Today, we're taking a look at some topics that making news in the education industry. Some issues are at a statewide level, another is specifically a local story. It's an update of what's happening in and out of the classroom.

It looks like teachers are giving their own career higher grades. According to the Metlife Survey of the American Teacher, teachers are viewing their jobs more favorably than they were 25 years ago. A national sample of a thousand public school teachers were surveyed and the results:

- 66 percent of teachers in 2008 are happy with their salary opportunities, up from 37 percent in 1984
- 75 percent would advise a young person to go into the teaching profession, compared with 45 percent in 1984
- 94 percent said they were satisfied or somewhat satisfied with their position

Homeless children in New York State score well below other children in reading and math, according to a report by the National Center on Family Homelessness. Only 11 percent of homeless students were proficient in their studies, compared with 30 percent of all other high school students. New York State ranks 38th in the nation in numbers of homeless children.

And in local education news, the Waldorf School in Saratoga is looking at a new classroom for kindergartners this fall. The great outdoors. The school struck a deal with the Saratoga Spa State Park, and soon kids will spend class mostly outdoors, something they call Forest Kindergarten.

"And then they will be going out into the woods or spending time gardening, and eventually we will have a gardening area in the field," said Waldorf School Administrative Manager Katherine Scharff.

Even though kids will be enjoying the great outdoors, they'll still be engaging in some more traditional kindergarten activities."

"By doing circles, songs, verses, some drawings, painting, crafts, those types of things," said Scharff.

And there's a look at what's new in and out of the classroom.