2024 Investigative & Public Service (Large Newsroom) Winners
About the Winners:
Education reporter Mara Klecker wondered how many other families had been left in a lurch by the failure of a charter school in Minnesota. It was a timely question. Minnesota, which gave birth to the charter school movement in 1991, was about to experience a record number of charter school closures.
Over four months last year, Mara and investigative reporter Jeffrey Meitrodt revealed how Minnesota’s pioneering efforts have failed thousands of children. The reporting has led some legislators to call for a moratorium on any new charter schools in Minnesota, and longtime charter school advocates say they are now willing to support reforms that would tighten regulation of these schools. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced in January that he wants to increase oversight of the state’s charter schools.
Comments From the Judges:
“Strong lede, punchy and hits hard. Direct, clear writing to unroll the many problems with Minnesota’s charter schools, while also being balanced. Dogged reporting in the face of denials, no comments and withholding of documents by regulators. Very good use of graphics. Impressive reporting in spite of efforts by the state and nonprofit overseers to hide data. The reporters painted a damning portrait through the data they were able to receive, and also wide-ranging interviews. Excellent job pointing out the process for a charter school’s success — and reporting that the state doesn’t require schools to go through those steps.”
“This is a great package with the video, deep writing, visual storytelling and data visualizations. It is also heavily sourced, and makes a compelling case about the failures of charter schools in Minnesota. I found the video particularly compelling. It added a true human element to a policy story that I’ve read many times. Seeing the human toll of school closures/moves, as well as the technicalities that come with it, made the issue tangible. I especially dig how a reporter from Minneapolis reported on the ground in Providence.”
Photo credit: Leila Navidi/The Minnesota Star Tribune
