Shining a Light on What’s Working in Public Education
I recently shared a guest post about “solutions journalism,”
which
is defined by its proponents as ”critical and clear-eyed
reporting that investigates and explains credible responses to
social problems.” A superb example of this has since come to
my attention, and I wanted to put it on your radar, as well.
The Seattle Times, in partnership with the nonprofit
Solutions Journalism Network, has launched Education Lab: a
yearlong project examining effective problem solving in
education, from preschool all the way through college.
A story published last week focused on an elementary school
that’s made startling gains in student performance by focusing on
one critical area – improving classroom instruction.
Cost and a frustratingly slow timeline for progress are two
familiar hurdles when it comes to implementing initiatives aimed
at boosting student achievement. But at White Center Heights
Elementary in Seattle, the price tag was relatively low, and
the results were surprisingly quick. In fact, student test scores
shot up by double digits in just one year.
Want to know why this approach to reporting matters? Consider the
newspaper’s explanation
as to why the project was undertaken:
“When done well, the stories provide valuable insights about how communities may better tackle important problems. As such, solutions journalism can provide a foundation for productive, forward-looking community conversation about vital social issues.”
You can find out more about Education Lab
here. I’m looking forward to following their work in the
coming months. And if you’ve come across other examples of
solutions journalism, I’d love to hear about it.
Have a question, comment or concern for the Educated Reporter?
Email EWA public editor Emily Richmond at erichmond@ewa.org.
Follow her on Twitter: @EWAEmily.