The myriad issues swirling around public schools dominated local news during the past year. Ms. Helms' coverage of the complex web of assertions, complaints, protests and behind-the-scenes dealings that comprised CMS was impressively complete, fair and fearless. We particularly liked her stories detailing the influence on former Supt. Peter Gorman of the Broad Foundation, which promotes the idea — embraced by Gorman and his interim successor — that the best thing for students is to make them take more and more and more official tests.