Brenna Angel (KPR)

A new report says teacher pensions across the country have an unfunded liability of nearly $325 billion. The National Council on Teacher Quality issued its findings today. Council Vice President Sandi Jacobs says one problem is retirement eligibility. In Kentucky, teachers can retire with full lifetime benefits after 27 years of service, regardless of age.

The state Board of Education has approved its legislative priorities for the 2013 session of the Kentucky General Assembly, and among the issues that will go before lawmakers is raising the school dropout age to 18.

Members of a new state review panel tasked with overseeing child fatalities and near fatalities will begin their work by examining the cases of eight children who died over the past year.

The Kentucky Division of Protection & Advocacy and the Commonwealth Council on Developmental Disabilities have released a booklet highlighting the potentially dangerous and harmful effects of restraining and secluding school children. Director Marsha Hockensmith says Kentucky Protection & Advocacy has received more than 100 complaints over the past five years of public schools immobilizing students or confining them to a closed room.

It’s been 49 years since Dr. Martin Luther King gave his famous “I Have a Dream Speech,” yet a top civil rights official says he’s amazed at some of the discrimination and harassment that continues across the country.  Thomas Perez, head of the Civil Rights Division at the US. Department of Justice spoke to high school freshmen in Lexington Wednesday about bullying.

Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear signed an executive order Tuesday merging the state’s two high school career and technical education systems. Previously, the Kentucky Department for Workforce Investment operated 53 Area Technology Centers across the state, while 34 schools districts oversaw their own career and technical centers.

With the rate of suicides among military personnel continuing to rise, a University of Kentucky professor is leading a study to investigate the effect those deaths have on family and friends left behind. Based on previous research, it’s estimated that around 40 percent of Kentuckians know someone who has taken their own life.

Doctors, nurses, pharmacists and lawyers representing a variety of medical organizations from across Kentucky say a new state law aimed at combating prescription drug abuse has had unintended consequences. Lawmakers heard testimony today in Frankfort on the effectiveness of House Bill 1, which requires physicians to use the KASPER prescription monitoring program and take additional administrative action before dispensing medication. Dr.

A long-term cancer research is getting underway across the country. Beginning Tuesday, the American Cancer Society will sign up volunteers for its Cancer Prevention Study-3. It’s a longitudinal analysis of the various factors that cause or prevent cancer. Spokeswoman Stephanie Feger says participants will take a survey, have their waist measured, and give a small blood sample.

“Over the next 20-30 years, every two-three years the American Cancer Society will mail you a survey to update any of your lifestyle or behavioral or medical information.”

A cancer research study that will span the next 20 to 30 years is looking for volunteers in the Commonwealth. The American Cancer Society will have sign-ups for its Cancer Prevention Study-3 this week at various locations across Louisville and central Kentucky. Spokeswoman Stephanie Feger says the CPS-3 builds on earlier longitudinal data.