Science and education in the news: According to USA Today, a growing number of school districts, especially those in poor urban and rural districts, are hiring teachers from foreign countries to fill shortages in science, math, and special education. Associated Press reports that a new study from Education Trust claims that the United States is now the only industrialized country where young people are less likely than their parents to earn a diploma. And an October 21 USA Today article highlights how school districts in at least eight states are moving away from a traditional pay model for teachers and experimenting with teacher-pay packages that front-load higher salaries and offer bonuses.