Although we’re well into 2011, it’s not too late to look back on the big education stories of 2010 and see how they will impact the teaching landscape this year. Here are 5 that caught our attention:
- 1. Race to the Top
Whether or not you agree with the state reforms required to win part of the $4.35 billion Race-to-the-Top money, no one can deny that states have responded. 46 states submitted bids to revamp their education systems in the two rounds of the competition, and 12 winners were selected.
States that did win funding in 2010 will now have to determine in 2011 how exactly to tie student achievement to teacher evaluations in a fair and meaningful way. Tying teacher pay and salary increases to student performance remains a controversial topic, which will likely reach a boiling point this year as the 11 states and District of Columbia begin to implement their Race-to-the-Top reforms.
- 2. “Waiting for Superman”
A poignant documentary on the state of American education, “Waiting for Superman” became the catalyst for much of the debate over education reform that followed in 2010. Although the film doesn’t offer many concrete solutions to the problems facing the system today, it helped to bring renewed attention to the crisis that American schools and students are confronted with on a daily basis.
As state policy makers begin to consider their next round of budget cuts in 2011 because of the Great Recession, “Waiting for Superman” will likely prove its influence by motivating local education advocates to rally in support of maintaining state education funding levels. It will be unlikely that any cuts can be avoided given the budget shortfalls faced by many states, but with vocal education supports those reductions will be kept to a minimum.
- 3. Billionaires Targeting Teachers and Schools
2010 will go down as the year that billionaire involvement in education reform reached a tipping point. Although Bill and Melinda Gates have been funding reforms across the education spectrum for quite some time, in 2010 other notable billionaires Warren Buffet and Mark Zuckerberg jumped on board. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg made the most newsworthy contribution of $100 million to the Newark school district, on the condition that Governor Chris Christie give up some control of the district to Mayor Cory Booker.
Although much of the money towards all these different schools and programs was pledged last year, 2011 is where the rubber meets the road. School districts will need to figure out how to use this money is the most effective way, while at the same time providing financial transparency for parents so they can see how the money is being spent to improve the day-to-day lives of their children.
- 4. State Budget Crises
Although states faced huge budget crises in 2010, the federal government still helped many of them through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, helping to at least bridge state budgets until more permanent solutions could be found.
Unfortunately, 2011 will be the year of reckoning for many states, and with tax revenue still down considerably from 2007 levels and the money from the 2009 act all used up, states are going to have to make tough budget choices. This year will unquestionably see cuts to education funding as states look for ways to balance their budgets, the only question will be how deep education is cut, and which programs and services are impacted the most.
- 5. Adoption of Common Core Standards
Released on June 1, 2010, the Common Core State Standards Initiative outlines new benchmarks from K-12 that are meant to prepare high school graduates for success in college and work. The goal of the Standards Initiative is to provide more clarity and consistency across the country about what is expected of students and teachers. Although a voluntary set of standards for the states to adopt, this state driven initiative has been adopted by more than 35 states to date.
2011 will see the initiative developing a State Policy Maker guide to assist states in implementing the standards outlined. Organizations will also be brought together to help educate states, districts and especially teachers about what resources are available to them to help them meet the new student achievement standards. Although not a federal initiative and separate from Race to the Top, many states chose to adopt these common core standards to assist them in their Race to the Top application, and as a result the federal and state goals now align closely in states receiving new federal education funding. Education isn’t the only sphere in which people are looking for a bit more national agreement on standards for education and roles. Nursing education is looking to implement a consensus model for advanced practice nurses around the country.
The seeds of education reform were planted in 2010 based on renewed national attention to the crisis facing American schools, and significant investment from both the public and private sectors. The real question as 2011 begins is how deep with states need to cut into education funding to balance their budgets. Hopefully, with strong education advocates and reinvigorated national attention, cuts will be kept to a minimum and the new national standards and private investment will usher in real change for teachers and students across the country.
