The week's biggest ed story came at its close with U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan's announcement that he will step down in December, handing the reins to delegated deputy secretary John King Jr.

Meanwhile in higher ed, Education Dive took a look at the debate over higher ed's purpose: Is it intended to be lifetime learning or the pathway to the next job? Additionally, new data from the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics show that most college students are now "nontraditional."

And in K-12, we examined school health in two features. Is your school or district prepared to handle a medical emergency? Can you still make school health a daily practice in an era of educational budget cuts?

Get caught up on all of these stories and more with the week's most-read Education Dive posts!

• Arne Duncan to step down as education secretary: John King Jr. is reportedly expected to serve as acting education secretary for the remainder of President Barack Obama's term.
• Higher education: lifetime training or a path to the next job?: Post-secondary programs don't always align with the labor market, but maybe that's OK.
• 5 ways schools can prepare for medical emergencies: We took a look at the barriers to preparing for urgent medical situations — and how to fix them.
• NCES data: Most college students are 'nontraditional': About 74% of undergrads in 2011-12 had at least one nontraditional characteristic, like being a single caregiver or delaying enrollment.
• 3 innovative ways to make school health a daily practice: As National Childhood Obesity Month highlights, school health isn’t just about medical emergencies.

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