2025 Beat Reporting (Education-Only Outlets) Winner

About the Winner:

Over the course of more than a decade covering education research and statistics for The Hechinger Report, Jill Barshay built a deep network of sources. When chaos and confusion overtook the agency responsible for “The Nation’s Report Card,” the barometer of student performance, Barshay was uniquely positioned to capture the destruction.

Her longstanding beat experience positioned her to break news, along with producing nuanced explanatory and public-service stories. She also demonstrated how a network of sources cultivated over years, and extensive knowledge of a beat, are critical to advancing public understanding in a time of crisis.

Comments From the Judges:

“Barshay’s reporting on the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education’s statistical arm was second to none — an absolute standout. It is authoritative, deeply sourced and insightful. Not only did she consistently break important news on the beat, but she created a comprehensive record of this moment in history.”

“Barshay met the moment, becoming a trusted source — or perhaps THE trusted source — for U.S. Department of Education insiders during a pivotal period of cuts. She translated the information they shared about Trump administration changes into the real-world ramifications for her audience. Barshay’s depth of knowledge and experience shines through this body of work. It’s easy to imagine that, if not for her reporting, the nation may well be without key facts about what DOGE cuts have meant for America’s top education agency.”

Photo credits: Courtesy of The Hechinger Report