Today marks the 60th anniversary of International Literacy Day, first proclaimed by @UNESCO In 1966 to remind people around the world of "the critical importance of literacy for creating a more literate, just, peaceful and sustainable society." This year the theme is “Literacy for people, the planet and prosperity." Throughout the day, we’ll be highlighting schools across the country that are beating the odds in teaching kids to read. Is your school a Bright Spot? Find out here: the74million.org/article/the…

Developmental experts say children need chances to struggle with everyday problems because figuring them out is a skill that has to be practiced. Via @AP buff.ly/RqkBxwn

Chronic absenteeism is still high. @usedgov’s decision to suspend some state monitoring efforts could leave the public in the dark on whether schools are making progress, says @USGAO buff.ly/JisjMx3

The findings come as school safety remains a chief concern among educators, students, parents and policymakers nationwide. Via @Stateline_news buff.ly/QNOUxrd

"My hands were shaking the entire rest of the afternoon." A 15-year-old describes surviving Alpha School's heart-rate test. The tasks weren't uncovered by investigators — students posted them themselves buff.ly/PFcpib4

In the mega-consumption era of parenthood, the internet tells new moms that products can solve the hardest parts of having a newborn. All they have to do is add to cart. Via @19thnews buff.ly/Szaf6q6

Here’s what The 74 learned about the recurring role of schools and educators in nearly 2,000 lawsuits alleging childhood sexual abuse buff.ly/WOsxp87

Critics have sought greater accountability for schools that aren’t showing progress. Now the Department of Education has put forward such a plan. Via @Spotlight302 buff.ly/x1IYUvs

The momentum around recess has been building for years. Emily Tate Sullivan reports on efforts to give kids more time for unstructured play during the school day buff.ly/nYqaarx

Manno: The key lesson — don't let workforce credential systems grow out of control before building the infrastructure needed to govern them buff.ly/EvRk47K

The Education Department’s process for calculating chronic absenteeism rates also produces unreliable data, according to the Government Accountability Office the74million.org/article/dro…

A law that opened a window for survivors to seek justice for past abuse also exposed how deeply schools enabled alleged predators buff.ly/9p218QG

.@ChadAldeman: @nhannahjones' new essay about her daughter's school offers lessons about education, standards and parent choice buff.ly/9f7yMKS

One study found a majority don’t speak about their abuse until age 50. Many states have opened windows for old claims, lifted time bars on new ones buff.ly/WMbmUnR

As a teacher, Amanda Geduld tried to report on adults crossing boundaries with students. As a reporter, she dug through thousands of sex abuse claims buff.ly/Ql0IAF0

Campaign donations from private equity-owned applied behavior analysis companies seek to influence insurance law, put private therapists in classrooms buff.ly/txyi76T

Despite the potential to benefit public school students, @NEAToday’s @NEAExecDir says members view the new Federal Scholarship Tax Credit as a “diversion of public taxpayer dollars” buff.ly/mRcgToI

The state is also facing a severe shortage of teachers for Hawaiian language immersion programs. Via @CivilBeat buff.ly/mKe7c6T

.@ChadAldeman: School districts are increasingly stretching the same number of instructional days across a longer calendar, with more three- and four-day school weeks along the way buff.ly/GZat4OZ

Could programs that support early childhood educators with student loan repayment help the field with workforce retention? buff.ly/uEKPyf9

The 74 investigation reveals that more than 18% of all the NY state Child Victim Act cases — or nearly 1 in 5 — attest that a child was sexually abused, assaulted or raped by an adult who had access to them through their school buff.ly/s21Q0JE