Upshot: 30 ideas for fixing schools, ranked by experts

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September 28, 2026

The New York Times

30 Ideas for Fixing U.S. Schools, Ranked by Experts

Math and reading scores are in a decade-long slump. We asked three dozen experts: What could turn things around?

By Sarah Mervosh, Francesca Paris and Claire Cain Miller

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WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS

The New York Times

Have We Reached Peak PROTEIN?

Protein is everywhere — in chips, candy, cookies, even water. Does that make these products healthy?

By Margot Sanger-Katz and Larry Buchanan

The New York Times

Flashback: Your Weekly History Quiz, Sept. 26, 2026

Can you sort 8 historical events?

By Marina Wang

The 100 Best TV Shows of the 21st Century: A Printable List

More than 500 stars, showrunners and TV lovers voted on their favorite shows of this century. Here are the results of our poll.

By The New York Times

Chart showing the U.S. average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage with a highlighted section for the war with Iran.

Jillian Vordick/The New York Times

Mortgage Rates Hit 7% as Iran War Fallout Crushes a Weak Housing Market

The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the United States jumped to 7.03 percent, putting pressure on housing affordability.

By Gregory Schmidt

POLLING AROUND THE NATION

President Trump’s Approval Rating: Latest Polls

Track the latest approval rating and polls on Americans’ approval of President Trump.

By Annie Daniel, Jon Huang, Ruth Igielnik, Jasmine C. Lee, Alex Lemonides, Jonah Smith, Caroline Soler, Albert Sun and Rumsey Taylor

A diptych of Troy Jackson and Dr. Abdul El-Sayed

Ryan David Brown for The New York Times,Nick Hagen for The New York Times

After Tough Primaries, Democrats in Key States Feel Unified, New Polls Find

A majority of Democrats in Maine and Michigan said the primary process strengthened their party heading into November.

By Ruth Igielnik and Lisa Lerer

The Race for Congress: Latest 2026 Polls

Track the latest Congressional ballot surveys that ask who Americans plan to vote for in the 2026 midterm election.

Midterm Test

This question comes from a recent Times article. Click an answer to see if you’re right. (The link will be free.)

Can you identify the group of candidates running for governor, not Senate or House?

Group A: Byron Donalds, Kelly Ayotte, Josh Shapiro

Group B: Mike Lawler, Josh Turek, Roy Cooper

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