Education Week
Education Week is an independent nonprofit news organization focused on reporting, analysis, and commentary about K-12 education policy, practice, and research in the United States.[1] It was established in 1981 by Editorial Projects in Education (EPE), a 501(c)(3) organization, with initial funding from the Carnegie Corporation and other philanthropies, building on earlier post-Sputnik initiatives to enhance public understanding of schooling.[2] Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, the publication delivers content through weekly print editions, a daily online platform, newsletters, events, and specialized reports, serving an audience exceeding 1.6 million educators, policymakers, and stakeholders nationwide.[1][3] The organization has earned recognition as a primary source for education journalism, producing in-depth investigations, data-driven special reports like Quality Counts, and coverage of topics ranging from curriculum standards and teacher shortages to federal funding and student outcomes.[2] Its reporting draws on empirical studies, school district data, and expert interviews, though analyses from media bias evaluators indicate a left-center tilt in editorial stances, particularly on issues like equity initiatives and labor policies, reflecting broader tendencies in education sector institutions.[4][5] Despite this, it maintains high factual reliability through sourcing from primary documents and on-the-ground observations, avoiding overt sensationalism.[5] Key defining characteristics include its commitment to nonpartisan coverage amid polarized debates—such as school choice, standardized testing, and pandemic responses—while occasionally drawing criticism for perceived advocacy in areas like professional development standards.[6] Over four decades, Education Week has influenced policy discussions by highlighting causal factors in educational disparities, including socioeconomic influences and administrative inefficiencies, grounded in available metrics rather than ideological priors.[7] No major scandals have marred its operations, underscoring its role as a staple reference despite interpretive variances in a field prone to advocacy-driven narratives.[4]History
Founding and Early Years (1981–1990)
Education Week was launched on September 7, 1981, as a weekly newspaper dedicated to covering K-12 education policy, practice, and news across the United States.[8] The publication was established by Editorial Projects in Education (EPE), a nonprofit organization that had previously focused on higher education journalism, including the Chronicle of Higher Education, which EPE sold in 1978 to redirect resources toward pre-college schooling.[2] Founding editor Ronald A. Wolk, along with co-founder Martha K. Matzke, modeled it after the Chronicle but tailored to elementary and secondary education, aiming to provide in-depth, independent reporting amid rising concerns over American schools' competitiveness.[9] Initial operations began with 18 employees, funded by grants from the Carnegie Corporation and other philanthropies.[2] The debut issue highlighted immediate education developments, such as a scoop on federal policy shifts, underscoring the publication's commitment to timely national coverage.[10] Subscriptions were priced at $39.94 annually, with charter rates at $19.97, targeting educators and policymakers seeking comprehensive analysis of issues like funding, curriculum, and reform efforts.[11] Throughout the early 1980s, Education Week addressed public anxieties over educational quality, influenced by events like the Soviet Sputnik launch's lingering effects and economic pressures from global rivals, positioning itself as a "newspaper of record" for the sector.[2] The 1983 release of the National Commission on Excellence in Education's "A Nation at Risk" report, which warned of systemic failures in U.S. schools, aligned closely with Education Week's launch and amplified its relevance during the Reagan administration's push for decentralization and accountability measures.[2] By the late 1980s, the publication had solidified its role in chronicling state-level reforms, teacher training initiatives, and debates over standardized testing, while maintaining nonprofit independence to prioritize factual reporting over advocacy.[2] No major ownership changes or expansions beyond core print operations occurred in this period, allowing focus on building credibility through consistent weekly issues that drew on reporter networks in Washington and key districts.[9]Expansion and Digital Transition (1990s–2000s)
In 1989, Editorial Projects in Education (EPE) launched Teacher Magazine, a monthly publication designed to deliver policy-oriented journalism directly to classroom educators, thereby broadening its audience beyond administrators and policymakers.[12] This expansion complemented Education Week's weekly newspaper format by addressing practitioner needs amid rising national debates on standards and reform.[13] Early digital efforts emerged in 1993, when full texts of both Education Week and Teacher Magazine became accessible via a national online computer network, enabling subscribers to retrieve articles electronically for the first time.[14] The landmark transition accelerated in 1996 with the debut of edweek.org, which integrated print content with digital-exclusive features such as original online reporting, searchable archives dating back to 1981, and emerging multimedia elements, positioning EPE as a pioneer in hybrid journalism models.[2] Operational expansion supported this shift; in 1998, EPE relocated its headquarters to Bethesda, Maryland, proximate to Washington, D.C., to facilitate closer coverage of federal policy developments.[2] By the early 2000s, the website underwent redesigns, including a 2005 overhaul that segmented content into dedicated areas for Education Week, Teacher Magazine, research resources, and opinion, while adapting to subscriber data indicating demand for premium digital access.[15] This period's coverage intensified around pivotal reforms, such as the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, with annual special reports like Quality Counts and Technology Counts leveraging digital platforms for data visualization and analysis.[2] However, challenges arose, culminating in the 2007 cessation of Teacher Magazine print editions amid evolving media economics and audience preferences for integrated online formats.[16]Modern Era and Adaptations (2010–Present)
In response to evolving educational policies, Education Week provided extensive coverage of the Common Core State Standards' adoption and implementation beginning in 2010, emphasizing opportunities for disadvantaged students while highlighting implementation challenges across states.[17] The publication launched a redesigned website in January 2010, aiming to incorporate fresh perspectives and innovative solutions amid a decade of policy turbulence, including shifts from No Child Left Behind waivers to the Every Student Succeeds Act in 2015.[18][19] The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated Education Week's digital adaptations starting in March 2020, with dedicated reporting on remote learning strategies, ed-tech infrastructure gaps, and the rapid expansion of 1-to-1 computing in districts—rising from pre-pandemic levels to widespread adoption by 2022.[20][21] Annual reports like Technology Counts analyzed these shifts, documenting how schools leapfrogged into digital tools for self-directed learning and equitable access, while critiquing persistent inequities in broadband and device distribution.[22] Post-2020, Education Week broadened its multimedia and service offerings, integrating in-house research for data-driven insights and launching initiatives such as Market Brief for K-12 market analysis and the annual Leaders to Learn From program, which in 2025 recognized district leaders navigating post-pandemic recovery and enrollment declines.[1][23] These adaptations supported its non-partisan mission amid ongoing debates over teacher evaluations, school choice, and federal funding fluctuations, maintaining a subscriber base exceeding 1.6 million readers reliant on its policy and practice coverage.[19][1]Organizational Structure
Governance and Leadership
Editorial Projects in Education (EPE), the nonprofit publisher of Education Week, operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization governed by a board of trustees that provides strategic guidance, oversight, and accountability to ensure alignment with its mission of advancing understanding of K-12 education issues.[6][24] The board, composed of experts from K-12 education, media, and related fields selected for their relevant knowledge and passion for the organization's goals, adheres to a duty of loyalty and a conflict-of-interest policy, with trustees required to submit annual disclosure statements.[25] It meets regularly to evaluate operational practices and the performance of EPE's portfolio, including Education Week, EdWeek Top School Jobs, and EdWeek Market Brief.[25] Key board leadership includes Chair Shawn Mahoney, Chief Customer Officer at Edmentum; Vice Chair Aggie Alvez, a communications consultant and former VP at Discovery Education; Treasurer Peter Cohen, retired education executive and former President of University of Phoenix; and Secretary Kavitha Mediratta, a consultant at Mediratta Smith Consulting.[25] Other trustees feature superintendents like Susan Enfield of Washoe County School District and LaTonya Goffney of Aldine ISD, alongside executives such as Jess Gartner of PowerSchool and Celine Coggins, CEO of The Goodness Web and founder of Teach Plus, reflecting a blend of practitioner and industry perspectives.[25] Executive leadership is headed by President and CEO Michele J. Givens, who joined EPE in 2001, advanced to publisher in 2009, and assumed the CEO role in 2016, overseeing overall operations, publishing strategy, and sub-brands with a background in consumer marketing and advanced degrees from institutions including the University of Virginia.[26] Editorial direction falls under Editor-in-Chief Beth Frerking, a veteran journalist with experience at outlets like Politico and The Dallas Morning News, responsible for newsroom content and recognized with awards such as Folio: 100.[26] Supporting roles include Vice President for Development and External Communications Christopher B. Swanson, who manages outreach and growth initiatives.[27] This structure maintains EPE's independence as a nonprofit focused on journalistic integrity without direct governmental or partisan control.[6]Funding and Non-Profit Status
Education Week is published by Editorial Projects in Education, Inc. (EPE), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization incorporated in 1981 and exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.[28][24] EPE's tax-exempt status supports its mission to enhance public understanding of K-12 education issues through journalism, analysis, and reporting, without profit distribution to private individuals.[2] As a non-profit, EPE files annual IRS Form 990 returns, which detail its finances, governance, and program activities, and these reports are publicly available on its website.[28] EPE's funding derives from a mix of philanthropic grants, subscriptions, advertising, and other revenue streams, enabling sustained operations without reliance on government subsidies.[29] Foundation grants from dozens of donors, including entities like the MacArthur Foundation, underwrite general operations, enterprise journalism projects, and new initiatives across print, digital, and multimedia platforms.[30][31] Philanthropic support is sought explicitly to maintain independence, with EPE's policies prohibiting donor influence over editorial content.[32] To uphold journalistic integrity, EPE enforces strict separation between funding sources and content decisions, as outlined in its Statement of Editorial Independence and Standards, which affirms non-partisan reporting in the public interest regardless of funder priorities.[32] This structure has earned EPE recognition, such as a four-star rating from Charity Navigator for financial health, accountability, and transparency.[33] Public financial disclosures via Form 990 ensure oversight, with expenses primarily allocated to program services like publishing Education Week, which comprised the majority of activities in recent filings.[24]Publications and Media
Print and Digital Editions
Education Week's print edition debuted on September 20, 1981, as a tabloid-style newspaper targeting K-12 education professionals with in-depth reporting on policy, practice, and research.[2] Published by the nonprofit Editorial Projects in Education, it initially appeared weekly and has maintained a focus on national education issues, incorporating special reports such as Quality Counts since the 1990s.[2] The publication produces 37 issues annually, printed on newsprint via heat-set web offset process at a 110-line screen resolution, enabling high-volume distribution to subscribers including teachers, administrators, and policymakers.[34][35] The digital editions emerged alongside the print format, with the edweek.org website launching in 1996 to mirror and expand access to print content through archives, additional stories, and early multimedia elements.[8] By the 2000s, digital offerings evolved to include interactive replicas of print issues, searchable databases, and web-exclusive analyses, reflecting broader industry shifts toward online delivery amid declining print readership in education journalism.[2] A 2020 platform redesign enhanced user experience with mobile compatibility, personalized feeds, and integrated video content, positioning digital as the primary access point while print persists for subscribers preferring tangible formats.[2] Current digital issues, such as Volume 45, Issue 3 from October 2025, feature embedded hyperlinks, data visualizations, and dynamic layouts not feasible in print.[36] Subscriptions integrate both formats, with options for print-plus-premium digital at $130 annually or premium digital alone at $77, granting unlimited access to current and archived editions across devices.[37] The combined reach exceeds 1.6 million readers, primarily U.S.-based educators and leaders, though exact print circulation figures remain proprietary and have likely contracted with digital growth, consistent with trends in specialized publishing.[1] This dual model sustains Education Week's role as a key resource, balancing traditional authority with modern accessibility.[1]Newsletters and Multimedia Content
Education Week offers a suite of email newsletters targeted at various K-12 education stakeholders, delivering curated news, analysis, and resources on specific schedules.[38] The EdWeek Update, sent weekday mornings, provides the latest education news, opinions, special reports, job listings, and popular stories to a general audience.[38] The Top 7, distributed Sunday mornings, summarizes the week's most-read articles for time-constrained educators.[38] Specialized offerings include Teacher Update (Thursdays, focusing on teaching news, lesson ideas, and perspectives for classroom educators), The Savvy Principal (Sundays, with leadership news and career resources for school principals), The Strategic District Leader (Tuesdays, offering advice for district administrators), and EdWeek Tech Leader (Fridays, covering ed-tech trends and implementation).[38] Additional newsletters address niche areas, such as Curriculum Matters (Saturdays, on curriculum policy and essays), EdWeek Market Brief (Mondays, with business analysis and data for K-12 vendors), edBiz Update (Wednesdays, on market developments), and The WirED Marketer (biweekly Tuesdays, providing marketing insights).[38]| Newsletter | Frequency | Target Audience | Key Content |
|---|---|---|---|
| EdWeek Update | Weekday mornings | General educators | News, opinions, reports, jobs |
| The Top 7 | Sunday mornings | Busy professionals | Weekly popular stories roundup |
| Teacher Update | Thursday mornings | Teachers | Teaching news, lessons, jobs |
| The Savvy Principal | Sunday mornings | Principals | Leadership news, resources |
| EdWeek Tech Leader | Friday mornings | Ed-tech professionals | Technology news and advice |