EWA Announces New Directions, Search for new Executive Director

The EWA Board of Directors announced today it will shift from a traditional membership organization to an open community, embracing a wider net of people concerned about the quality of education information. Learn more here.

Tracking Education Stimulus Spending

If the federal government gave your school (or school district) a lot of money with few strings to  help it through the bad economy, would you want to know how that money was spent?  EdMoney, a new project of EWA, tracks spending in public schools across the country to help reporters find answers to their questions. Let us know what you've found by uploading your stories, tips and commenting on the EdMoney blog.

EWA's 63rd National Seminar, San Francisco, California

Participants will be "Examining the Evidence" at EWA's 63rd annual meeting in San Francisco May 13-15, 2010. Sessions for this year's meeting will be held at the Hotel Kabuki in Japantown. The conference will examine   issues around the philosophy of the US Department of Education's "Race to the Top,"  as well as focusing on how colleges should take responsibility for student success. For more details on conference registration, speakers, agenda and sponsorship, check out our 2010 guidelines.

Contest Judging - February 18, Deadline Passed: Apply Next Year!

EWA is now moving entries for the National Awards for Education Reporting competition to the judges. This year's deadline was January 25, 2010 and all entries must have been published during the 2008-2009 school calendar year. For the first time, contest entries were submitted online. EWA's contest awards top prizes in 19 different categories for blogs, multimedia, online writing and best of the beat, including the Fred M. Hechinger Grand Prize. Winners will be announced in early March and will be recognized at our national seminar.

 Image Source:  PacHD.com

EWA announces Fellows for 2010 Research and Statistics Bootcamp
The National Education Writers Association (EWA) has selected 20 journalists from newsrooms around the country to attend its sixth annual research and statistics training program.

Miles to Go: College Completion under the Obama Plan
EWA is sponsoring the higher education seminar for reporters and editors Feb.19-20 in Washington, D.C.

The Educated Reporter
Public Editor launches new blog

Campus Coverage Project

EWA, Investigative Reporters and Editors and the Student Press Law Center held a program in January to train college journalists in investigative skills and explore questions about college completion.

EWA Remembers Sen. Edward Kennedy
Sen. Kennedy was the guest speaker for the 2002 Martin Buskin Lecture at EWA's annual meeting in Washington, D.C. He helped to formulate the No Child Left Behind legislation.

Date Change Call for Proposals for 2010 EWA National Seminar
We would like proposals on speakers, themes and panels for the annual conference, which will be held in San Francisco May 13-15.

Unions in Massachusetts balk at school aid program
Although many school districts in Massachusetts have rushed to take part in a federal program that offers new funds in exchange for cooperation on educational reforms, a number of others will have to sit on the sidelines because their teacher unions opted out. The unions say participation in the program, Race to the Top, would have unfairly tied their jobs to student test scores. Robert Knox, Boston Globe, Feb. 5, 2010

New course for No Child Left Behind
President Barack Obama is seeking a major overhaul of the U.S. education system, with a shift from an emphasis on testing to an emphasis on career preparation a plan that he is backing up with billions in budget incentives. Nia-Malika Henderson, Politico.com, Feb. 5, 2010

Failure rate for AP tests climbing
The number of students taking Advanced Placement tests hit a record high last year, but the portion who fail the exams — particularly in the South is rising as well, a USA TODAY analysis finds. Jack Gillum and Greg Toppo, USA TODAY, Feb. 5, 2010

Education system overhaul outlined
While Illinois residents are focused on election season and budget woes, the state's top education officials have quietly pushed through a sweeping agenda that will transform how students are tested, teachers are rated and failing schools are fixed. Stephanie Banchero, The Chicago Tribune, Jan. 29, 2010