There’s no question that living in a neighborhood with
concentrated poverty and racial isolation can take a big toll on
children’s learning. But how can journalists go deeper to better
understand — and convey to readers — the educational challenges
posed when families don’t have enough money for food, heat and
other essentials, and often encounter the trauma of neighborhood
violence? How can stories get beyond the stereotypes and
statistics to put a human face on the circumstances of children
in highly impoverished neighborhoods, and how those are
translating into the classroom?
In 2016, a wealth of new international testing data and analysis
will be issued from two major assessments at the precollegiate
level. The results for students in dozens of countries are sure
to once again spark debate over U.S. standing on the global stage
and the implications for schools.
With a critical shortage of teachers looming on the horizon, a
perennial issue becomes more urgent. How well are America’s
teachers prepared? Are future teachers ready for the first day of
school? What is the evidence and should colleges of education and
other training programs be held accountable?
Hay casi 12 millones de latinos matriculados en las escuelas
públicas en los de Estados Unidos y la cifra sigue creciendo: Se
proyecta que aumentará a 15.6 millones durante la próxima década.
Sin embargo, estas cifras no nos presentan la historia completa
sobre la educación de los estudiantes latinos. Cada día es más
importante entender las estadísticas y reportar lo que realmente
está pasando en los salones de clase, y esta labor es
especialmente importante para los periodistas que trabajan en los
medios de comunicación en español.
If you want to learn the skills to push your reporting on numbers
to the next level, apply now to EWA’s Diving Into Data Workshop,
a four-day seminar on collecting and analyzing data at the
Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. The data
workshop is meant to encourage reporters to be more active with
data-based reporting, whether for quick-hit stories or longer
projects.
More knowledge. More skill. More potential. No matter what reason
a student enrolls in college, the ultimate goal is usually the
same: a degree that will expand opportunities. But for many
students, earning a degree and finding work in their chosen field
may pose stark and unanticipated challenges. And for many of
their communities, turning colleges and universities into
reliable places to find qualified candidates for the jobs that
are available may prove easier said than done.
The Education Writers Association and American Educational
Research Association are joining forces to offer a fellowship
program for journalists interested in broadening their
understanding of education data. Reporters and editors chosen for
the fellowships will attend an intensive joint data workshop, as
well as data-oriented sessions at EWA’s 68th National Seminar
hosted by The University of Chicago and AERA’s 2015 Annual
Meeting in the Windy City.
EWA’s National Seminar will gather some 500 journalists, experts,
and supporting community members for dozens of sessions,
including standalone speakers, panel discussions, how-to
workshops, and visits to sites of interest. With its focus on
financial issues, the National Seminar will arm attendees with
new ideas for compelling stories on everything from salary
schedules and bond issues to the burdens on families struggling
to pay for preschool or college. At the same time, it will
sharpen participants’ skills at making the most of their
resources for producing high-quality coverage.
This academic year marks a critical juncture for the Common Core,
as most states gear up to assess students on the shared standards
for the first time. Are states, districts, and schools ready?
What about states that are reviewing or have rescinded the
standards? How can reporters make sense of it all? There’s no
shortage of compelling angles to pursue in this complex and
fast-evolving story—rendered all the more so by the
political tussles erupting over the new standards and
tests.
Charter schools. Vouchers. Education tax credits. The “portfolio”
model of schooling in cities. It’s nearly impossible to find
consensus on these hot-button issues, but one thing is clear:
American families are seeing more school options at the K-12
level than ever before, especially in urban areas. And the
Republican gains in the 2014 elections at the federal and state
levels are widely expected to provide further impetus for
expanding school choice.
Since the advent of No Child Left Behind 12 years ago,
standardized, fill-in-the-bubble tests have become a major part
of the school experience. Some say too much of a part.
But beyond the debate over how much schools test, major
changes are under way in how they test. Underlying
those changes are questions about just what they’re testing for.
This intensive, journalists-only seminar will focus on a
range of hard-fought changes under way that together are
rewriting the rules of the U.S. teaching profession. What are the
roots of today’s controversies over teacher training, tenure,
evaluation and pay? In a pivotal year in the push for new
standards and tests, are teachers still on board? What does
the nation’s new majority-minority student population mean for
classroom teachers? How are teacher colleges responding to new
accountability pressures?
This fall, the share of K-12 students in the United States who
are Latino is projected to climb to nearly one quarter, a figure
expected to rise to nearly 30 percent by 2022. And
proportionately more Hispanic students are enrolling in
postsecondary education than white, non-Hispanic students.
University of Washington BothellDeadline: 3 AM of your timezone on Wednesday, July 2, 2014
Data journalism
is more than just reporting on numbers. It’s taking the
records of a half-million students and uncovering alarming
absentee rates. It’s tracking the attrition of students from
neighborhood schools.
For many college students — whether fresh out of high school or
adults returning to school — their most serious obstacles to a
degree won’t be homework or tests, but rather the challenges of
navigating student life. Colleges are now being forced to face
the longstanding problems that have often led to students’
flailing and failing on their own.
As policy and political leaders sound the alarm on America’s
dwindling competitive edge, it’s up to journalists to vet those
claims and examine the measures used to gauge whether U.S.
students are prepared to thrive in the 21st century economy.
Central to the debate over the country’s international standing
is the question of whether the U.S. education system is up to par
in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering, and math.
Growing public distrust, cagey lawmakers and big money from all
directions—it’s not just the standards and assessments that are
common in the roll out of the Common Core State Standards.
Despite the pushback, the standards are fast becoming a reality
across the country. What does that mean for education and the
journalists who cover it? Are the standards making a dramatic
difference in the way teachers work? How well have school
districts planned their curricula around Common Core?
More than 50 reporters joined EWA for our seminar “More Than
Scores: Assessing the Future of Teacher Evaluations,” held Oct.
10th and 11th at the University of Chicago. As always, we look
forward to the coverage inspired by the event. So far, we know
about the following stories:
In the Neighborhood: Covering Poverty’s Influence on Education
Seminar on Poverty & Education
There’s no question that living in a neighborhood with concentrated poverty and racial isolation can take a big toll on children’s learning. But how can journalists go deeper to better understand — and convey to readers — the educational challenges posed when families don’t have enough money for food, heat and other essentials, and often encounter the trauma of neighborhood violence? How can stories get beyond the stereotypes and statistics to put a human face on the circumstances of children in highly impoverished neighborhoods, and how those are translating into the classroom?
Beyond the Border: Covering U.S. Education in a Global Context
Seminar on International Comparisons and Lessons
In 2016, a wealth of new international testing data and analysis will be issued from two major assessments at the precollegiate level. The results for students in dozens of countries are sure to once again spark debate over U.S. standing on the global stage and the implications for schools.
Ready for Day 1? Covering the Education of Teachers
Seminar on Teacher Education
With a critical shortage of teachers looming on the horizon, a perennial issue becomes more urgent. How well are America’s teachers prepared? Are future teachers ready for the first day of school? What is the evidence and should colleges of education and other training programs be held accountable?
Mas allá de las Estadísticas: Reportando Sobre la Educación de los Latinos
Latino Ed 2015
Hay casi 12 millones de latinos matriculados en las escuelas públicas en los de Estados Unidos y la cifra sigue creciendo: Se proyecta que aumentará a 15.6 millones durante la próxima década. Sin embargo, estas cifras no nos presentan la historia completa sobre la educación de los estudiantes latinos. Cada día es más importante entender las estadísticas y reportar lo que realmente está pasando en los salones de clase, y esta labor es especialmente importante para los periodistas que trabajan en los medios de comunicación en español.
2015 Diving Into Data Workshop
If you want to learn the skills to push your reporting on numbers to the next level, apply now to EWA’s Diving Into Data Workshop, a four-day seminar on collecting and analyzing data at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. The data workshop is meant to encourage reporters to be more active with data-based reporting, whether for quick-hit stories or longer projects.
2015 Higher Ed Seminar
The Way to Work: Covering the Path from College to Careers
More knowledge. More skill. More potential. No matter what reason a student enrolls in college, the ultimate goal is usually the same: a degree that will expand opportunities. But for many students, earning a degree and finding work in their chosen field may pose stark and unanticipated challenges. And for many of their communities, turning colleges and universities into reliable places to find qualified candidates for the jobs that are available may prove easier said than done.
Data at your Desk Seminar in Chicago
An AERA-EWA Data Fellowship Program for Journalists
The Education Writers Association and American Educational Research Association are joining forces to offer a fellowship program for journalists interested in broadening their understanding of education data. Reporters and editors chosen for the fellowships will attend an intensive joint data workshop, as well as data-oriented sessions at EWA’s 68th National Seminar hosted by The University of Chicago and AERA’s 2015 Annual Meeting in the Windy City.
68th National Seminar
Costs and Benefits: Covering the Economics of Education
EWA’s National Seminar will gather some 500 journalists, experts, and supporting community members for dozens of sessions, including standalone speakers, panel discussions, how-to workshops, and visits to sites of interest. With its focus on financial issues, the National Seminar will arm attendees with new ideas for compelling stories on everything from salary schedules and bond issues to the burdens on families struggling to pay for preschool or college. At the same time, it will sharpen participants’ skills at making the most of their resources for producing high-quality coverage.
Covering Standards and Testing in the Common Core Era
Seminar for Journalist Members Only
This academic year marks a critical juncture for the Common Core, as most states gear up to assess students on the shared standards for the first time. Are states, districts, and schools ready? What about states that are reviewing or have rescinded the standards? How can reporters make sense of it all? There’s no shortage of compelling angles to pursue in this complex and fast-evolving story—rendered all the more so by the political tussles erupting over the new standards and tests.
Charters & Choice: Making Sense of the Fast-Evolving Landscape in K-12 Education
Journalist-Only Seminar
Charter schools. Vouchers. Education tax credits. The “portfolio” model of schooling in cities. It’s nearly impossible to find consensus on these hot-button issues, but one thing is clear: American families are seeing more school options at the K-12 level than ever before, especially in urban areas. And the Republican gains in the 2014 elections at the federal and state levels are widely expected to provide further impetus for expanding school choice.
Bursting the Bubbles: Reassessing Assessment
Since the advent of No Child Left Behind 12 years ago, standardized, fill-in-the-bubble tests have become a major part of the school experience. Some say too much of a part.
But beyond the debate over how much schools test, major changes are under way in how they test. Underlying those changes are questions about just what they’re testing for.
The Push to Upgrade the Teaching Profession
This intensive, journalists-only seminar will focus on a range of hard-fought changes under way that together are rewriting the rules of the U.S. teaching profession. What are the roots of today’s controversies over teacher training, tenure, evaluation and pay? In a pivotal year in the push for new standards and tests, are teachers still on board? What does the nation’s new majority-minority student population mean for classroom teachers? How are teacher colleges responding to new accountability pressures?
From Preescolar to Postsecundaria
Covering Latino Education
This fall, the share of K-12 students in the United States who are Latino is projected to climb to nearly one quarter, a figure expected to rise to nearly 30 percent by 2022. And proportionately more Hispanic students are enrolling in postsecondary education than white, non-Hispanic students.
Diving Into Data Workshop
Data journalism is more than just reporting on numbers. It’s taking the records of a half-million students and uncovering alarming absentee rates. It’s tracking the attrition of students from neighborhood schools.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Covering the College Student Experience
2014 Higher Ed Seminar
For many college students — whether fresh out of high school or adults returning to school — their most serious obstacles to a degree won’t be homework or tests, but rather the challenges of navigating student life. Colleges are now being forced to face the longstanding problems that have often led to students’ flailing and failing on their own.
Recap: The 67th National Seminar
Blog posts, videos, podcasts and more from our 2014 National Seminar.
Building a Child’s Mind: Inside Early Childhood Education
Join EWA and your fellow journalists Feb. 3-4 at our first seminar in 17 years to focus solely on covering early childhood education.
STEM and Beyond: Strengthening the Skills of Students and Journalists
As policy and political leaders sound the alarm on America’s dwindling competitive edge, it’s up to journalists to vet those claims and examine the measures used to gauge whether U.S. students are prepared to thrive in the 21st century economy. Central to the debate over the country’s international standing is the question of whether the U.S. education system is up to par in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering, and math.
Recap: Common Core at the Crossroads
Growing public distrust, cagey lawmakers and big money from all directions—it’s not just the standards and assessments that are common in the roll out of the Common Core State Standards.
Despite the pushback, the standards are fast becoming a reality across the country. What does that mean for education and the journalists who cover it? Are the standards making a dramatic difference in the way teachers work? How well have school districts planned their curricula around Common Core?
Recap: Assessing the Future of Teacher Evaluations
More than 50 reporters joined EWA for our seminar “More Than Scores: Assessing the Future of Teacher Evaluations,” held Oct. 10th and 11th at the University of Chicago. As always, we look forward to the coverage inspired by the event. So far, we know about the following stories: