The presidential campaigns only have 41 days left to get to every corner of every battle ground state and get out the vote. That effort includes Virginia, where Obama holds a slight lead. The Takeaway's Washington correspondent Todd Zwillich took a political road trip through the state to find out what locals are saying about the race.

The dropout rate for at-risk students in American public high schools is staggeringly high, but that doesn't mean the situation is hopeless. The Takeaway looks at one school that's fought to change its 40 percent dropout rate, and succeeded with the help of dedicated staff like Brandi Brevard.

This week the show is taking a close look at education in America, with interviews with education experts from around the country. Takeaway listeners have had a lot to say about this topic. Parents, teachers, and education advocates alike have been chiming in on the website, on Facebook, Twitter, and by text message, email, and voicemail. Host John Hockenberry takes us through some of the best responses yet.

The CIA drone program in Pakistan has targeted and killed more low-level militants than senior commanders, according to a new report by Stanford University and New York University. The drone program, according to the report, traumatizes communities in Northwest Pakistan and results in civilian deaths and injuries.

Last year, guilty pleas resolved more than 97 percent of federal cases prosecuted to conclusion by the Justice Department. That rate is way up along with the number of federal criminal defendants in the past decade, a number that has doubled. David Feige, a former Bronx defense prosecutor, explains.

With the presidential campaign in full swing, issues like immigration, gun control, and education are being discussed on a national stage, and Arizona is inevitably a key part of that conversation. But according to author Jeff Biggers, Arizona is a better representative of where the country's been than where it's going.