PS Picks: The 'Night Call' Podcast
PS Picks is a selection of the best things that the magazine's staff and contributors are reading, watching, or otherwise paying attention to in the worlds of art, politics, and culture.
Elena Gooray
Elena Gooray is an associate editor at Pacific Standard, where she reports on education and oversees print production, workflow, and copy editing and proofreading. She was previously an editorial fellow at Pacific Standard, and has written about mental illness research for the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation and contributed to Philadelphia and JazzTimes magazines. She has a master's degree in cognition in science and society from the University of Edinburgh.
Don't Take Personality Tests Personally
Rigorous study of the Fisher Temperament Inventory is still in its infancy—much like our understanding of the relationship between neurobiology and personality to begin with.
The Boy Scouts Changes Its Name to Scouts BSA
The Boy Scouts of America is changing the name of its older youth program from Boy Scouts to Scouts BSA, the organization announced today.
Dispatches: 'Pacific Standard' at the L.A. Times Festival of Books
News and notes from Pacific Standard staff and contributors.
PS Picks: 'Personal Shopper' and Stories of and for the Lonely
PS Picks is a selection of the best things that the magazine's staff and contributors are reading, watching, or otherwise paying attention to in the worlds of art, politics, and culture.
A Look at the Education Labor Movements Emerging Across the Country
A round-up of the strikes and protests organized by educators around the country who are frustrated with low pay and gutted school budgets.
Why Can't Charter Schools and Teachers' Unions Be Friends?
The president of California's largest teachers' labor group weighs in on the recent unionization of charters across the state—a shift that runs counter to the history of tension between charters and labor groups.
PS Picks: Glam-Rock Wastrel Alex Cameron's 'Studmuffin96' Music Video
PS Picks is a selection of the best things that the magazine's staff and contributors are reading, watching, or otherwise paying attention to in the worlds of art, politics, and culture.
The Department of Education Is Trying to Promote Native Language Learning
The DOE's new programs will also support improvement in English proficiency.
A Federal Judge Contests the Termination of a College Accrediting Agency
The Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools is not currently listed on the Department of Education's page of federally recognized accrediting agencies.
A Maryland Court Rules to Protect a Transgender Student's Locker Room Access
The student, Max Brennan, was initially required to use a gender-neutral restroom.
College Students Report Decreased Confidence in Free Speech Protections in a New Poll
Only 64 percent felt freedom of speech was secure in the U.S.
PS Picks: The Renaissance of Lisa Simpson
PS Picks is a selection of the best things that the magazine's staff and contributors are reading, watching, or otherwise paying attention to in the worlds of art, politics, and culture.
West Virginia Passes a Bill to Raise Pay for Teachers and Other State Employees
The State House and Senate agreed on a bill to raise pay by 5 percent for all state employees, including teachers and school service workers.
Purdue University Gets the Final Approval on Its Plan to Convert Kaplan Into a Non-Profit College
Purdue University has received full approval from the Higher Learning Commission to convert the school into a new college called Purdue Global.
West Virginia Teachers Win Salary Increase
West Virginia Governor Jim Justice announced that educators would get a 5 percent pay raise next year.
West Virginia Teachers Will Continue Their Strike Into Tuesday
Union leaders are demanding that Governor Jim Justice and state representatives arrange a meeting to hear employee demands for higher pay raises.
PS Picks: The Witchy Charms of Erykah Badu in David Marchese's 'New York' Magazine Interview
PS Picks is a selection of the best things that the magazine's staff and contributors are reading, watching, or otherwise paying attention to in the worlds of art, politics, and culture.
Civil Rights Groups Sue Department of Education Over Sexual Assault Guidelines
Betsy DeVos rescinded Obama-era guidelines that pushed colleges and universities to use the lowest legal standard of proof in judging cases of sexual assault or violence.
The 'Pacific Standard' Pop Culture Picks of 2017
The music, film, television, writing, and digital diversions that got our staff through the year.
Our Best Education Stories of 2017
Tracking a year in education through a cycle of failed reforms, teen YouTube geniuses, and a path forward for school integration.
How the Thomas Fire Is Worsening the Housing Crisis for Vulnerable Students
Ventura and Santa Barbara County schools must prepare to help students who have been pushed into housing instability as a result of the wildfire.
The History of Shopping as a Spectacle
A decades old idea argues that shopping is not about the items you sell—it's about the spectacle in which you sell them.
Democratic Senators Call for Anti-Bullying Plan From Department of Education
The letter arrives as the White House is promoting First Lady Melania Trump's anti-bullying campaign for its "Week of Inclusion" event.
A Brief History of Companies Courting African-American Dollars
Dove's withdrawn advertisement is the latest example of American companies bungling ads for black consumers.
Another Financial Aid Program Targets Middle-Class Students
An expert weighs in on Brown University's new no-loan program and other ways schools can cut costs for middle- and low-income families.
Brown University Plans to Eliminate Loans From Student Aid
Brown hopes to raise $30 million by December in order to eliminate loans starting in the 2018–19 academic year.
National Park Service to Fund Research Project on Black Panther Party
The government will provide staff, technical support, and research input for the project.
Would City Mergers Help Alleviate Suburban Poverty?
Economically struggling suburbs would benefit from joining with nearby cities, a think-tank report suggests.
How Does School Closure Play Into a Student's Success?
A new study sheds doubt on the efficacy of closures as a solution to struggling schools.
Former DeVry Dean to Police Fraud in Higher Education
The unit has primarily regulated for-profit institutions, including those managed by DeVry.
Administrative Support Can Help Retain Isolated Teachers of Color
A sense of support from principals and other higher-ups boosts retention for non-white teachers at schools with largely white staffs, new research finds.
Department of Justice Will Investigate Affirmative Action, Likely as Discrimination Against White Students
The affirmative action policies to be scrutinized typically aim to compensate for historical disadvantages among black and Latino students.
The Promise of the Disposable Camera
Launched by Fujifilm and Kodak in the late 1980s, modern disposables were sold cheap in drugstore aisles and popularized picture-taking in new settings.
Students Benefit When College Costs and Spends More
A new study finds that college students are more likely to graduate from schools with higher tuitions and larger spending budgets.
These Charts Help Explain NRA Politics
Members of the National Rifle Association show different gun habits and policy views than other gun owners, including those of the same party affiliation.
NRA Scores Two Victories Against California Gun-Control Laws
Two pending gun control laws in California have been stalled following challenges from the National Rifle Association.
A New Breakthrough for How We Treat Depression
Scientists were able to change deep-brain activity in mice using just scalp electrodes, pointing toward cheaper, non-invasive procedures to treat depression and other illnesses.
Government Watchdog Will Investigate Trump Administration on Civil Rights
The commission plans to review budgets, staffing, management practices, and recent resolution efforts at civil rights offices.
Online Courses May Worsen Academic Outcomes, Especially for At-Risk Students
DeVry University's online courses lead to worse grades and higher dropout risk than their traditional counterparts, according to a new report.
Department of Education to Roll Back More For-Profit College Regulations
The regulations sought to protect student loan borrowers.
Twenty-One Figures That Capture Interracial Marriage in America
Interracial marriage and births are rising steadily, at a time when broader attitudes toward matrimony are shifting.
Head of Federal Student Financial Aid Office Resigns
James Runcie submitted his resignation following an apparent disagreement with Betsy DeVos over his scheduled testimony on improper aid payments.
Trump's Projected Education Budget to Make Deep Cuts—Except for School Choice
The cuts are expected to affect 150 positions in the Department of Education.
Appeal Likely in Alabama School Desegregation Case Allowing Mostly White Town to Leave Largely Black District
Gardendale can take over control of its two elementary schools from the Jefferson County district this fall for a three-year period.
Holding a Marriage Together After Time in the Psych Ward
In his new memoir, writer Mark Lukach chronicles a marriage interrupted by bouts of psychosis—and strengthened through the ensuing compromises it forced him and his wife to make.
Purdue University Buys a For-Profit Institution
The university has purchased the for-profit Kaplan University for $1 with plans to transform it into a non-profit Indiana public university.
New York State Will Offer Free College Tuition
The plan will be phased in over the next two years, starting with a $100,000 family income cap this fall.
Chicago Has a Controversial Plan to Prepare Students for Life After High School
Will requiring high school students to make post-graduation planshelp or hurt their futures?