By Joan Garrett, Chattanooga Times/Free Press, Tenn. Aug. 4--Jeff McEwen believes his 16-year-old son, Austin, can do just about anything he sets his mind to. Last year Austin scored a 30 on the ACT as a high-school sophomore.

By Kelli Gauthier, Chattanooga Times/Free Press, Tenn. Apr. 20--Forcing teachers to pay more for their health insurance is lousy advertising when it comes to recruiting educators, but Hamilton County Schools officials say their checkbooks are tied.

By Kelli Gauthier, Chattanooga Times/Free Press, Tenn. Mar. 16--Jonathan Rainey slipped from honor student with perfect attendance last year to a truant who's racked up nearly two months of unexcused absences this year.

By Kelli Gauthier, Chattanooga Times/Free Press, Tenn. Dec. 14--The Hamilton County Board of Education voted 7-2 Thursday night to approve hiring five new staff members at Howard School of Academics and Technology to cut down on what has become a significant attendance problem.

By Kelli Gauthier, Chattanooga Times/Free Press, Tenn. Nov. 9--Officials from school districts in Seattle and Milwaukee visited Chattanooga this week to share ideas about school reform with Hamilton County Schools personnel.