Testing may lead to "stress bias," in which students who have spikes of the stress hormone cortisol get lower test scores, according to a study of 93 elementary- and middle-school students from three New Orleans charter schools. Researchers found that students living in areas with more crime and poverty are more affected by stress, and may be less able "to reveal the things they likely know," says Pamela Cantor, a psychiatrist and founder of an organization that works with children affected by trauma.

Seniors in teacher Paul Kelley's Minnesota high-school class are applying algebra concepts by using cryptography and ciphers to create, and break, coded messages. Students who take the course receive high-school credit, as well as three credits at the University of Minnesota.

Culture plays an important role in how people learn, according to findings included in the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine's update to its report "How People Learn II." In this interview, the study's director, Sujeeta Bhatt, shares other findings, including the importance of motivation in learning.

When project-based learning programs have students interact with adults, teachers need to prepare children to make their voices heard, writes Emily Murphy, a project work adviser at a Colorado school. In this blog post, she shares how she learned this lesson after students gave a presentation before the city council but felt patronized.

Members of a high-school robotics team in Missouri are building a robot that local law enforcement will use in hostage situations. The robot -- to be used to bring items to people during a crisis without endangering officers -- will cost about $5,000 to build.

Zach Ertz, a tight end for the Philadelphia Eagles, has used his Ertz Family Foundation to support education causes in the US and in Haiti. Recently, the foundation teamed up with education-technology company Chegg, which has pledged to donate $1,086 to the foundation for every touchdown Ertz scores, and $860 for every first down up to $86,000 total.

A new guide from the Education Commission of the States shows that remedial placement policies differ across states and university systems, with 19 using multiple measures, while 21 states have required minimum scores for students to be considered college-ready. The report comes as other systems, such as the California State University System, are replacing remedial courses with credit-bearing classes.

High-school students who retook the SAT exam and scored 100 points higher were not likely to revise the list of colleges where they intended to apply before retaking the exam, according to a new study. Researchers say many factors may be at play, including family loyalty to a school, tuition costs and counseling.

When students have the knowledge to overcome mental hurdles, they will learn and grow in more meaningful ways, writes Matt Johnson in the latest issue of ASCD Express. Teachers can use mistakes and failures as a feedback loop to improve student thinking over time.

Set the stage for learning where students, not teachers, drive effort and exploration. Learn how to flip the traditional gradual release model to start with "you do" rather than a teacher-centered "I do."