EWA's blog about education issues and topics from a journalist's perspective. The Educated Reporter is anchored by Emily Richmond with contributions from EWA staff and guests.
EWA’s blog about education issues and topics from a journalist’s
perspective. The Educated Reporter is anchored by Emily Richmond with contributions
from EWA staff and guests.
Moriah Balingit, who covers education for The Washington Post, discusses what she sees as key story lines for the K-12 beat in 2020, from educational equity to civics and campus safety. Are public schools adequately preparing young people to become engaged and informed citizens? What’ the potential impact on students and families of the Trump administration’s plans to cut access to food stamps? How are school safety measures affecting the climate on campus?
When former WAMU education reporter Jenny Abamu first saw a
seclusion room, she was shaken.
She described the spaces she viewed in Fairfax County, Virginia:
rooms built within rooms with no windows or ventilation, and
discolorations where students had defecated on the floor.
“Some of those kids were in that room over a hundred times in a
school year,” Abamu recalled. “People thought it was normal. I
was scared. I thought, ‘This is not normal.’”
When Pete Gooden went to college, he had an all-too-common
experience.
“As a first-generation student, I was just coasting through
college, and I was just trying to navigate on my own without
support,” he said.
Eventually, he dropped out. After earning his degree at age 30,
Gooden began working for KIPP
Through College Chicago, where he’s now the director—amazed
to find a program that offered the help he once needed.
February 7 will mark the three-year anniversary of Betsy DeVos’ confirmation as the U.S. secretary of education. Few observers had bet she would stick around this long. But today, DeVos is one of the longest-serving members of President Trump’s cabinet. Rebecca Klein of The Huffington Post recently talked with dozens of people about the education secretary’s tenure, crafting an in-depth analysis of what motivates her decisions and keeps her on the job.
By scrutinizing enrollment data, external financial pressures,
operating revenue and expenses, and tuition discounting,
reporters can start spotting red flags in the finances of public
and private colleges they cover.
In 1987, 13 percent of public school teachers were educators of
color, according to
national data. Three decades later, while the teacher
workforce is more diverse, teachers are still
mostly white. Meanwhile, more than half of the public
school population today is students of color.
Race issues get special attention in the news on Martin Luther
King Jr. Day or during Black History Month. But race plays a role
in every story journalists cover: where people live and work, who
their friends and neighbors are, and — especially — what schools
they attend.
On the spectacular blue-skied morning of 9/11/2001, I was a staff
writer for U.S News & World Report attending a not particularly
exciting press conference a few blocks from the White House.
Suddenly, someone burst into the room and announced “Our nation
is under attack.” We all rushed outside, where thousands of
office workers were milling in the streets because the government
and all transportation had just been shut down. Warnings of a
plane heading toward the White House (and, thus, us) sparked
through the crowd like an electric arc.
Two federal programs intended to steer college students toward public service jobs like teaching in high-poverty schools instead became mired in missteps, as recipients found their grants wrongly converted into high-interest loans. Cory Turner of NPR’s education team spent 18 months looking at problems with the TEACH Grant program.
From the exterior, Muchin College Prep doesn’t look much like a
high school. It’s located in an unremarkable office building in
downtown Chicago, where an elevator carries visitors to the
seventh-floor campus. There, the walls are festooned with college
banners, classrooms are bustling with discussions and group work,
and football helmets rest on top of a long row of lockers.
A leading student debt researcher, the CEO of the nation’s
biggest income share agreement company, and a veteran education
reporter discuss the biggest concerns, misconceptions and stories
to pursue when it comes to the country’s student loan debt
crisis.
A New Year on the K-12 Beat
What’s ahead in 2020: Equity, Civics, Safety Top Washington Post Reporter’s List
(EWA Radio: Episode 225)
Moriah Balingit, who covers education for The Washington Post, discusses what she sees as key story lines for the K-12 beat in 2020, from educational equity to civics and campus safety. Are public schools adequately preparing young people to become engaged and informed citizens? What’ the potential impact on students and families of the Trump administration’s plans to cut access to food stamps? How are school safety measures affecting the climate on campus?
Finding the Details: How to Report on Seclusion and Restraint in Schools
News investigations put spotlight on troubling practices
When former WAMU education reporter Jenny Abamu first saw a seclusion room, she was shaken.
She described the spaces she viewed in Fairfax County, Virginia: rooms built within rooms with no windows or ventilation, and discolorations where students had defecated on the floor.
“Some of those kids were in that room over a hundred times in a school year,” Abamu recalled. “People thought it was normal. I was scared. I thought, ‘This is not normal.’”
How to Help First-Generation Students Persist Through College
Experts say assisting students takes a 'larger cultural shift'
When Pete Gooden went to college, he had an all-too-common experience.
“As a first-generation student, I was just coasting through college, and I was just trying to navigate on my own without support,” he said.
Eventually, he dropped out. After earning his degree at age 30, Gooden began working for KIPP Through College Chicago, where he’s now the director—amazed to find a program that offered the help he once needed.
Will Betsy DeVos Outlast All of Trump’s Cabinet Members?
Plus, what to watch for when presidential candidates talk education
(EWA Radio: Episode 223)
February 7 will mark the three-year anniversary of Betsy DeVos’ confirmation as the U.S. secretary of education. Few observers had bet she would stick around this long. But today, DeVos is one of the longest-serving members of President Trump’s cabinet. Rebecca Klein of The Huffington Post recently talked with dozens of people about the education secretary’s tenure, crafting an in-depth analysis of what motivates her decisions and keeps her on the job.
EWA Tip Sheet: How to Tell If Your College Is Going Broke
By scrutinizing enrollment data, external financial pressures, operating revenue and expenses, and tuition discounting, reporters can start spotting red flags in the finances of public and private colleges they cover.
Participants who contributed to this advice:
What Students of Color Need From Their Teachers
'Loving kids does not equal inclusivity,' educator says
In 1987, 13 percent of public school teachers were educators of color, according to national data. Three decades later, while the teacher workforce is more diverse, teachers are still mostly white. Meanwhile, more than half of the public school population today is students of color.
How to Write About Race Beyond Martin Luther King Jr. Day
These resources will help you address race responsibly in your coverage
Race issues get special attention in the news on Martin Luther King Jr. Day or during Black History Month. But race plays a role in every story journalists cover: where people live and work, who their friends and neighbors are, and — especially — what schools they attend.
Covering Education Amid Threats of War or Terrorism
Veteran education journalists offer suggestions on working through national security threats
On the spectacular blue-skied morning of 9/11/2001, I was a staff writer for U.S News & World Report attending a not particularly exciting press conference a few blocks from the White House. Suddenly, someone burst into the room and announced “Our nation is under attack.” We all rushed outside, where thousands of office workers were milling in the streets because the government and all transportation had just been shut down. Warnings of a plane heading toward the White House (and, thus, us) sparked through the crowd like an electric arc.
Teachers Fight for Student Loan Debt Relief
NPR investigation finds thousands of borrowers wrongly denied federal forgiveness
(EWA Radio: Episode 217)
Two federal programs intended to steer college students toward public service jobs like teaching in high-poverty schools instead became mired in missteps, as recipients found their grants wrongly converted into high-interest loans. Cory Turner of NPR’s education team spent 18 months looking at problems with the TEACH Grant program.
Three Takeaways From Chicago’s Largest Charter School Network
At Noble campuses, it's 'college prep from the moment you walk in the door'
From the exterior, Muchin College Prep doesn’t look much like a high school. It’s located in an unremarkable office building in downtown Chicago, where an elevator carries visitors to the seventh-floor campus. There, the walls are festooned with college banners, classrooms are bustling with discussions and group work, and football helmets rest on top of a long row of lockers.
EWA Tip Sheet: Covering the Student Loan Debt Crisis
A leading student debt researcher, the CEO of the nation’s biggest income share agreement company, and a veteran education reporter discuss the biggest concerns, misconceptions and stories to pursue when it comes to the country’s student loan debt crisis.
What’s Ahead on the Education Beat in 2020?
From school safety to the youth vote, it's going to be a busy year
As the calendar turns to a new year (and a new decade, at least according to some), plenty of education issues from 2019 will be tagging along.