Nearly 300,000 teaching jobs have been lost since 2008 as a result of state and local budget shortfalls. Without federal assistance, up to 280,000 teacher jobs could be at risk. Read "Teacher Jobs at Risk."

ED announced its strategy for improving teacher preparation, which includes initiatives to reward the best teacher preparation programs, improve the quality at schools of education, and remove burdensome regulations.

President Obama delivered his third annual back-to-school speech on September 28 at Benjamin Banneker High School in Washington, D.C. Watch the video.

Educational performance varies across states in the U.S. See the top and lowest performing states in reading and math, high school and college graduation rates, and more.