john merrow reports on the challenge of testing these advanced skills. >> you're not going to be asked questions like: what did you think about the thing you read? you're going to be asked to say: "what did the author think? find evidence in the text to make that broader point." >> woodruff: 50 years later, the march on washington remains a seminal moment in american history. tonight, we kick off a series of discussions to mark the anniversary. >> we've forgotten most of the >> brown: and remembering a stalwart of american political journalism. we look back at the career of the long-time reporter, columnist and t.v. commentator, jack germond. >> woodruff: that's all ahead on tonight's "newshour." >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> supported by the john d. and catherine t. macarthur foundation. committed to building a more just, verdant and peaceful world. more information at macfound.org >> and with the ongoing support of these institutions and foundations. and... >> this program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. and by contributi

john merrow looks at teachers and students adjusting to "the common core." >> with mathematics, it used to be this is how you do it, here are your steps, if you don't do it that way, you're wrong. now the common core says do it any way you want, just be able to do it and justify your answer. >> woodruff: and luck strikes 16 maintenance workers in new jersey. we hear from the group who recently won a big lottery jackpot. that's all ahead on tonight's newshour. >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: ♪ ♪ moving our economy for 160 years. bnsf, the engine that connects us. >> and the william and flora hewlett foundation, working to solve social and environmental problems at home and around the world. >> and with the ongoing support of these institutions and foundations. and... >> this program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. >> brown: the u.s. department of justice moved today to block the latest and largest merger in the airline world. it means the deal joining ameri

the newshour's special correspondent for education john merrow, reported last summer about efforts in rhode island to reduce the academic gap between the wealthy and the poor. >> summer is a time when kids get to go to camp, travel with their families, explore museums. it's also a time when social and economic inequities are evident. children with low income communities miss out on these stimulating opportunities. -they spend summer break in their neighborhood hanging out. ->> i don't do a lot of mat in matt -- math in the summer. >> the kids who stay home and watch tv, they don't do much. >> the difference in summer experiences has serious consequences. -even indicators call it summer learning loss. children who don't have stimulating summer experiences forget more of the math matt reading -skills before school starts. by the time summer ends the gap between rich and poor is wider than it was in june. was summer school the answer. >> when kids hear summer school -they hear loser failing. more school in an air conditioned building. >> typically summer remediation programs are held in

john merrow of pbs. thank you very much. >> thank you. >>> mitch mcconnell is having a lot of fun coming up with things to rhyme with his democratic opponent's name. he might want to stop doing that and figure out how in the heck she's tied with him just two days after launching her senate bid. that's next. >>> i'm alison lundergan grimes and with your help i'll be the next united states senator from kentucky. >> for senate minority leader mitch mcconnell the dream of becoming the majority leader was interrupted today by a new poll by public policy polling that has him down a point to alison lundergan grimes, kentucky democrat challenging mcconnell in next year's election. in april the same polling found mitch mcconnell continues to rank as the most unpopular senator in the country. in other words, it ain't easy being mitch mcconnell right now. not only is he unliked, but a poll shows him trailing a democratic challenger in a state in which mitt romney won comfortably. but it gets worse. because before m

john merrow of pbs.nk you very much. >> thank you. >>> mitch mcconnell is having a lot of fun coming up with things to rhyme with his democratic opponent's name. he might want to stop doing that and figure out how in the heck she's tied with him just two days after launching her senate bid. that's next. one bucket of data for everyone on the plan, unlimited talk and text on smart phones. now, everyone's in the spirit of sharing. hey, can i borrow your boat this weekend? no. [ male announcer ] share more. save more. at&t mobile share for business. ♪ at&t mobile share for business. uh-oguess what day it is!is?? huh...anybody? julie! hey...guess what day it is?? ah come on, i know you can hear me. mike mike mike mike mike... what day is it mike? ha ha ha ha ha ha! leslie, guess what today is? it's hump day. whoot whoot! ronny, how happy are folks who save hundreds of dollars switching to geico? i'd say happier than a camel on wednesday. hump day!!! yay!! get happy. get geico. fifteen minutes could save you

the newshour's special correspondent for education john merrow, reported last summer about efforts in rhode island to reduce the academic gap between the wealthy and the poor. >> summer is a time when some kids get to go to camp, travel with their families, explore museums. it's also a time when social and economic inequalities are evident. children in low incomech communities miss out on these stimulating opportunities.es. -they spend summer break in neighborhood hanging out.ighborho od->> i don't do a lot of math in the summer. >> i would sit home and watch tv.he kids w s don't do much. tv, >>.>> there's difference a summer experiences have serious consequences. learning loss. loss. children who don't have stimulating summer experiences forget more than math and reading skills they need to do well in school. reading achievement gap between rich and poor is actually wider than it was in june. wider than it was in >> when kids hear summer school,en kids h they hear loser. failing. more school in an conditioned building. >> typically summer remediation programs are held in the -classro

john merrow of pbs. you very much. >> thank you. >>> mitch mcconnell is having a lot of fun coming up with things to rhyme with his democratic opponent's name. he might want to stop doing that and figure out how in the heck she's tied with him just two days avalanching her senate bid. that's next. [ male announcer ] these days, a small business can save by sharing. like carpools... polly wants to know if we can pick her up. yeah, we can make room. yeah. [ male announcer ] ...office space. yes, we're loving this communal seating. it's great. [ male announcer ] the best thing to share? a data plan. at&t mobile share for business. one bucket of data for everyone on the plan, unlimited talk and text on smart phones. now, everyone's in the spirit of sharing. hey, can i borrow your boat this weekend? no. [ male announcer ] share more. save more. at&t mobile share for business. ♪ at&t mobile share for business. it's been that way since the day you met. but your erectile dysfunction - it could be a question of b

john merrow, education orrespondent at pbs. and most important, or in -- our most hopeful teacher of the year, mary hawkins jones. i am going to take the prerogative since i have the microphone of asking the first question of all the panelists. as we learned from this poll, most americans have never heard of the common core state standards, and even those that have heard of them, many of them have misperceptions about the standards. we see that there is really only lukewarm support for the standards. my question is, is this a problem, or will it work its way out as the standards are implemented in the newest estimates are used? >> i think jim shelton should take that. >> i think that is only a problem if we don't address the issue. first, as the new standard start to -- as people start teaching them and we start to assess them, communities are going to find out that their kids are not prepared. when they find out they are not prepared, people are going to react. my skid -- my kids are not scoring very well. all of a sudden, my

john merrow, education correspondent at pbs. most important, our most hopeful teacher of the year, mary hawkins jones. i am going to take the prerogative since i have the microphone of asking the first question of all the panelists. as we learned from this poll, most americans have never heard of the common core state standards, and even those that have heard of them, many of them have misperceptions about the standards. we see that there is really only lukewarm support for the standards. my question is, is this a problem, or will it work its way out as the standards are implemented in the newest estimates are used? >> i think jim shelton should take that. >> i think that is only a problem if we don't address the issue. first, as people start teaching them and we start to assess them, communities are going to find out that their kids are not prepared. when they find out they are not prepared, people are going to react. my kids are not scoring very well. all of a sudden, my child's school does not look so great. in the context of