Becky Vevea

How much money a school can spend on its students still depends, in large part, on local property taxes. And many states aren't doing much to level the field for poor kids.

The politics surrounding the future of Chicago's public school system are intensifying. Three different players are in a power struggle for control of the system, which is suffering financially.

Barbara Byrd-Bennett is expected to appear in court on Tuesday. She is accused of taking $2.3 million in kickbacks for steering no-bid contracts worth $23 million to a former employer.

Librarians are being reassigned to classrooms. In Illinois, librarians must also have teaching certifications, and most have endorsements to teach specific grades and subjects.

The Common Core State Standards in literacy and math have generated lots of attention and controversy, but what do they look and sound like in a classroom?

On Monday, Chicago teachers went on strike for the first time in 25 years and left nearly 400,000 students without instructors.

Some 26,000 teachers and school staff in Chicago were on strike Monday after talks with the city's administration failed to reach agreement on benefits and job security issues.

If 25,000 teachers walk out in President Obama's home turf Monday, it could present problems for his re-election campaign. The teachers union is at odds with Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who touted his plans for change at the Democratic National Convention.