The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction has proposed eliminating high school's required Math 3 and Math 4 classes and replacing them with two other mandatory math classes chosen from several electives: Applied Statistics and Data Science, Applied Logic and Reasoning, Mathematical and Statistical Modeling, AP Statistics, AP Precalculus, AP Calculus and an International Baccalaureate or college math course. The goal is to support businesses by teaching students the type of math they'll use after graduation, no matter what their path, and to make math more meaningful for students, Charles Aiken of the Public Instruction Department says.

Teacher morale is rising nationwide, but Massachusetts educators face challenges such as high living costs and a lack of workplace flexibility, panelists said at a symposium in Boston held by Education Week and The Boston Globe. Teachers say flexibility is as important as pay, and stable leadership is crucial for morale, with frequent turnover among principals and superintendents disrupting progress, the panelists say.

A New York Times analysis traces how enthusiasm for new technologies used by young people -- from smartphones to social media -- often swings toward backlash, a pattern researchers call the "Hype Cycle," and one that may now apply to classroom AI tools. As countries like Australia impose sweeping youth social media bans while schools simultaneously explore AI chatbots for instruction, experts warn that early optimism can obscure long-term risks and say policymakers should avoid repeating mistakes made during the rapid adoption of phones and social platforms.

When Emily Fowler was in high school, she didn't know where her interest in math would take her -- but she's been on quite the ride. It started with a college operations research class, where she optimized strategies for a board game. That landed her at a BMW plant, where she helped make complex ideas accessible and practical for others. Now she's working for the McLaren Formula 1 team with designers and engineers on high-stakes projects in an obviously fast-paced environment.