2016 Data Journalism Finalist: The Dallas Morning News Staff

“How Data Proved the Importance of Texas Financial Aid Program”

About the Entry

These stories offer a close look at Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick’s plan to slash college tuition grants and its potential impact on some of the Lone Star State’s neediest students.

Comments from the Judges

“Powerful story, well-reported and well-organized and presented. Great detail, presented in a very useful way. Impressive impact – got the policymaker leading the charge to eliminate these subsidies for lower and middle income students to completely reverse himself, and caused enough focus to get hearings on the subject via the legislature.”

“This was a great and ambitious idea for a data-driven project that served a genuine public service: proactively highlighting the disparate impacts of cutting tuition grants in Texas. The Morning News expertly combined data analysis with personal narrative to tell the story in a clear and compelling way.”