A series reported by Gotham Schools and the Hechinger Report offers context and analysis of the United Federation of Teachers, as its leaders face their own re-election prospects and the race for a new mayor. Hear our interview with one of the editors of the series.

Thanks to two parents who spotted problems with the gifted and talented scores, Pearson admitted it made major mistakes denying some students eligibility to the coveted programs. Education officials say they’ll contact all affected families in the next 24 hours, and the deadline for applications has been pushed back to May 10.

“We love the idea of ‘citizen science’ and the fact that researchers around the world actually want help from students on real-world projects, so when we heard about this opportunity, right in our own backyard, we jumped on it,” the editor of an online education blog said.

SchoolBook is going dark for the week of school vacation. But there’s plenty of good reading and listening and commenting to be done on the site. To catch up on education news, see our suggestions.

The author of a new book about bullying said taking social capital away from the bullies is key to combating it. There is a lot schools can do to help, Emily Bazelon said, but parents need to do their part too.

Mayor Bloomberg took his arguments against short-term teacher evaluation deals on the road, telling Albany lawmakers that other school districts were willing to make one- or two-year deals because “everybody else is just interested in getting the money and committing what I would call fraud.” He expected New York City principals to eliminate teachers and other staff positions if more state money is withheld.

A memory of a great teacher named Ms. Katz, recalled by U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, sparked callers and online readers to name their own teachers who inspired them to think differently. Who is your Ms. Katz?

The failure of the city and the teachers’ union to reach a deal Thursday on a teacher evaluation plan drew criticism from stakeholders and observers nearly across the ideological and political spectrum.

TV producer John Merrow discusses the documentary “The Education of Michelle Rhee,” about the former chancellor of Washington, D.C. public schools, who is one of the most admired and reviled school reformers in America.

The Department of Education named seven more schools it will seek to close when the Panel for Educational Policy meets in March. That leaves 32 schools still open for business that were under scrutiny. The D.O.E. said it would consider a range of “interventions” to help these struggling schools improve.