2016 Investigative Reporting for Broadcast Finalists: NPR Staff, NPR Staff Member Stations, Education Week Staff

“School Money”

About the Entry

A collaboration among NPR member stations nationwide digs deep into how states pay for their public schools, surprising inequities among neighboring communities, and why many funding formulas are failing to meet the needs of their most vulnerable students.

Comments from the Judges

“This is a tough topic to tackle in broadcast, especially on the radio. It is an excellent, in-depth explainer on a topic every education reporter is familiar with but rarely dives into for it’s own sake. It also highlights national trends in funding issues, which, again, don’t get much attention. All of the local stories are sound rich, another impressive accomplishment given the topic.”

“The team took a wonky subject and made it simple and interesting. The comprehensive reporting (I appreciated hearing how urban/rural areas were different) and robust website made this series a pleasure to listen to. Not to mention, coordinating with 20 member stations seems like a Herculean effort.”