Education reporter study results show reporters need more training
Read the study here. This pretty much sums up my experience:
Reporters who cover education believe overwhelmingly that the beat requires specialized knowledge. Yet 39 percent of education reporters surveyed in February 2008 by the Hechinger Institute say they’ve received no such training …
When I arrived at the SVH in September 2007, I had no idea what SIP, AYP, ELL or IEP stood for, let alone what they really meant. But I learned (School Improvement Plan, Adequate Yearly Progress, English Language Learners and Individualized Education Program). My training consisted of meeting with people and using Google. I don’t think this is necessarily a bad thing. Hey, I’m a resourceful person, I can find things out.
Education is an important beat. While other newspapers have different staff compositions, every paper has an education reporter. But news is changing. Responsibilities are changing, and veteran reporters are either leaving the business or changing their focus.
The most common concern Stephens hears expressed by school leaders is turnover on the education beat. “They really value a reporter with expertise,” Stephens said.
I can see why. With no formal training, other than a list of acronyms passed down by my predecessor, I feel it took me about six months to really understand what education is about. Guess who is doing the training? The superintendents, principals and financial officers of these districts (no wonder they’re frustrated).
I’ll cap off with a quote of how I hope to feel someday wherever I am (or whatever beat I cover):
For veteran education reporter Marilyn Brown of The Tampa Tribune, the education beat, despite its politics, demands and complexities, remains vitally important and in need of perspective and context. In her case, that means continuing to do what she’s done for the last 10 years: “trying to keep up with the main issues and trends, and not being frustrated that I can’t do all the great stories I find every day.”
May 2nd, 2008 at 7:52 pm
I saw this study, and actually took the survey.
My training on this beat consisted of being shown where my desk was and told the names of counties we cover (which helped me determine the 26 districts in my coverage area). My editor showed me the state DOE Web site, forwarded some press releases and agendas, and that was pretty much it to get me off the ground.
I’ve already decided when I leave this beat, it will be done in a more thoughtful manner than the person from whom I inherited it. That is, I’ll leave behind a beat cheat sheet. Who’s who, who to call for what and when, secretary’s names, when school boards meet, etc. etc. Yes, I’m probably stronger for having started quite literally at zero, but imagine how much further I could have gotten by now if I’d started even at 1?
I also agree with your statement that the people doing the training are the school administrators. THANK GOD I came into a city with experienced administrators. I landed with people with decades of experience leading their districts. It also helps that educators are well, good at educating people. They’ve been very patient when I struggle with a concept they’ve probably explained to my half-dozen predecessors. But, I think they also appreciate my willingness to ask and not assume.
That said, now that I’ve been here nearly a year and a half, I am starting to come back around to stories I brushed last year. It’s amazing what just a year of perspective does. I am able to fully see the big picture now and where each story I find and tell fits in.
I once told a professor I thought I’d hate the education beat. Today, there isn’t another beat at my paper I’d rather be covering. I think that’s a good sign.
May 3rd, 2008 at 6:45 am
I agree with many of your points, including how to organize the beat. God I can’t imagine covering 26 districts. I have seven in my coverage area, and at my first paper, there was one (big district though). It was really intimidating when I got to this paper, because my editors told me they wanted me to create a model for how the paper covers education into the future. I had never covered education before in my life, unless you count college sports
I literally knew nothing. Maybe there’s a reason they wanted to start with a blank slate.
So far this year, I’ve changed how we’re going to cover graduations, and I’m excited and scared at the same time. I’ll post it after it’s run, but that’s a good month away.
May 5th, 2008 at 9:52 pm
All I can say is that it took time and time and time. It took years and years of time, in the trenches and at the state level. And, like Meranda, I sat at the feet of really smart people. i think I lucked into covering some of the most progressive districts. Now, when I cover state policy, it all make sa whole lot more sense. But it’s been 20 years.
May 27th, 2008 at 7:16 pm
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