As the number of reported cases of the COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus, continues to mount in the U.S., here are five things education reporters should keep in mind when covering the health crisis and its impact on schools and colleges. (This post will be periodically updated as circumstances warrant.)
A flurry of education-related conversation surfaced at the most
recent Democratic presidential debate on Feb. 25, as candidates
exchanged jabs and defended their positions on charter schools,
student loan debt, and setting up young people for meaningful
careers.
The 10th debate came at a pivotal moment, just days before voters
in 14 states will cast their ballots on Super Tuesday (March 3).
With education taking a back seat in prior debates, the
rapid-fire discussion caught the attention of education
journalists and pundits.
The number of students from mainland China attending an American
university
has increased by more than 50 percent in the last decade. For
many campuses, that student population has become a key source of
tuition revenue and talent. For those who see China as an
economic, political and military threat, this rapid growth has
raised alarms.
This school year, two Chalkbeat reporters in Detroit and Newark
are examining whether low-income students from struggling schools
are ready for the rigors of college.
Education statistics tell a sobering story: For many students,
no. But Lori Higgins, the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Detroit, and
Patrick Wall, a senior reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, wanted to
delve deeper into the challenges spelled out in the data.
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.
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.
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.
Getting a good-paying job with just a high school diploma is
nearly impossible today. In response, schools across the country
are increasingly reassessing what it means to not only graduate
students, but prepare them for a more competitive career
field.
Those were two key takeaways from the opening session of a
recent Education Writers Association seminar in Chicago.
One of Joyce Brown’s former students was getting ready to board a
bus to college for the first time when he changed his mind.
“His mom said, ‘Don’t go if you don’t want to,’” Brown recalled.
So the student, who grew up in the Robert Taylor Homes housing
project on Chicago’s South Side, didn’t go.
But Brown — who spent 40 years working as a school counselor in
Chicago Public Schools — knew this student would thrive in a
college setting because of the relationship she’d built with him.
So she drove him to college herself.
Technological innovation, which has upended everything from the
way we order lunch to how we find a life partner, is also
revolutionizing education. Optical character recognition devices,
artificial intelligence grading programs and powerful computers
are profoundly remaking what goes on inside traditional college
classrooms. In addition, about a third of college students are
taking at least one course online.
Five Tips for Education Reporters Covering the Coronavirus
How COVID-19 health crisis could impact students and schools, and what education leaders are doing to prepare
As the number of reported cases of the COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus, continues to mount in the U.S., here are five things education reporters should keep in mind when covering the health crisis and its impact on schools and colleges. (This post will be periodically updated as circumstances warrant.)
Super Tuesday: The Education Angles
What's at stake for public education in the 2020 election?
A flurry of education-related conversation surfaced at the most recent Democratic presidential debate on Feb. 25, as candidates exchanged jabs and defended their positions on charter schools, student loan debt, and setting up young people for meaningful careers.
The 10th debate came at a pivotal moment, just days before voters in 14 states will cast their ballots on Super Tuesday (March 3). With education taking a back seat in prior debates, the rapid-fire discussion caught the attention of education journalists and pundits.
Investigating a University’s Ties to China
How one reporter used her EWA Fellowship to examine a school's growing Chinese population
The number of students from mainland China attending an American university has increased by more than 50 percent in the last decade. For many campuses, that student population has become a key source of tuition revenue and talent. For those who see China as an economic, political and military threat, this rapid growth has raised alarms.
5 Tips for Covering Students’ Paths to College
Reporters offer advice on tracking down students, getting past roadblocks
This school year, two Chalkbeat reporters in Detroit and Newark are examining whether low-income students from struggling schools are ready for the rigors of college.
Education statistics tell a sobering story: For many students, no. But Lori Higgins, the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Detroit, and Patrick Wall, a senior reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, wanted to delve deeper into the challenges spelled out in the data.
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.
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:
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.
How Schools Are Responding to the ‘Collapse’ of the High School Economy
Schools help students prepare intentional postsecondary plans
Getting a good-paying job with just a high school diploma is nearly impossible today. In response, schools across the country are increasingly reassessing what it means to not only graduate students, but prepare them for a more competitive career field.
Those were two key takeaways from the opening session of a recent Education Writers Association seminar in Chicago.
The Guidance Gap: How to Rethink School Counseling
Experts discuss how to effectively steer a student to, through life after high school
One of Joyce Brown’s former students was getting ready to board a bus to college for the first time when he changed his mind.
“His mom said, ‘Don’t go if you don’t want to,’” Brown recalled. So the student, who grew up in the Robert Taylor Homes housing project on Chicago’s South Side, didn’t go.
But Brown — who spent 40 years working as a school counselor in Chicago Public Schools — knew this student would thrive in a college setting because of the relationship she’d built with him. So she drove him to college herself.
‘How I Did the Story’ on Forces Reshaping Higher Ed
Reporters share their tips for stories with wide audience appeal
Want to tell an important story about a challenge specific to higher education while making sure it appeals to a broader audience?
Do your research, collaborate with others in your newsroom, and find someone who best illustrates the story for your readers, three top reporters say.
How Technology Is Reshaping the Modern College Classroom
The good and bad of online classes, AI in grading and accessibility
Technological innovation, which has upended everything from the way we order lunch to how we find a life partner, is also revolutionizing education. Optical character recognition devices, artificial intelligence grading programs and powerful computers are profoundly remaking what goes on inside traditional college classrooms. In addition, about a third of college students are taking at least one course online.