Cory Turner

Several top Democrats sent a stern letter to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau asking for evidence that it's policing the federal student loan industry.

Toys are more pink and blue than ever before, experts say. But before you ban the sparkle unicorns and foam-dart blasters, consider other ways to help kids expand their play possibilities.

Whether it's a goldfish or Grandma, every child will encounter a death at some point — and their parents will likely struggle to explain it. NPR's Life Kit and Sesame Workshop have 6 insights to help.

NPR and child development experts behind Sesame Street have teamed up on a parenting podcast. Life Kit For Parents With Sesame Workshop is meant to help adults navigate tough conversations with kids.

Is Santa real? Will you ever die? Children ask questions that can induce knee-buckling panic in adults. NPR's Life Kit and Sesame Workshop have research-tested strategies to help you with the answers.

The department's own inspector general says student loan companies aren't following the rules, and that the government isn't doing enough to hold them accountable.

The Education Department has published guidance for teachers hurt by the federal TEACH Grant program. And a possible Denver teacher strike is on hold while the state decides whether to intervene.

An NPR exclusive: The Education Department has announced a plan to help public school teachers wrongly hit with debts, sometimes more than $20,000, because of a troubled federal grant program.

The move follows an NPR investigation that found thousands of teachers had grants unfairly converted to loans.

NPR reported on the troubled Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, and dozens of aggrieved student borrowers wrote in to share their stories.

Ninety-nine percent of applications for Public Service Loan Forgiveness have been denied. A former student loan watchdog saw it coming.

Seth Frotman worked overseeing student loans for the government. He saw things that made him quit.

Also in our weekly education news roundup: 6 ways to talk to your kids about sex after Kavanaugh; Homeschooling is growing and changing rapidly

Senators from the education committee aired their frustrations about a move to allow school districts to use federal money to pay for the arming of teachers.

The U.S. Department of Education has developed a new smartphone app that it hopes will make the notoriously difficult Free Application For Federal Student Aid a little easier.

The Education Department offers new findings on student loan forgiveness; Enrollment in Puerto Rico's schools drops after Hurricane Maria; DeVos calls for more free and open speech on college campuses

In a stern letter to the acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Mick Mulvaney, Senate Democrats demanded evidence that he is safeguarding student borrowers.

More than a dozen states offer what are known as free college programs. But a new review finds states vary wildly in how they define both "free" and "college."

The nation's student loan watchdog has resigned from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, arguing that its current leadership has undermined efforts to protect student borrowers.

Monsters and maker-play join forces in Esme & Roy, a sneaky fun vehicle for a whole lot of learning.