States with the highest student debt burdens, according to data
Student debt has surpassed $1.72 trillion nationwide, but the financial burden isn’t evenly distributed. A new analysis reveals where borrowers are facing the greatest challenges....
The Atlanta
Schools
More than $500K total stolen from 70+ students in flight school fraud case
Dozens of new student pilots are coming forward to law enforcement as a financial theft investigation into a Peachtree City flight school expands.
Dunwoody student death: 11-year-old dies after basketball practice
An 11-year-old girl has died following a school basketball practice in Dunwoody, leaving her family searching for answers after an initial autopsy proved inconclusive....
Another book removed from libraries in metro Atlanta school district
The Cobb County School District said it has removed an additional book from its middle and high school libraries. Superintendent Chris Ragsdale said the book “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison was being removed from schools because of sexually explicit material not suitable for ch...
Atlanta News First gives away more than 1,900 books at Edmonds Elementary School
FOREST PARK, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Tackling Georgia’s literacy crisis by providing books to kids all over metro Atlanta, that’s our mission at Atlanta News First, and we continued it Thursday, Sept. 17. “Reading is fundamental. It’s the basis for everything our kids do,” sai...
7-year-old girl dies on school bus, officials say
CINCINNATI ( WXIX /Gray News) - A 7-year-old girl in Cincinnati died on a school bus after she got stuck in the seatbelt, according to officials. The Hamilton County Coroner’s Office identified the Roselawn Condon School student as 7-year-old Ngone Talla. Talla was on the bus whe...
The water cycle you learned in school is changing. Here’s what a new report found
(Gray News) - The world’s water cycle you were taught in school is being thrown off balance and the consequences are affecting everyone on Earth, according to the World Meteorological Organization’s annual analysis of global freshwater. The group said the shift is bringing a host...
Mississippi school district released from federal desegregation order after 50 years
A Mississippi school district is no longer subject to a federal desegregation order after more than 50 years of court oversight.
Sept. 19 PDK Good Neighbor Day adds night aviation airshow
The 2026 DeKalb-Peachtree Airport (PDK) Good Neighbor Day Airshow & Aviation/STEM Expo takes flight on Sept. 19, bringing an expanded afternoon and evening of aviation, education, and entertainment This year’s event is one of the most ambitious editions of Good Neighbor Day since...
Georgia parents fight for special education services amid federal civil rights backlog
Gwinnett County, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Hundreds of Georgia students with disabilities are waiting for help from a federal agency facing an exploding backlog of civil rights complaints and fewer staff to handle them. One of those students is 8-year-old Theo Hutchings, who has...
Teen suffers life-threatening brain injuries after being assaulted by another student at school, family says
CHESTERFIELD, Va. ( WWBT /Gray News) - A high school student suffered life-threatening brain injuries after being assaulted by another student at school, according to his family. Irvin E. Rodriguez Gaitan’s family said he is out of the hospital and recovering at home after being ...
College student saves 3-year-old boy with autism clinging to branch in swift water
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. ( WVLT /Gray News) - A Tennessee college student leaped into action to save a 3-year-old boy clinging to a tree branch in swift water. Noah Mathews, a junior at Carson-Newman University, says he was walking along a creek near campus around 3:30 p.m. Monday w...
Atlanta Public Schools moves toward adopting new AI policy
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Atlanta Public Schools is moving toward adopting a new AI policy to establish guardrails on how educators and students can use chatbots. The new AI policy is aimed at making sure humans stay at the center of education. “One of the few things th...
Missing Georgia Tech student found safe, school says
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — A Georgia Tech student who had been missing since Sunday has been found safe, the university said on Thursday morning. First-year student Caden Qiao was spotted on surveillance video leaving the Eighth Street East residence hall around 5 p.m. o...
Beloved Georgia college soccer player dies at 19, team says
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — A Georgia college soccer player who was known as a “beaming light” died last month, the school announced. The Georgia College & State University (GCSU) women’s soccer team said Isabella “Izzy” Sause died on Aug. 30 “after a brave and courageous...
This collision repair class gives students a chance to work on classic cars
ST. LOUIS, Mo. ( InvestigateTV ) - Trade schools are growing with a recent report showing between 2020 and 2023 an almost 5% growth in enrollment. At South Tech High School in St. Louis, students in the collision repair class can explore this career path. The MG Car Club donated ...
Atlanta high school parents react to allegations of targeted racial slurs during football game
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Parents at Maynard Jackson High School in Atlanta are looking for an explanation after their children were allegedly subjected to racial slurs at a high school football game. An Instagram video posted by a Maynard Jackson High School student cl...
Kennesaw State launching new honors college scholarship program
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Kennesaw State University (KSU) will launch a new scholarship program in the university’s honors college next year. The Presidential Fellows Cohort is aimed at attracting, retaining and developing the state’s top students. The program will prov...
Vermont man on trial claims CIA told him to shoot three Palestinian students
An attempted murder trial has begun for a man accused of shooting three Palestinian college students in a Burlington, Vermont neighborhood in 2023.
Weapon confiscated from student at Langston Hughes High School
A student was caught with a weapon at Langston Hughes High School on Tuesday, prompting an immediate investigation and confiscation by campus administrators, officials said....
School bus carrying football team hits man in road
A man walking in the road in Bartow County is in the hospital after being hit by a school bus. Bartow County School System officials say the bus was coming back from a football game in Cedartown. While on Hwy. 41, they say the bus hit a man in the middle of the road. [DOWNLOAD: F...
Sandy Springs announces free fall events through Halloween
From inclusive celebrations and arts festivals to Oktoberfest traditions and Halloween fun, residents and visitors can enjoy a full calendar of free and family-friendly events throughout September and October. As students are settling back into the school year and cooler temperat...
New ranking shows the best and worst states for teachers
A new ranking is revealing where teachers can find the strongest career opportunities.
Several Fayette County schools without electricity after truck hits power pole
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — At least four Fayette County schools don’t have electricity on Tuesday morning after a truck hit an off-campus power pole, according to the school district. Georgia Power is working to restore electricity to Fayette LIFE Academy, Spring Hill El...
Racial slurs yelled at marching band leaving high school football game
Atlanta Public Schools is investigating allegations that racial slurs were hurled at students after a football game Friday night. Channel 2’s Eryn Rogers spoke to parents at Maynard Jackson High School. They said the team traveled more than an hour and a half to the game, and whe...
Parkview High receives 4th AI-generated bomb threat this year
The school was placed on lockdown as a precaution before eventually returning to normal operations.
DeKalb County Schools names interim superintendent sole finalist for permanent role
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Current interim DeKalb County Schools Superintendent Dr. Norman C. Sauce III was named the sole finalist for the permanent position on Monday. Sauce has been the interim superintendent since November 2025, following the resignation of Dr. Devin...
Marching band, football players allege they were target of racial slurs, spitting during game
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Parents and students at Maynard Jackson High School claim they were the targets of racial slurs and spitting during a game against Jefferson High School on Friday. An Instagram video posted by a Maynard Jackson High School student claimed the s...
3 juveniles charged after knife pulled during Dawson school fight
Three juveniles face charges following a fight involving a knife last Tuesday at Dawson County Junior High School.
Metro school limits outdoor activities because of the extreme heat this week
Metro Atlanta school districts are limiting students’ time outside because of the heat. Severe Weather Team 2 says metro Atlanta is currently under a Code Orange day for Monday, meaning there is a moderate health risk from hot weather, primarily affecting individuals who are sens...
Six ways to protect your savings before you retire
( InvestigateTV ) — For those hoping to retire in the next few years, a few practical steps now can make a meaningful difference for both savings and peace of mind later. Cherry Dale, vice president of financial education at Virginia Credit Union, said it is never too early to st...
Chattahoochee Nature Center Unveils New Branding During 50th Anniversary Events
Chattahoochee Nature Center (CNC) , a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and leader in environmental education, conservation and the rehabilitation of native plants and wildlife along the Chattahoochee River, metro Atlanta, and the state of Georgia, commemorated its 50 th anniversa...
Schools investigate racism claims after Jefferson-Jackson game
Atlanta Public Schools and Jefferson City Schools are investigating after allegations of racist behavior surfaced following a high school football game Friday night....
Kitten that hitchhiked 800 miles to UGA finds new home
Jersey the kitten traveled about 800 miles from New Jersey to Athens hidden inside a UGA student's car.
He takes photos of local high school sports for free, here’s why
WILLAMSTON, Mich. ( InvestigateTV ) — A retired Mid-Michigan man has spent 13 years photographing Williamston High School sports, uploading the images to a website where students and families can access them at no cost. Dave Ferguson photographs basketball, football, volleyball, ...
Albany college student killed after exiting moving vehicle
Albany State University student Olivia Robinson was found dead Sept. 12 in Albany.
Injured Georgia Tech player released from hospital, school thanks community for support
At a Sept. 12 game at Bobby Dodd Stadium, Georgia Tech’s Jaylen Mbakwe was injured and taken to Grady Memorial Hospital. In an update on Sunday, sports officials said things were looking up. Georgia Tech Associate Athletics Director Mike Flynn said in a statement that Mbakwe was ...
Parent coach advises how to reset technology rules for healthier kids
Cari Newman, a certified parent coach, certified life coach, and former classroom teacher in metro Atlanta, says it’s never too late to make a change when it comes to limiting technology. Newman works with parents and caregivers of children from toddlers to young adults. Together...
Elementary school students work to get postcards from all 50 states. Here’s how to help
NEW MADRID, Mo. ( KFVS /Gray News) - Students at a Missouri elementary school are working to collect postcards from all 50 states in honor of America’s 250th anniversary. New Madrid Elementary School counselor Casey Rost said students have received postcards from a range of state...
OpenAI $4.8M grant provides student meals for Effingham County families
A large tech company with plans to put down deep roots in south Georgia started one of its first efforts to help residents living in the area where it is setting up operations. OpenAI committed $4.8 million to cover all student breakfast and lunch costs across the Effingham Count...
Marcus Autism Center awarded $17 million for autism clinical trials network
Marcus Autism Center, a subsidiary of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, along with Emory University School of Medicine, were awarded up to $17.25 million from Aligning Research to Impact Autism (ARIA) to join a newly formed international autism clinical trials network called the ...
Pentagon Memorial breaks ground on new Visitor Education Center
ARLINGTON, Va. (Gray DC) - The 9/11 Pentagon Memorial broke ground on a new Visitor Education Center one day after the 25th anniversary of the September 11th, 2001, attacks. Jim Laychak’s brother was one of 184 people killed when American Airlines Flight 77 was hijacked and flown...
High school student suspended after bringing cup of coffee on first day of school
BEAVER FALLS, New York. ( WWNY /Gray News) - A high school student in New York was suspended for bringing a cup of coffee to class on her first day of school. Julie Kaputa, a senior at Beaver River Central School, said her first day of school did not go as planned. “I walked in, ...
Gunner Stockton ties school record with 5 TD passes as No. 2 Georgia crushes Western Kentucky
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Gunner Stockton threw five touchdown passes, tying a school record, and No. 2 Georgia gained more momentum for its Southeastern Conference schedule by overwhelming Western Kentucky 70-20 on Saturday. Wearing all-white uniforms for the first time in team history...
9/11 25 years later: Students taught how to honor American flag before football game
For students at Seckinger High School, Sept. 11 is something they know largely from history lessons. Most were not yet born when the terrorist attacks happened 25 years ago. Before Friday night’s football game, however, students had the opportunity to learn more about the meaning...
Upson County middle school student faces charges for bomb threat
A 13-year-old student faces legal charges after posting a social media threat against Upson Lee Middle School.
Watch: Band director stops halftime performance to deliver life-changing news
The Valdosta High School Marching Cats were invited to perform at the 2028 Rose Parade during a surprise halftime announcement.
Masked AI call forces Parkview High into soft lockdown
Parkview High School in Lilburn resumed a normal schedule Friday after law enforcement resolved a soft lockdown triggered by a phone threat.
High school football player hospitalized after exposure to toxic herbicide
LAKE CORMORANT, Miss. ( WMC /Gray News) - A high school football player in Mississippi has been hospitalized after being exposed to paraquat, a highly toxic chemical that’s banned in more than 70 countries. Zach Brown, a junior offensive lineman at Lake Cormorant High School, has...
School district issues warning over viral social media trend. Here’s what to be on the lookout for
TUCSON, Ariz. ( KOLD /Gray News) - A school district in Arizona has issued a warning about a viral social media trend that is making the rounds. The Sunnyside Unified School District sent a letter this week to parents about the “Cat in the Hat” trend, featuring a sinister version...
WATCH: Brookwood travels to Marist for first-time matchup of storied programs
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — In a first-time meeting between a pair of Georgia’s finest high school football programs, the Brookwood Broncos will travel to Marist to take on the War Eagles in a high-profile early season matchup. The action will begin at 7:30 p.m. with our ...
Father speaks out after son’s lung punctured by hair pick at high school
NASHVILLE, Tenn. ( WSMV /Gray News) - The parents of a boy injured Tuesday at a Tennessee high school said they are speaking out in hopes that safety measures within the district will change. The father of the injured Whites Creek High School student agreed to speak on the condit...