Even bright students sometimes miss the mark in preparing for college courses. To help students better prepare for the demands of college courses, the Standards for Success project has developed booklets that identify the academic habits and knowledge expected of college students in English, mathematics, natural sciences, social sciences, second languages and the arts. Hard copies are $18.

The National Center for Family Literacy celebrates National Family Literacy Day on November 1st. NCFL encourages everyone to build awareness about the importance of families working together to encourage literacy and reading.

As policy makers and others debate government funding for pre-kindergarten programs and Head Start expansion, a working paper from the Joint Center on Poverty Research reviews evaluations of several center-based early childhood intervention programs. "What We Know about Early Childhood Interventions" finds that well-designed, well-funded early interventions can have large and significant effects on school readiness and subsequent
child outcomes.

Music can have a powerful impact on children—some studies show that math, verbal and spatial IQ abilities benefit from exposure to music. But more than that, music helps children learn to express themselves and their emotions. In our monthly column, Nick Geisinger explores the mystery and value of music.

Pressure to get the best grades, win the right awards, have the right friends—in this "do it now world," kids may learn that doing their best will never be enough. How can we protect our children from becoming stressed-out "superkids"?

Training in music and arts should be considered as important for kids as cognitive development asserts sociologist Karen Pittman. Learn more in this article from journalist Susan Kellam.

Warm and authoritative parents provide powerful protection against the risks of adolescence, according to this article by Senior Editor Richard Louv.

The National Household Education Survey regularly conducts topical interviews of households on topics such as early childhood education, school readiness, parent involvement in education, safety and discipline, and adult education.