A new education research and development laboratory at Harvard University will identify and advance strategies to improve student achievement in America's public schools, The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation announced today at the Clinton Global Initiative.

The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation announced today the five school districts that are finalists for the 2008 Broad Prize for Urban Education, an annual $1 million award that honors urban school districts across the country that are making the greatest progress in raising student achievement.

The charter school movement in Los Angeles received a $23.3 million boost today from The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation through new grants to three leading charter school organizations: KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program), Aspire Public Schools and Pacific Charter School Development, Inc.

By SUSAN ABRAM; HARRISON SHEPPARD Three years after California voters backed a massive initiative to funnel $3 billion into stem-cell research, momentum and funding has grown and the state now is poised to become the national leader in the controversial field.

Thirty emerging executives from top business, public policy and law schools have been chosen to become leaders in urban school systems as part of The Broad Residency in Urban Education program, The Broad Center for the Management of School Systems announced today.