Education Week

Education Week is an American education-news publication that covers kindergarten through grade 12 schooling, policy, leadership, teaching, learning, technology, and related public debates. It is published by Editorial Projects in Education (EPE), a nonprofit organization headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland. The publication serves educators, school and district administrators, policymakers, researchers, education advocates, and other readers who need reporting and analysis about the U.S. K–12 system. The publication was created in the context of EPE's earlier work in education journalism. In 1962, Ronald Wolk prepared a report for EPE while on leave from his position as editor of the Johns Hopkins University alumni bulletin. His report recommended creating a communications vehicle for college and university trustees. EPE later established The Chronicle of Higher Education in 1966. After selling The Chronicle to its editors in 1978, EPE used the proceeds to develop a publication with a K–12 focus. Wolk and Martha Matzke conceived Education Week as a counterpart to The Chronicle, but aimed at elementary and secondary education rather than higher education. The first issue appeared on September 7, 1981. Wolk served as the publication's first publisher and editor in chief, while Matzke later became executive editor. Over time, Education Week developed from a periodical into a broader editorial and research platform. It publishes 37 issues per year, including three annual reports: Quality Counts, Technology Counts, and Leaders to Learn From. Its work also includes surveys, research, explanatory journalism, and specialized reporting resources. The publication's school-closing tracker, for example, has been recognized by the education-journalism community as a frequently used resource for reporters. Education Week's editorial identity is centered on independent, specialized coverage of U.S. public and private K–12 education rather than on serving as a general-interest newspaper. Its subject areas include school governance, education finance, testing and accountability, curriculum, instructional practice, teacher workforce issues, school leadership, education technology, student welfare, and changes in education policy. The brand's recurring reports and data-oriented projects extend its role beyond daily or periodic news coverage by organizing information for professional and policy audiences. The publication remains associated with EPE rather than a publicly traded media conglomerate. Its ownership structure reflects the nonprofit organization's long-standing mission in education journalism and information services. In November 2023, Education Week staff formed a union, and the staff ratified its first collective bargaining agreement with management in December 2025. No separate commercial parent company, public listing, or ticker is identified in the available reference material.

Education Week emerged from Editorial Projects in Education's earlier experience with specialized education journalism. In 1962, Ronald Wolk prepared a report for EPE recommending a communications vehicle for college and university trustees. At that time, Wolk was on leave from his work as editor of the Johns Hopkins University alumni bulletin. EPE acted on the broader idea of creating an influential education publication and established The Chronicle of Higher Education in 1966. EPE sold The Chronicle to its editors in 1978. The proceeds from that transaction gave the nonprofit organization the resources to develop a new publication aimed at a different part of the education system. Ronald Wolk and Martha Matzke proposed a publication modeled conceptually on The Chronicle but devoted to kindergarten through grade 12. Their objective was to create a dedicated source of journalism and information for the K–12 education community, including educators, administrators, policymakers, and other stakeholders. The first issue of Education Week was published on September 7, 1981. Wolk became its first publisher and editor in chief, and Matzke later served as executive editor. From its beginning, the publication combined news coverage with a professional and policy-oriented focus. Rather than functioning as a general newspaper, it concentrated on the institutions, people, decisions, and debates shaping U.S. elementary and secondary education. Education Week subsequently broadened its work beyond its core periodical. The publication produces recurring reports and specialized projects, including Quality Counts, Technology Counts, and Leaders to Learn From. It also conducts surveys and publishes research. Quality Counts was sponsored by the Pew Charitable Trusts from 1997 through 2010, according to the available reference material. These projects helped establish the brand as a source not only of reporting but also of comparative information, analysis, and sector-specific reference material. The publication has continued to develop resources for professional and journalistic audiences. Its school-closing tracker has been described by Phi Delta Kappan as a go-to resource for education reporters, illustrating the role of its data and explanatory projects in the wider education-information ecosystem. The available material does not specify a complete chronology of later editorial leadership, product launches, or ownership changes, so those details are not asserted here. Education Week remains owned by Editorial Projects in Education and is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland. Its operating focus is the United States, reflecting its emphasis on American K–12 institutions and policy. In November 2023, its staff formed a union. In December 2025, staff ratified their first collective bargaining agreement with management. This labor development is the latest dated organizational milestone identified in the supplied sources.

• 2025

  First collective bargaining agreement ratified

  [1]Education Weeken.wikipedia.org

  Staff ratified their first collective bargaining agreement with management in December 2025.

• 2023

  Staff union formed

  [1]Education Weeken.wikipedia.org

  Education Week staff formed a union in November 2023.

• 2010

  Quality Counts sponsorship period ends

  [1]Education Weeken.wikipedia.org

  The period during which Quality Counts was sponsored by the Pew Charitable Trusts ended in 2010.

• 1997

  Quality Counts sponsorship begins

  [1]Education Weeken.wikipedia.org

  Quality Counts began a period of sponsorship by the Pew Charitable Trusts that continued through 2010.

• 1981

  Education Week launches

  [1]Education Weeken.wikipedia.org

  The first issue of Education Week appeared on September 7, 1981. Ronald Wolk was the first publisher and editor in chief, and Martha Matzke was a cofounder who later became executive editor.

• 1978

  EPE sells The Chronicle of Higher Education

  [1]Education Weeken.wikipedia.org

  EPE sold The Chronicle to its editors and used the proceeds to begin developing a new publication focused on kindergarten through grade 12 education.

• 1966

  EPE establishes The Chronicle of Higher Education

  [1]Education Weeken.wikipedia.org

  Editorial Projects in Education established The Chronicle of Higher Education, providing a publishing precedent for the later K–12-focused Education Week.

• 1962

  Ronald Wolk proposes an education communications vehicle

  [1]Education Weeken.wikipedia.org

  Ronald Wolk prepared an EPE report recommending a communications vehicle for college and university trustees, contributing to the organization's later publishing activities.

A specialized, nonprofit-affiliated U.S. education-news and research brand serving professionals and decision-makers across the kindergarten-through-grade-12 education system.

• Education news publication · 1981

  Education Week

  The core publication covers U.S. kindergarten-through-grade-12 education, including policy, school leadership, teaching, learning, technology, and education-sector developments. It publishes 37 issues annually and combines reporting with analysis intended for educators, administrators, policymakers, and other professional readers.

• Annual education report

  Quality Counts

  Quality Counts is one of Education Week's annual reports. It provides a recurring research and reporting framework for examining aspects of education quality and system performance. The available material records sponsorship by the Pew Charitable Trusts from 1997 through 2010.

• Annual education technology report

  Technology Counts

  Technology Counts is an annual Education Week report focused on technology-related issues in education. It extends the publication's coverage into education technology and related developments affecting schools and teaching.

• Annual education leadership report

  Leaders to Learn From

  Leaders to Learn From is an annual report recognizing or examining education leadership. It forms part of Education Week's recurring report portfolio and supports the brand's focus on school and district management.

• Education data resource

  School-closing tracker

  Education Week's school-closing tracker is a data-oriented reporting resource that follows school closures and related developments. Phi Delta Kappan has characterized it as a frequently used resource for education reporters.

• 1981

  Launch of a dedicated K–12 education publicationProduct launch

  Background

  After EPE sold The Chronicle of Higher Education in 1978, the nonprofit organization developed a publication modeled on its specialized approach but focused on kindergarten through grade 12.

  Action taken

  EPE launched Education Week, with its first issue published on September 7, 1981.

  Aftermath

  The launch established Education Week as a dedicated U.S. K–12 education-news and information brand.

  Source

1. 1Education Weeken.wikipedia.org
2. 2Education Week official websiteedweek.org