dorm rooms. One item surprising parents is that most dorm room beds need extra-long twin sheets. Target and others have seized on the need for new bedding.
As students stream to college, so does the swine flu bug. New federal recommendations released this past week aim to keep colleges open if swine flu appears on campus. Most colleges are focusing on isolating sick students in dorm rooms. But that is not an easy task, given all the people-mixing that goes on in a typical dorm.
