Education

Revisiting the Most Popular Stories of 2010

By The Editors — December 30, 2010 4 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

As educators look ahead to the challenges of 2011, it’s worth noting what schools were grappling with in 2010 because many of those issues will continue to make headlines in the months ahead. To give a sense of what was high on readers’ priority lists, edweek.org compiled a list of the top 20 most popular Education Week articles and commentaries of 2010 as shown by number of online page views as of Dec. 29.

An overview of the 50-state “report card” in Education Week’s 14th annual Quality Counts issue tops the list, followed by a story on the release of the first public draft of grade-by-grade common-core standards. Reading strategies, response to intervention, federal grants for education innovation, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and teacher pay and evaluation issues are among the other topics making the list.

See Also

Education Week bloggers looked back on the year and compiled their top blog posts and topics of 2010. View these year-in-review posts.

Take a look at what other readers saw as the most interesting stories of the year, and catch up on news you may have missed in 2010. Keep up with these and many other topics in Education Week throughout the new year.

1. State of the States: Holding All States to High Standards

The 14th edition of Education Week‘s Quality Counts continues the report’s tradition of tracking key education indicators and grading the states on their policy efforts and outcomes. (January 14, 2010)

2. Draft Common Standards Elicit Kudos and Criticism

The draft tries to describe the grade-by-grade skills and knowledge students need in English and math to thrive after high school. (March 10, 2010)

3. Coaching of Teachers Found to Boost Student Reading

A study of the Literacy Collaborative approach to instruction finds that putting reading coaches in schools can yield strong gains. (May 4, 2010)

4. Reading Aloud to Teens Gains Favor Among Teachers

A practice usually associated with younger students is seen as having benefits for adolescents. (January 4, 2010)

5. RTI Said to Pay Off in Gains for English-Learners

One district’s use of “response to intervention” with students learning English has helped increase test scores. (January 22, 2010)

Commentary

6. Learning Teams and the Future of Teaching

Findings from a new study by the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future show the importance of collaborative learning in developing 21st-century skills, write commission President Tom Carroll and Program Manager Hanna Doerr. (June 28, 2010)

7. Science Grows on Acquiring New Language

An emerging body of research dispels old myths about language learning and makes a case for multilingualism. (October 22, 2010)

8. 49 Applicants Win i3 Grants

Teach for America, KIPP, and the Success for All Foundation are to get up to $50 million each in the federal program to spur educational innovation. (August 4, 2010)

9. ‘Algebra-for-All’ Push Found to Yield Poor Results

A trickle of studies suggests that in practice, getting students past the algebra hump is difficult and in some cases, didn’t pay off. (February 9, 2010)

Commentary

10. Why I Will Not Teach to the Test

Kelly Gallagher’s biggest classroom priority is for his students to be critical thinkers, not automatons. (November 12, 2010)

Commentary

11. Attention, Gates: Here’s What Makes a Great Teacher

Before shelling out $45 million for research, ask retired teachers like himself the secret of good teaching, writes James D. Starkey. (January 29, 2010)

12. Scholars Identify 5 Keys to Urban School Success

A capstone book from Chicago researchers sees the interplay of those “essential supports” as critical to improving student outcomes. (January 25, 2010)

13. Colo. District Boots Traditional Salary Schedule

Teachers in Harrison School District Two will be paid based on observations of classroom practice and student-achievement results. (May 10, 2010)

14. Administration Unveils ESEA Renewal Blueprint

The plan aims to address complaints that the law’s current version—NCLB—is inflexible and sets the bar too low on academic achievement. (March 13, 2010)

15. Merit Pay Found to Have Little Effect on Achievement

A study finds students whose teachers have a chance to earn bonuses perform no better than those of teachers paid traditionally. (September 21, 2010)

16. Facebook-Driven Newark Overhaul Lurches Forward

Questions about legality and governance surround the plan fueled by $100 million from Facebook’s founder to remake Newark’s schools. (October 1, 2010)

17. Expert Issues Warning on Formative-Assessment Uses

In the hunt for better ways to gauge student learning, a CRESST official says, the tests are at risk of being distorted. (November 10, 2010)

18. Final Version of Common Standards Unveiled

The document outlines what experts decided are the knowledge and skills students should have in mathematics and English/language arts. (June 2, 2010)

19. Reading Programs Yield Few Gains in Comprehension

A federal study of supplemental reading-comprehension programs has found positive effects for only one of the three programs examined. (May 6, 2010)

Commentary

20. Tying Teacher Evaluation to Student Achievement

Susan H. Fuhrman advises policymakers to move carefully in crafting ways to make important decisions about individual teachers. (April 6, 2010)

A version of this article appeared in the January 12, 2011 edition of Education Week

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Reading & Literacy Webinar
(Re)Focus on Dyslexia: Moving Beyond Diagnosis & Toward Transformation
Move beyond dyslexia diagnoses & focus on effective literacy instruction for ALL students. Join us to learn research-based strategies that benefit learners in PreK-8.
Content provided by EPS Learning
Classroom Technology Live Online Discussion A Seat at the Table: Is AI Out to Take Your Job or Help You Do It Better?
With all of the uncertainty K-12 educators have around what AI means might mean for the future, how can the field best prepare young people for an AI-powered future?
Special Education K-12 Essentials Forum Understanding Learning Differences
Join this free virtual event for insights that will help educators better understand and support students with learning differences.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Briefly Stated: September 18, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read
Education Briefly Stated: August 28, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read
Education Briefly Stated: August 21, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read
Education Briefly Stated: August 14, 2024
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read