As N.C. lawmakers look for ways to improve school safety in the aftermath of the Parkland, Fla., school shooting, one area that’s attracting attention is increased access to school mental health services. Lindsay Marchello, Carolina Journal associate editor, reports on a recent meeting that emphasized recommendations for more school nurses and psychologists. Marchello also notes one other interesting piece of education news: the selection of a charter school operator to run the Robeson County school selected for the state’s new Innovative School District. College athletes devote much of their time to practicing and playing games. They also spend a lot of time traveling to competitions. Jenna Robinson, president of the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal, looks into the impact of travel time on athletes’ ability to complete their academic coursework. Issues surrounding economic mobility help keep University of North Carolina system President Margaret Spellings up at night. She explained why during a recent speech in Charlotte. Spellings discusses the role she believes the UNC system needs to play to help address mobility issues. State lawmakers are considering major changes in the way North Carolina selects its judges. One expert in the field believes this state already uses one of the best — if not the best — possible system. Chris Bonneau, associate professor of political science at the University of Pittsburgh, defended partisan judicial elections during a recent Raleigh forum sponsored by the Federalist Society. Bonneau highlights advantages of partisan elections and rebuts criticism against that method of filling the top jobs within the judicial branch. The Wall Street Journal recently praised a Nebraska proposal for reforming that state’s occupational licensing system. Jon Sanders, John Locke Foundation director of regulatory studies, says that proposal should look familiar to people who have read his work. Sanders explains how Nebraska’s Occupational Board Reform Act fits with proposals he has advocated for years.