2025 Feature (Education-Only Outlets) Finalists
Beth Hawkins
The 74
IDEA at 50: Before Special Ed, There Was the School-to-Asylum Pipeline. How One Lawsuit Helped End It.
Comments From the Judges:
“This article makes expert use of archival material, oral histories and fresh interviews to tell an important and compelling story that will likely come as news to many readers. The story of the Gilhool brothers provides a narrative arc that drives the article and keeps the reader’s attention. The photos and videos add to the article’s impact.”
“Fabulous mix of historical and current sources. Choosing to frontload the history and the importance of IDEA before exploring what’s happening at the federal Dept. of Education set me up to really care about the damage being done. It felt like each source was explored in depth to show their connection to IDEA and its history. Super strong piece!”
Linda Jacobson
The 74
Linda Jacobson: The Justice, the Professor and the Friendship That Could Rattle a Pivotal Religious Charter School Case
Comments From the Judges:
“Very strong piece. Original reporting, solid narrative and a captivating way to present one of the biggest issues facing education today. This is a fascinating look at how a personal relationship has had a big impact on policy. The story is excellent on the links between Coney Barrett and Garnett.”
“Jacobson does an excellent job reporting out the depth of connections between Justice Amy Coney Barrett and her longtime friend and colleague, Nicole Stelle Garnett, that, ironically, moved the court away from a conservative supermajority on the question of using public funds to support religious charter schools. A pillar of secular education may have depended on the facts reported in this story, and Jacobson brought them to light.”
Neal Morton
The Hechinger Report
How a Tribe Won a Legal Battle Against The Federal Bureau of Indian Education — and Still Lost
Comments From the Judges:
“This piece was thoroughly reported. For example, about 75 people were interviewed for the article. The beginning of the article is painful; Siyuja was a stellar student in her tribal village, yet didn’t know basic math formulas. I loved how the writer provided the history of Indian education and the lawsuit in a way that avoided legal jargon.”
“A thoughtful and informative investigative piece exposing the Bureau of Indian Education’s failures in educating Native students, and humanized in a way made possible only by Morton’s perseverance and dedication to documenting to the Havasupai Tribe. His tenacity to spend three years pursuing this story is incredible.”
Emma Pettit
The Chronicle of Higher Education
The College That Conservatives Took Over
Comments From the Judges:
“I thought this story took a real, honest approach to such a controversial topic and really shed light on not only the partisan battles in higher ed, but the pure struggle to survive. Very original and strong writing.”
“So many great details that show the clash of the new and old, the ‘woke’ and the right wing. Though some of the more conservative voices declined interviews, the research Pettit did filled in those perspectives and voices. Corcoran came at her in a personal way and that’s part of this story, attacks on the press. She used so many scenes to her advantage either as metaphors for what the college is experiencing or to illustrate the contrast of old and new. Each paragraph flowed so well into the next.”
