Ewa Radio

What keeps rural Black students from pursuing college or thriving when they get there? J. Brian Charles of The Chronicle of Higher Education went to Sussex County, Virginia to get a closer look at what post-high school opportunity looks like in the swampy countryside, where “peanuts, pork, and pine” are the major exports – not young people headed for higher education.  He talks with EWA Public Editor Emily Richmond about the overlooked stories on rural schools, an innovative program providing volunteer college counselors in high-need communities, and what might change the equation for Black students looking to expand their horizons beyond their hometowns. 

Few education policies have become more divisive – or politicized – than school choice. Chalkbeat editor and author Cara Fitzpatrick discusses her new book, “The Death of Public School.”  Who really benefits from charter schools and voucher programs, and how have conservative politicians seized the reins of what was, albeit briefly, a bipartisan movement aimed at improving educational equity? If public education is a cornerstone of America’s vision of itself as a democratic society, what does it mean if it’s allowed to become a private commodity?  Plus, Fitzpatrick, a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter, offers tips and story ideas for journalists looking to follow her lead. 

What if you could earn a college degree by demonstrating your mastery of a specific set of skills, rather than completing a minimum number of hours instructional seat time?  That’s the premise behind a massive experiment underway in California’s community colleges. EWA Reporting Fellow Adam Echelman of CalMatters shares insights from his close look at the promise – and potential perils – of “competency based education.”  Who are the students most likely to enroll in these programs? What’s known about the quality of their experience and their long-term outcomes? Why are some faculty pushing back while others are embracing the experiment?  

After years of downward enrollment trends, Chicago Public Schools is seeing an influx of newcomer students, many of whom are new to the United States.  Nereida Moreno of WBEZ Chicago is covering their stories, from the challenges of learning a language and making friends to efforts by schools and community leaders to help them – and their families – acclimate.

Few things were as fraught with controversy amid the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic as the decision to close many schools while others stayed open.  Apoorva Mandavilli, science and global health reporter for The New York Times, looked closely at how air quality in public schools impacted outbreaks, what it would take to give more students access to healthier classrooms, and what’s keeping more policymakers from heeding some of these potentially crucial lessons.  She joins EWA Public Editor Emily Richmond to discuss where education reporters can find trustworthy data on school air quality, how to produce nuanced coverage on polarizing topics, and more.  

The new academic year is underway, and challenges – and opportunities – lay ahead for school communities.  Kalyn Belsha, newly named senior reporter for national education news at Chalkbeat, shares her must-have stories for the K-12 beat. From the impact of new laws barring teachers from talking about “controversial” topics – such as race, racism and gender identity – to what happens when the federal COVID-19 relief money expires, Belsha offers innovative takes on these and other essential topics.

Do you know Elizabeth City State University, a historically Black college, in North Carolina? What about SUNY-Geneseo in New York’s Finger Lakes region? Both schools were top performers in the Washington Monthly’s annual college rankings. The magazine puts a premium on graduation rates, overall costs to students and families, whether graduates end up in good-paying jobs doing meaningful work, and how ready they are for advanced degrees. Editor-in-Chief Paul Glastris discusses the methodology behind the innovative rankings, as well as some of the surprise hits in this year’s list. Also from this month’s issue, Glastris discusses contributing writer Anne E. Kim “hacking” Google’s online certification program, and Jamaal Abdul-Alim’s reporting on colleges going directly to students to offer admission, rather than waiting for them to apply.

The new academic year is underway, and Inside Higher Ed Co-founder Scott Jaschik shares story ideas for enterprising journalists. Among his top picks: Legacy admissions in the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling on race-conscious college admissions, the risks and rewards of ChatGPT, and looming budget cuts once federal pandemic aid runs dry.

Mike Hixenbaugh of NBC News won the Ronald Moskowitz Prize for Outstanding Beat Reporting at this year’s National Awards for Education Reporting ceremony. He speaks candidly about the perils of “parachute journalism,” especially in the wake of tragedies – such as the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas – and explains what keeps pulling him back to stories about students and schools. Plus, what lessons can he share from audio reporting, such as “Southlake,” the viral hit podcast he co-created?   

Reporters Jodi S. Cohen and Jennifer Smith Richards share the backstory to their blockbuster investigation into Illinois police ticketing students at schools for minor infractions, a practice costing them seat time and their families thousands of dollars in fines.  The joint series for ProPublica and the Chicago Tribune won this year’s Fred M. Hechinger Grand Prize for Distinguished Education Reporting in EWA’s National Awards for Education Reporting.

As Emily Richmond returns, Kavitha Cardoza shares what she learned in her year as EWA’s public editor, including a fresh appreciation for the challenges facing education beat reporters.  Plus, Emily discusses her experiences as a 2023 Spencer Education Fellow and what she’s looking forward to in the year ahead with EWA. Correction: The ProPublica reporter named is Topher Sanders, not Topher Smith. Listen to his episode here. 

Education journalism has changed considerably over the years. In what used to be a relatively calm beat, reporters now deal with school shootings, contentious board meetings and angry residents targeting them on social media.  “This ain’t your mama’s education beat” as one reporter wryly put it. While covering education – in addition to other beats – reporters are often working longer hours, even as they contend with layoffs, less support and smaller budgets. About 70% to 72% of local journalists reported work-related and/or personal burnout, according to research from the Center for Innovation and Sustainability in Local Media at The University of North Carolina. Women and young people were more likely to experience burnout than men and older people, researchers found. Kavitha Cardoza saw these issues up close in her work as EWA’s public editor this year. Education reporters from across the country reached out about their challenges: Some left journalism. Some were forced out, and others still struggle, hopi

When trains block crossings, sometimes for days, communities across the country face challenges. Even if the blocked intersection is just four streets away from a location, first responders can't get to fires, parents can't go to grocery stores, and children can't get to school.  Kids face physical, mental and emotional dangers each time they climb over, squeeze between and crawl under train cars in the working-class commuter city of Hammond, Indiana. Parents’ and local officials' pleas about the dangers have gone unheeded.  As part of a reporting collaboration with ProPublica and Investigate TV/Gray Television, Topher Sanders chronicled the problem. The ProPublica reporter talks about how blocked crossings interfere with children's schooling, why this practice has continued and why all roads (or tracks!) lead to the education beat!

Early childhood is a critical time for a child's physical, cognitive, social and emotional development.  Nurturing care is critical for brain growth, meaning a child's development is affected by their experiences and interactions with nurturing caregivers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To reach their full potential, children need to feel safe and loved as well as receive several opportunities to play, explore and express themselves.  Jackie Mader of The Hechinger Report has covered early education exclusively for eight years. This week, she talks to EWA Radio’s Kavitha Cardoza about how she covers so many “beats within a beat,” what she looks for in a child care center, and the challenges of finding new angles.

For a while, Mirtha Donastorg was the only reporter covering Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) full time in the country. As a journalist at The Plug (a now defunct online publication), she covered innovations happening at the more than 100 HBCUs across the country and visited many campuses. Donastorg shared nine things she learned covering HBCUs with EWA Radio. She shared details we had never heard before, including that some HBCUs are now majority white. Additionally, there’s incredible research going on at some, such as growing plants in Martian soil. She also explains why people who went to HBCUs love HBCUs so much! Also, we discuss research on the protective health effects of attending an HBCU, why graduation rates alone don’t tell the whole story of an HBCU education and how reporters can build better relationships with HBCUs.

Millions of families struggle with after-school care – the hours after the school day ends but before the workday finishes.  Rachel Cohen of Vox Media found the after-school crisis is not limited to one city or state. Millions of families need care, yet thousands of school districts offer no options at all. Some communities have just a single nonprofit or church program available, she discovered.  With the help of an EWA Reporting Fellowship, Rachel traveled to Iowa and California to understand the problem. She was delighted to find example programs that started small but now can serve as a blueprint for other communities. Rachel details the many challenges parents and providers face, the proven benefits of after-school care and the sentence in education reporting she never, ever thought she'd hear!

Katherine “Kati” Kokal, an education reporter at The Palm Beach Post, received a tip that prompted her to investigate why schools in the Florida district she covers were asking student-athletes to provide their menstrual health history to coaches.  That took her on a long journey (literally driving to one public meeting took four hours!); a story in her local coverage area mushroomed into a national conversation about student-athletes, medical history and digital privacy.  "Concerns have been heightened both by a shifting political landscape criminalizing abortions and scrutinizing transgender athletes and the growing threat to medical privacy in a digital age,” she wrote.  On this week’s EWA Radio episode, Kati explains what it's like being the only reporter in the room, discusses the "right" way for national outlets to amplify local stories, and details how she stays organized using "spreadsheets of spreadsheets.”

Schools collect vast amounts of information from and about students – through cameras, computers, and their social media posts. Many children and parents aren’t aware the data may be shared with private companies, law enforcement and even analyzed to identify and predict student behavior. School districts and surveillance companies say this is a way to prevent suicides and school shootings. But civil rights advocates are increasingly alarmed by the practices. They want to see more protections in place for students and more transparency on how the information is collected, stored and used. They worry that vulnerable children – Black and brown students, children with disabilities, LGBTQ youth and those living in poverty – are disproportionately negatively affected. This EWA Radio episode is a live recording of a panel discussion Public Editor Kavitha Cardoza had with panelists at the 2013 SXSW EDU Conference. They talked about algorithmic bias, surveillance technologies and other technologies that harm students

After an extensive national search, the Education Writers Association is pleased to introduce our new executive director, Kathy Chow. She will begin on April 3.  Chow will be responsible for a nonprofit organization that represents nearly 2,000 members. She has a long history in nonprofit leadership and is a highly effective fundraiser, strategic planner, fiscal manager, and organizational leader.  Since the beginning of her career, Chow has demonstrated a commitment to and passion for journalism and elevating underrepresented voices. Chow spoke to Public Editor Kavitha Cardoza about her immigrant roots, her passion for supporting journalists and some ideas for EWA.

Critical race theory has gotten a lot of attention in the K-12 space, but how do debates about systemic racism play out in higher education? Daniel Golden is a senior editor and reporter at ProPublica. He won a Pulitzer Prize and EWA’s Fred M. Hechinger Grand Prize (twice!). Daniel also wrote several books, including “The Price of Admission: How America’s Ruling Class Buys Its Way Into Elite Colleges — and Who Gets Left Outside the Gates,”  “Spy Schools: How the CIA, FBI, and Foreign Intelligence Secretly Exploit America’s Universities” and “The Ransomware Hunting Team.” Daniel recently traveled to Florida to see how the “Stop Woke Act” is playing out on college campuses. He found that Gov. Ron DeSantis’ efforts are having a chilling effect in higher education, with professors canceling classes on race due to fear of retribution.  “Of the 39 courses offered this past fall by [the Sociology department at the University of Central Florida, which], none focused primarily on race,” he discovered. This departmen