allan, appreciate it. once again, we're expecting the announcement about detroit's schools in about ten minutes and you can catch it live right here in the cnn "newsroom." a fight end to budget cuts for public schools tops our big stories. all right. students in to peek a kansas, taking their message to the steps of the statehouse. they've seen programs including banned athletics and foreign languages eliminated. they say it is affecting the quality of their education. >> i know they're trying to understand and they're just not in it and they don't understand how it's affecting our schools directly. >> later this hour, i will talk to the superintendent of maryland schools, nancy grasmick about cutbacks there, improving the nation's public schools is the focus of conversation right now on capitol hill. education secretary arnie duncan spelling out a plan to reform no child left behind. you are looking at live pictures of the senate committee hearing. duncan explaining the