The editors at Education Week have handpicked memorable articles from 2011. Below are ten of the most significant stories from our 2011 coverage of education’s role in state and national politics.
Take another look at the reporting and analysis in these stories from our expert team of reporters. For more compilations, visit our complete collection of memorable Education Week stories from the past year.
1. Obama Offers Waivers From Key Provisions of NCLB
States will receive relief from cornerstone requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act. (September 27, 2011)
2. Wis. Labor Bill Could Vex District-Union Relations
District managers and labor leaders worry that upending collective-bargaining practices will make cooperation difficult. (March 4, 2011)
3. Federal Ed. Policy a Whipping Boy for GOP Hopefuls
Republicans running for president recoil from any deep federal role in education, and the NCLB law comes under withering fire. (September 29, 2011)
4. Congress Chops Funding for High-Profile Education Programs
More than a dozen education programs, including Teach for America, lose federal funding under a stopgap spending bill the president signed to avoid a government shutdown. (March 4, 2011)
5. Budget-Driven Personnel Shifts Pressure Districts
School administrators are forced to shift workers into different roles and positions to cope with funding cuts and vacancies. (August 30, 2011)
6. Frustrated Educators Aim to Build Grassroots Movement
Organizers of the Washington march say U.S. policymakers are moving in the wrong direction to bring about school improvement. (June 14, 2011)
7. Jeb Bush’s Influence on Education Policy Spreads
Policymakers in a number of states take a page from the former two-term Florida governor’s aggressive, sometimes divisive playbook. (December 29, 2010)
8. In War of Words, ‘Reform’ a Potent Weapon
Key phrases provide powerful shorthand for those with a particular policy bent. (March 1, 2011)
9. Race to Top Winners Work to Balance Promises, Capacity
Some states are scaling back ambitious plans and deadlines as they implement their education-reform plans. (March 29, 2011)
10. Mixed Report Card for Education Stimulus After 2 Years
Nearly $100 billion in aid saved jobs and spurred state policy overhauls, but the long-term impact remains to be seen as the recovery act reaches its second anniversary. (February 12, 2011)
