2025 Investigative Reporting (Small Newsroom) Winners

About the Winners:

A first-time analysis from reporters Lauren Wagner and Jeremy Turley found dozens of school districts in Nebraska that rejected transfers from children with disabilities while accepting applications from other students. Children with disabilities in Nebraska who can’t get the services they need from their assigned school are supposed to be able to transfer to another district that will provide the proper educational experience.

The investigation was a follow-up to reporting Wagner did in 2023, which spurred the creation of a bill last year that would have barred Nebraska districts from disproportionately rejecting transfers of students with disabilities despite the original law. To uncover how many school districts overwhelmingly denied children with disabilities a chance at a better education, Turley and Wagner conducted a deep analysis of statewide option enrollment application data.

Comments From the Judges:

“A richly-told story about the exclusion of special needs students from transfers. The piece provides some good perspective about burnout among special education teachers as a reason behind the challenges faced by schools and districts. Good incorporation of stories of real families trying to traverse the system, advocating for their children’s needs.”

“This story has one of my favorite hallmarks of classic investigative work: It seemed like a number should have been public knowledge, but wasn’t. So reporters hunted it down. And in doing so, they did a big public service. I also appreciated that they had compelling anecdotes throughout and looked at past legislation to offer a road map for how this program could actually be fixed in a way that worked better for schools AND districts.”

Photo credits: Liz McCue/Flatwater Free Press; headshot courtesy of The 74