Ewa Radio

Former evangelical insider Deborah Jian Lee explains how over 200 federally funded religious schools – with nearly one million students – exploit the religious exemption from Title IX, the federal policy that protects students from discrimination.  These schools violated the civil rights of Journey Mueller, who was forced out of her Christian college in Colorado, and countless LGBTQ+ students, all with the blessing of taxpayer dollars. “Persecution in the Name the Lord,” which Jian Lee wrote for Esquire and Economic Hardship Reporting Project, won the EGF Accelerator’s Eddie Prize at this year’s National Awards for Education Reporting ceremony. Jian Lee, a senior editor with the Economic Hardship Reporting Project, shares story ideas at the intersection of religion and higher education with EWA Public Editor Emily Richmond.

Laura Meckler, the award-winning national education reporter for The Washington Post, shares the top stories in her notebook for the coming academic year.  Hear why she’s tracking cellphone bans, her advice for covering contentious school board elections, and how to put the so-called “culture wars” into context for your audiences.  She and EWA Public Editor Emily Richmond also discuss why K-12 reporters should be paying attention to civics classes and youth voters, and why expanding – and costly – school voucher programs should be on your radar this fall.

College presidents, campus protests and student debt: Oh my!  It’s going to be a hectic academic year for many postsecondary institutions, as investigative reporter Michael Vasquez of The Chronicle of Higher Education explains.  He and EWA Public Editor Emily Richmond brainstorm on what they’d like to see reporters tackling this fall and into 2025. This includes community colleges, why enrollment downturns are an educational equity story and the expanding role of artificial intelligence.

For Talia Richman of The Dallas Morning News, there’s no such thing as a slow news day.  Richman, recently named the nation’s top education beat reporter at the EWA Awards, shares how she balances the daily grind of school board meetings with enterprise pieces and investigations. Plus, hear the backstory on how her remarkable profile of a Black girl’s troubling journey through her middle school’s discipline system became a radio essay for “This American Life.”

In Newport News, Virginia, the Black-owned neighborhood of Johnson Terrace was a thriving community until government officials used eminent domain to seize the land and expand a university.  Brandi Kellam of the Virginia Center for Investigative Reporting at WHRO spent two years digging into archives and building trust with the Johnson family. Along with her VCIR colleague Louis Hansen and Gabriel Sandoval, formerly of ProPublica, Kellam won the 2023 Fred M. Hechinger Grand Prize this year at EWA’s National Awards for Education Reporting. She shares the backstory to the project and lessons for other journalists looking to combine historical research, data mining and narrative storytelling.

Kyra Miles of Minnesota Public Radio is one of a handful of reporters nationally on the early learning beat, which often gets short shrift when it comes to news coverage.  That’s changed since the pandemic, amid greater awareness of how starkly the nation’s child care needs are outstripping available –and affordable – providers. Kyra shares how she made the transition from the K-12 beat to early learning, and what’s surprised her along the way.

Whether you’re joining us in Las Vegas for the 77th National Seminar or looking ahead to a future EWA event, Public Editor Emily Richmond and The Chronicle of Higher Education Editor Daarel Burnette have you covered.  Burnette, also a member of EWA’s board of directors, shares his tips for making the most of the flagship conference. This includes how to choose which sessions to attend, what to pack, and where to look for story ideas and networking opportunities.

The already stressful and arduous process of applying for college financial aid was supposed to be easier this year. Instead, the public saw the meltdown of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  As the U.S. Department of Education scrambles to fix calculation errors, colleges and universities have had to hit pause on making admissions decisions, adding even more confusion to the mix.  Eric Hoover, a senior writer for The Chronicle of Higher Education, shares insights from his deep coverage, including implications for students, families and postsecondary institutions. What’s being done to help students from low-income backgrounds whose college prospects might have already been on shaky ground? And where should reporters proceed with extra caution in covering this complex and fast-changing story?

In Baltimore and many other school systems in Maryland, Black teachers are leaving at a higher rate than their colleagues of any other racial group. That tracks with national trends, and leaves too many schools with educator workforces that are significantly less diverse than the student populations they teach.  Kristen Griffith of The Baltimore Banner shares insights from her in-depth reporting on this issue. What’s driving the exodus in Maryland, and what interventions might help keep more Black teachers on the job? 

Many state funding formulas allocate additional dollars for low-income students to level the playing field. But fewer account for concentrated poverty in communities, despite the additional challenges faced by schools serving large shares of economically disadvantaged students.  What is the impact of concentrated poverty on students? How might more resources be directed to high-poverty schools, and what other strategies might address these disparities and improve resource equity? And what are some story ideas for education reporters around school finance and concentrated poverty?  Experts John Affeldt, Public Advocates; Amber Arellano, The Education Trust-Midwest, and Ericka Weathers, University of Pennsylvania join host Emily Richmond at a special live episode of EWA Radio, recorded at SXSW EDU on March 6.

For a reporter who is not officially on the education beat, Alec MacGillis of ProPublica finds plenty to keep him busy, going deep into stories about how the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be felt in all aspects of lives of students and their school communities.  He joins EWA Radio to discuss his two newest pieces: a close look at a private company providing outreach services tracking down absent students in the hard-hit school systems of Detroit’s outer suburbs, and how private and parochial schools are cashing in on the funding bonanza of new and expanded school voucher programs that open the door to every student – regardless of family income.

While in her junior year at Milpitas High School in Northern California, student journalist Riya Vyas  heard the rumors like everyone else – two teachers had been accused of improper behavior with students.  She used the power of the press – and open records requests – to build a paper trail and show that the teachers had been allowed to resign quietly, decreasing the possibility that a record of disciplinary action might follow them to their next jobs. Vyas won the Student Press Law Center’s inaugural Student Freedom of Information Award.  Also, Mike Hiestand, senior legal counsel for the SPLC, discusses why the work of high school and college journalists pressing for transparency and accountability is more important than ever. Feb. 22 marks Student Press Freedom Day. 

For a reporter who is not officially on the education beat, Alec MacGillis of ProPublica finds plenty to keep him busy, going deep into stories about how the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be felt in all aspects of lives of students and their school communities.  He joins EWA Radio to discuss his two newest pieces: a close look at a private company providing outreach services tracking down absent students in the hard-hit school systems of Detroit’s outer suburbs, and how private and parochial schools are cashing in on the funding bonanza of new and expanded school voucher programs that open the door to every student – regardless of family income.

Suburbs have long been a touchstone of the proverbial American dream, promising happy lives and top-notch schools to their fortunate inhabitants. But what happens when white and affluent families move on, leaving behind massive municipal debt, poorly planned infrastructure, and school systems ill-equipped to meet the needs of newer residents – many of whom are often less wealthy, Black, and Hispanic?  Longtime education journalist Benjamin Herold, author of “Disillusioned: Five Families and the Unraveling of America’s Suburbs,” takes readers deep into the history of how gentrification, race and privilege factored into the rise and fall of suburban life, and how his own educational opportunities and life path were shaped and influenced by the opportunities his white parents were able to access in the community of Penn Hills, outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

From fiscal cliffs to surges in high-need students, 2024 is expected to be a challenging year on the K-12 and higher ed beats.  As Boston Globe editor Melissa Taboada told EWA public editor Emily Richmond: “Winter is coming.” Jon Marcus, higher education editor for The Hechinger Report, also joined the discussion, offering his forecast for the months ahead.  Among the big stories these veteran journalists say to watch for: student advocacy amid campus culture wars, the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on student learning, and why colleges and universities are bracing for a steep decline in freshmen. Also, we discuss the peril and promise of A.I. as an educational tool, and what EWA has planned for SXSW EDU in Austin, Texas this March.  EWA Radio is sponsored by SXSW EDU. EWA retains full editorial control over the content of the podcast.

If you’re a journalist who’s feeling burned out or ready for a change, a professional fellowship can be a chance to recharge and renew your passion for your work.  What are the differences among the best-known residential fellowships? What makes a great application? What should you expect from your fellowship year? And how can you boost your chances of grabbing the brass ring?  Two experienced education editors with firsthand experience as journalism fellows – Delece Smith Barrow of Politico and Sarah Carr, formerly of The Boston Globe  –  join EWA Public Editor Emily Richmond. 

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.