The editors at Education Week have handpicked memorable articles from 2011. Below are ten of the most significant stories from our 2011 coverage of teachers.
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. States Aim to Curb Collective Bargaining
GOP leaders in Idaho, Indiana, and Tennessee are proposing bills that would limit what, if anything, teachers’ unions could negotiate. (February 7, 2011)
2. New Groups Giving Teachers Alternative Voice
The rise of nonunion advocacy groups for teachers has enabled them to cut their teeth on policy issues that affect the profession. (September 12, 2011)
3. Teacher-Evaluation Logistics Challenge States
As the Race to the Top deadline looms, unlikely players are taking the lead in designing the new evaluation systems. (April 26, 2011)
4. Unions, School Leaders Vow to Collaborate, But Action Uncertain
Sponsors and participants at the Denver gathering vowed to work at reforms that will be beneficial to teachers, students, and officials. (February 18, 2011)
5. Wanted: Ways to Assess the Majority of Teachers
Nationwide, most teach subjects or in grades in which value-added data are unavailable. (January 31, 2011)
6. New Attitudes Shaping Labor-District Relations
Collective bargaining is being used as a vehicle to drive both teacher and student learning. (November 15, 2011)
7. Nation’s Biggest Teacher-Prep School Revamps Training
Arizona State requires yearlong student-teaching for all undergraduate education majors, who must prove mastery of teaching skills. (November 15, 2011)
8. Teacher Evaluations Key to State Chances for NCLB Waivers
Some states have functioning systems for rating teachers that are included in their NCLB waiver requests, while others provide only sketchy details. (December 12, 2011)
9. Unions Strike Back at Anti-Labor Legislation
Lawsuits, e-mail “blasts,” phone banks, and rallies are among the tools unions are using to mobilize teachers and public support. (March 28, 2011)
10. National Slide Into Pink Slip Purgatory Has Consequences
The tool to alert teachers of pending layoffs may have outlived its usefulness, especially in tough budget times. (March 31, 2011)
