From the National Indian Education Association and the National Education Association, this report looks at achievement barriers facing American Indians, Alaskan natives and native Hawaiians in schools. It finds that policies and resources are needed to preserve indigenous languages and cultures, recruit and retain quality teachers and support safe, effective schools.

CFK Reports From: Paths to Success: A Forum on Young African-American Men
Event: Forum
Organized By: Kaiser Family Foundation , The Washington Post and Harvard University
Where/When: Barbara Jordan Conference Center; July 18, 2006

Comedian Bill Cosby, armed with sunglasses and a tell-it-like-it is approach, joined a 16-member panel made up of politicians, educators, activists, and young men to discuss the issues and challenges facing young black men, and the strategies to help overcome the obstacles.

The National Council of La Raza NCLR) – the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States – hosts Achieving the American Dream in a New Century.

More than 5 million kids live with unauthorized [immigrant] parents, according to the Urban Institute. Many of these children are citizens. This issue brief offers more details.

CFK Reports From: Oversight Hearing on Suicide Prevention Programs and their Application in Indian Country
Event: Hearing
Organized By: Senate Committee on Indian Affairs
Where/When: 485 Russell Senate Office Building; May 17, 2006

The statistics are grim: American Indian youth have the highest suicide rate among all ethnic groups, a rate that is almost twice the national average, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. To address this issue, youth suicide prevention programs have been created to better serve the community. Two panels presented written testimony about their experiences, findings, and goals on suicide prevention programs to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.

The dearth of women—especially minority women from low-income families—in the fields of engineering, science and technology is long-standing, and hard to solve. A tightly-focused summer program at the New Jersey Institute of Technology is trying to make a difference, girl by girl.

The Alliance for Excellent Education hosts its 2006 Breakfast Forums on Promising Practices in Secondary Education in Washington, DC.

Innovative Approaches in Civil Rights and Education: The Link Between Data-driven Decisionmaking and Promising Practices is presented by the Alliance for Excellent Education and the Civil Rights Working Group.

This national meeting will examine key policy issues related to accelerated learning options, such as Advanced Placement, dual/concurrent enrollment, early college high schools, and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program.

Gail Griffith tells an unsparing tale of her son Will’s attempt to kill himself, and the complicated road to recovery.