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Turning 16 in America means reaching the quintessential teen milestone: obtaining your driver’s license! However, what if your grades could prevent you from getting your driver’s license?

Indeed, many public high schools, school districts, and even states across the nation have implemented rules that require students to maintain a specific grade point average in order to legally obtain and carry a driver’s license.

In an effort to encourage better academic performance, public high schools are applying the “carrot and stick” philosophy to their student’s licenses – and the results have been intriguing.

This video reports on how Tennessee dealt with grade restrictions on student driver's licenses.

Driving up Student Success

Linking student grades with driving privileges is a relatively new practice and one of the most recent states to mandate student driving laws is West Virginia. According to The Intelligencer, the West Virginia Legislature recently amended its current teen driving law, granting the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles the permission and authority to revoke any student’s driver’s license due to poor grades or attendance. Although the law does not currently outline a minimum GPA that students must maintain to preserve their driving privileges, the revised law states that students must uphold “adequate academic progress.”

Most high school students pursuing classes full-time will take eight credits each semester, and therefore, many West Virginia school leaders plan to report students with

The Pros and Cons of Mandatory Gym Class in ���������� Schools

On the big screen, gym class is often depicted as a source of awkwardness and embarrassment, typically featuring challenges like rope climbing and timed push-ups.

• However, gym class is much different now, and it is not surprising that today’s students and parents are questioning why it’s even a mandatory part of the day.
• After all, according to an investigation, researchers have found that the average high school gym class only keeps students physically active for an average of 16 minutes!
• In a class period that is about 45 minutes long, that isn’t a lot of active time.
• In today's educational landscape, where standardized test scores heavily influence teacher and school evaluations, districts cannot afford to perceive physical education as a 'waste' of valuable instructional time.
• As such, PE classes have been cut so students can spend more time in core classes.

Supporters of mandatory gym programs contend that physical education classes have a wide range of benefits.

• According to the , physical education classes help children develop fine and gross motor skills, learn cooperation and teamwork, reduce stress, and improve self-confidence and self-esteem.
• Furthermore, supporters argue that public schools have a responsibility to encourage children to enjoy a healthy and active lifestyle – especially as a rising number of young Americans are obese.
• Activities that promote muscular strength, cardiovascular endurance, and flexibility, they

Many teens are attracted to the glamorous appeal of high-fashion style, runways, and celebrity trends. Fortunately, through innovative public school course offerings, students can begin to develop the skills needed to pursue a career in the fashion industry. While many public schools offer fashion design courses, some students can even enroll in public high schools devoted strictly to fashion!

Innovative ���������� Schools Dedicated to Fashion

If you live in New York City and have a serious passion for fashion, consider enrolling in New York’s Fashion High School. While it may sound fictional, Fashion High School (FHS) is an award-winning and widely celebrated public school for fashion-forward teens.

Considered one of the top schools in New York, FHS provides teens with “Challenging, creative, and effective vocational, technical and academic” opportunities. In fact, FHS has even garnered national media attention. In fact, both the U.S. News and World Report and the New York Times have published articles celebrating the school’s success. Furthermore, after evaluating more than 18,000 schools, experts from leading institutions awarded FHS as one of the best schools in the country.

This video reports on a day at the Fashion Industries High School.

FHS aims to provide students with an educational experience that is personally, socially, and professionally sound. Specifically, educators guide students through lessons that center on core issues such as:

• Students work together collaboratively

Children are often caught in the crossfire of a divorce, and separation results can wreak havoc on a child’s academic performance and behavior at school. In fact, as expert counselor asserts, “Children exposed to divorce are twice as likely to repeat a grade and five times likelier to be expelled or suspended from school.”

Researchers have found that many children experience behavioral changes in the immediate months after a divorce. Subsequently, divorcing parents can help their children maintain their performance in public schools by understanding these issues.

This video explains how divorce impacts children's mental health.

What Happens to Children after a Divorce

In the months following a divorce, children tend to demonstrate more disobedient, less affectionate, and more demanding behaviors. As children carry their personal problems from home into their school atmosphere, some of the changes seen in their school behavior include:

• Withdrawal
• Dependency
• Inattention
• Unhappiness
• Reduced work ethic and effort
• Increased acts of violence
• Physical boundary problems

Due to the dramatic upheaval in a child’s environment, divorce can impact students in an array of grade levels and at various ages.

Preventing Long-Term Problems: ���������� School Resources for Family Support

Studies show that over half of the reported divorces in the United States involve children and/or teens. Subsequently, Early School Years argues, “It is important to remember that divorce does affect children, and it’s