Those are the words that begin one of the best articles we've seen on what the technical high school does now. It's in the newsletter put out by Schwab Learning.

It's not a matter of sewing class for the girls and wood shop for the boys anymore, and it's not lower-level stuff for the kid who can't cut it with the academic subjects. Read more

The San Francisco Chronicle does a piece on each winner of the Jefferson Award administered by the American Institute for Public Service, a national foundation that honors community service. We caught the one on Suzanne McKechnie Klahr, who founded Businesses United in Investing, Lending and Development, BUILD, in a Menlo Park high school. Read more

Especially in the early grades, it's hard to have a child who's unhappy in school and really struggling. As parents we try to help, and sometimes that works. Sometimes it doesn't, and we end up frustrated and confused.

There are some steps we can take, early on, when we begin to be concerned; I found some on the Schwab Learning site and some on that of the U.S. Department of Education. Read more

Starting with kindergarten, here's a short list of the best financial aid sources you've never heard of...some of this information comes courtesy of Schwab Learning and focuses on special populations.

GRANTS

The Children's Scholarship Program

This is a grant for low-income families, and has no academic requirements. Read more