Research shows suspensions are disproportionately applied to minorities and give students a fast track to dropping out and to the juvenile justice system. The Los Angeles Unified School District recently instituted a ban on certain suspensions, but finding a viable alternative is a complex task.

The worth of a degree depends on the specialty. A report from Georgetown University breaks down returns on students' investments, and it's not particularly encouraging. But the study's co-author says the problem is a lack of guidance, which could keep young people from following fruitless career paths.

Interest rates on government-backed college loans are set to double July 1 — unless Congress agrees on a fix before then. The president is expected to urge Congress on Friday to block that increase.

Degree-granting institutions are responding to austere budgets by catapulting themselves into the world of online education. But some professors point to low online completion rates as evidence that these "massive open online courses" do a disservice to students.