News: Fuloughs, Mergers, Cuts -- And More

Hawaii teachers OK deal to reduce furlough days AP
The union that represents Hawaii's public school teachers has approved an agreement to reduce the number of furlough days in the current school year.

Study: Mergers don't hurt students Des Moines Register
School mergers might divide neighbors or drain the life out of towns left without schools, but they don't hurt students, new University of Northern Iowa research shows.

Governor advises education cuts Clarion Ledger
Gov. Haley Barbour is recommending a 68 percent cut to gifted, special and vo-tech education programs - a move that would result in a loss of $176 million in federal funds

Despite Teacher Pushback, D.C. Continues Schools Reform
PBS NewsHour
Gwen Ifill speaks with John Merrow for an update on efforts to reform Washington, D.C.'s troubled public school system.

A teaching model that would make Da Vinci proud LA Times
At Da Vinci Science High and Da Vinci Design High, students learn by producing elaborate projects -- paper roller coasters, models of Chicago tenements, children's books from scratch.