77th EWA National Seminar

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Journalists with shared and intersectional identities are invited to network, troubleshoot industry issues and build community with others on the education beat. Open to journalist members only. Note: Bring your breakfast from Grand Ballroom Foyer Hall.

Education and civic engagement, including voting, are inextricably linked. To what extent are public schools meeting their longstanding obligation to develop a new generation of engaged citizens? Youth voters aren’t a monolith: Different priorities are motivating women, people of color and the LGBTQ+ community to head to the polls. How can reporters get a better handle on critical demographic groups who have potential to swing election outcomes, from local races to the presidency?

As the mental health crisis among America’s youth continues, the group most central to this issue–youth, themselves–are crucial to coverage. We turn over the mic to two students who host a podcast about student mental health to talk with an expert, a student who is a mental health advocate and a youth media producer about why and how to center student voices in mental health coverage.

State anti-DEI laws are proliferating, and some colleges are ending diversity initiatives. As a result, students at those schools are seeing a drastic change in support for students and educators from marginalized backgrounds. How will this climate impact new generations of students? Journalists, experts and advocates discuss the DEI pushback on campuses and offer tips to reporters.

Amid backlash from how distance learning played out for millions of students during the COVID-19 pandemic, what lessons did educators and researchers learn about the possibilities and limits of ed tech? Where are school districts making big investments or, conversely, pulling back? How can reporters keep better tabs on spending and student outcomes, and evaluate district contracts with an eye toward educational equity?

Education reporters frequently need to find, understand and report on civil rights and First Amendment issues at schools – including related lawsuits and federal complaints. Journalists who have used legal documents to inform their reporting discuss where to look for that information and detail what kinds of stories reporters can find and how to understand what they’re seeing. Panelists also discuss the ethical issues of covering legal cases involving minors.

X or Threads? Podcast or op-ed? Press release or brand journalism? Peddle an op-ed or promote a Twitter thread? Is the science of reading still a thing? Does school choice still matter? What about student loans? A perennial National Seminar fave is back. We look at what’s in and what’s out in today’s education communications ecosystem.

The outcomes of school board races this fall could shake up education policies and priorities at the local level. Amid growing distrust of public officials and decreasing civility in some communities, how does a school board’s makeup  – including race and political leanings –  influence how, what and where students learn? Discover innovative ways to deepen your coverage, from developing a candidate survey to making the most of public records.

Interested in covering early childhood education (ECE)? Choose your own adventure at this interactive workshop for journalists. Speakers kick off with “lightning” talks on their areas of expertise. Then, attendees have the opportunity to rotate between several roundtable discussions, where they can workshop stories, attend a mini orientation to the ECE beat, learn to incorporate complex workforce issues into coverage, or consult a national expert.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education decision, yet many of the nation’s schools remain segregated. Experts provide important historical context while grounding this issue in the present, explaining what segregation looks like today, recent legal developments and strategies to address the problem. Learn how school segregation intersects with other issues, such as housing policy and the ban on race-conscious admissions in higher education.

Undocumented students face many barriers to accessing higher education. While many states now offer these students in-state tuition and financial aid, they can’t access federal aid. Meanwhile, proliferating anti-DEI laws threaten college support for undocumented students, and many now don’t have DACA protections. This session explores research on the needs of this diverse group, and details why it’s important that lawmakers, colleges and organizations support their access to higher education.

Artificial intelligence is already being applied in educational contexts, such as teacher lesson planning. But for PR professionals, the possibilities of AI are just beginning to be explored. PR pros and business leaders share ways AI can help in our day-to-day work. What do we need to know to deploy this technology wisely, ethically and safely?

In a series of roundtables, journalists discuss challenges of getting into classrooms and strategies after getting denied, securing timely access to documents, and approaching officials who are hiding and adding student voices. They will advise on dangerous or difficult situations, including violent demonstrations, online threats and in-person intimidation. Additionally, speakers share tips on surviving tight deadlines, dealing with difficult editors and refreshing annual education story ideas.

For many students from low-income backgrounds, postsecondary pathways can offer a route to steady careers and social mobility. But who really gets to choose the most profitable pathways, and who’s being steered to less-desirable work? This session examines pathways as a question, not just of opportunity but equity, and shares how reporters can evaluate the programs in their communities.

From partisan school board elections to anti-DEI laws to efforts to limit what students can learn and read, especially about race and LGBTQ+ issues, education reporters are covering issues often driven by political extremism. Journalists who have done in-depth reporting on these battles discuss how to produce fair, accurate and nuanced reports, particularly by investigating the forces behind these efforts, centering students, and explaining the consequences of new laws and policies.

How do educators talk about disability within education? How can journalists include disability in their reporting, no matter the angle? This session destigmatizes talking about disabilities and provides tools for interacting with sources, educators and policymakers. Speakers provide historical context for “medical” and “social” models of disabilities and discuss how districts and states approach disabilities in schools.

For reporters covering curriculum, it can be frustrating to figure out what teachers use and how. Now, the data is available. RAND offers regular surveys of teachers, principals and superintendents that can inform coverage of curricula. Experts show reporters how to use data while covering curriculum–from social studies to algebra–while journalists provide advice on investigating questions of quality. Note: Sign up at www.bentobento.info for an interactive exercise during the session.

What does it take to create a compelling narrative story? It’s not just writing chops. An award-winning writer walks journalists through reporting techniques that can help them become great storytellers.

Colleagues with common interests come together in this collection of community-building meetings. Conference participants share tips, discuss challenges and get to know each other.

Children and Families 

Journalists will network and share resources for expanding coverage of children and families in education reporting.

Covering Suburban Schools 

This caucus provides reporters with the tools and insights needed to navigate the complexities of suburban education coverage. From demographic shifts to debates over discipline and curriculum reform, dive into the critical issues shaping suburban education.

Education Research Cohort 

Bridging the Gap: Increasing Latino Journalists’ Representation on the Ed Beat 

This critical, bilingual discussion sheds light on the significant underrepresentation of Latino journalists covering Hispanic communities in education and the far-reaching implications. Open to all conference attendees.

Expanding the Beat: Topics in Rural Education 

Note: Bring your breakfast from Grand Ballroom Foyer Hal

How can reporters find new social media avenues for sourcing, sharing their work, and building audience engagement? Two expert journalists share insights, tips, and strategies for leveraging a variety of platforms, in new and unexpected ways. Reporters leave with a take-home worksheet to strategize their next steps, tailored to their individual needs and audiences.

Since last fall, enrollment has increased at many school districts as immigrant students have arrived. Cities like New York, Chicago and Denver are addressing the evolving needs of these newcomers, including mental health and language services. What does genuine support for these children and their families look like? Journalists, experts and researchers discuss financial investments from the state and federal level and share stories reporters should cover about newcomer students.

In New York City, the media capital of the world, only about one in four public high schools has a student news outlet. The Bell and Chalkbeat New York are helping to fill the journalism opportunity gap with P.S. Weekly, a student-hosted podcast about local schools. Meet the youth-adult team behind this exciting new reporting model. Learn how they manage the collaboration and get inspired to involve students in your own reporting.

It’s been a year since the Supreme Court effectively banned colleges from using race-based admissions policies. How are colleges working to diversify their campuses, or how should they? How have students been impacted? Hear from admissions experts, journalists and a recent college graduate about the work ahead at colleges and across the education sector to ensure equal access to higher education for all students.

School leaders have always worn multiple hats. Today, they also must grapple with student behavioral issues, chronic absenteeism, safety concerns, and mental health challenges. How has a school leader’s role shifted over time to meet evolving student and educator needs? Hear directly from experienced school principals leading the charge.

In a perennially popular session, reporters share insights into what pitches and news capture their attention — and what doesn’t.

Contrary to popular reporting, the disparate treatment of Black students is not only racial; it is also gendered. Black girls make up 15% of female students, yet they account for 47% of girls receiving corporal punishment and 43% of those expelled. Experts discuss the unique overlap of race and gender biases Black girls face in schools, ways to support Black girls and how to tell more – and better – Black girls’ stories.

Do you love being a journalist but want to try something beyond beat reporting? Do you want to help other journalists do their best work, drive impact over more stories, and shape your publication’s coverage and priorities? If you’re thinking about making a transition from reporter to editor but aren’t sure where to start, this session is for you. Hear advice on growth opportunities and making the leap into management.

After a three-year pause, federal student loan payments are back. But the situation is far from simple: Millions of borrowers have not yet made their first repayment. Who are those borrowers, and why haven’t they begun paying off their debt? What is the impact of the Biden administration’s new income-driven repayment plan (SAVE)? Reporters and experts share insights that help reporters make sense of all the complicated developments and tell stories that are both accessible and actionable.

Students returned to schools this year to dozens of new anti-LGBTQ+ laws. And increasingly, federal policy interpretations, politicians and school boards have turned an eye toward LGBTQ+ students. What’s politics, and what’s fact? How do we report the implementation and consequences of new laws? What public records exist? What groups and movements have driven the political work that brought us here? Whose voices are missing, and how do we reach them?

Homeschooling, Education Savings Accounts, microschools and other school choice topics are becoming more prominent in education coverage. What are the best ways to cover them, and what reporting techniques should be used?

Clark County School District in Nevada–the nation’s fifth-largest district–faced a cyberattack last fall with 200,000 student profiles leaked. Though the security of student data is always at risk, this breach was unique. It involved attempted extortion, hacker contact with local news and muddled communication to families and students. Cyberattacks are often confusing and complex. Experts and reporters offer a guide to how reporters can best cover this and other data privacy issues.

Out-of-school time programs, including after-school and summer learning, received unprecedented attention – and funds – in the years following pandemic-era school closures. How far have these programs moved the needle on academic recovery? Will the end of ESSER funds impede progress that’s been made thus far?

Teacher shortages continue to be a challenge in certain geographic and subject areas. Turnover rates have fallen, but they still remain above pre-pandemic levels. At the same time, school districts may be forced to conduct layoffs when federal pandemic-relief funds expire. In this session, get a handle on the current state of the teacher workforce, suggestions on storylines to follow and tips for putting trends in context.

Last fall, the New York Department of Education made national headlines after the state banned the use of facial recognition technology in schools. Meanwhile, technology surveillance companies routinely pitch facial recognition as a security measure for schools districts nationwide. What should reporters know when it comes to the use and effectiveness of this technology? Journalists and experts discuss the new landscape of school security, data privacy and how best to report on these issues.

This session uses a legal and communications lens to examine the current anti-DEI movement and its impact on education. It breaks down new laws shaping education today, highlights the latest in public opinion research, and explores how different communities are impacted. Communicators receive a fuller picture of the current narrative and explore concrete messages and strategies for operating in this new climate.

A $50,000 camera isn’t necessary to tell powerful stories. Go beyond sitting, listening and taking notes in this session: Emmy and Edward R. Murrow awards-winning broadcast journalists move around the room, laugh and help you grow. Watch stories with creative video; take out your phone and learn to shoot better video. Plus, learn how GoPros and smartphones can supplement or become the sole camera to create powerful, professional broadcast stories.

Test scores have dramatically declined in math – far more than in reading – as a result of the pandemic. And parents say they’re most worried about whether their kids are learning the subject. A panel of journalists and experts describe what’s at stake and offer tips on the best way to cover the slide in math scores.

AI chatbots, teletherapy apps for students, virtual tutoring services and the College Board all have something in common–and it’s not just education. They collect and save data, especially educational technology companies that provide products students use. How can reporters best cover student data privacy? Journalists dive into their reporting and offer tips.

Surveys continue to show that many Americans question the value of a college degree. What’s driving that perception? What are policymakers and colleges doing to make higher education degrees more relevant and affordable? Hear from experts and journalists about the public’s perception of college value, what actions by policymakers and colleges might change those views, and how students are impacted by those perceptions.

Colleagues with common interests come together in this collection of community-building meetings. Conference participants share tips, discuss challenges and get to know each other.

Burnout on the Ed Beat: What It Is, What It Means

Journalists experience a rising rate of burnout. Join for discussion on what burnout is, what it isn’t, and conversation on how the profession can better support journalists facing the syndrome. 

Journalist Only – Networking and Connecting: Black Journalist Caucus 

Journalists with shared and intersectional identities are invited to network, troubleshoot issues in the industry and build community with others on the education beat. Open to journalist members only.

Figuring Out Freelance 

Interested in freelancing full or part time? Get notes on the business of freelancing in journalism.

Journalist Only – Networking and Connecting: Asian American Journalist Caucus 

Journalists with shared and intersectional identities are invited to network, troubleshoot issues in the industry and build community with others on the education beat. Open to journalist members only.

Indigenous Education Caucus 

Community Member Caucus

Join a guided walk of the 210-acre nature preserve, which includes a wildlife habitat as well as an outdoor classroom for scientific studies and educational programs for all ages. Space is limited.

Participants visit the Nevada School of Inquiry, a microschool for grades 6-8, and meet with officials from several microschools in the Las Vegas area. They also have the opportunity to interview parents and students. Coffee and donuts are provided. (Nevada School of Inquiry, 7375 S. Pecos Rd. Suite 104, Las Vegas)

The Politics of School Funding 

Who crafts a state’s school funding formula? Who approves state and district budgets for schools? Who adopts policies and legislation that have financial implications for schools? All of these decisions rest in the hands of elected officials, making school funding an inherently political issue. Learn about the various ways in which politics and school funding intersect, what it means for students and how to cover the impact of these decisions.

Spotlight on School Finance: Breaking Down 7 Key Issues  

During this session, experts discuss a wide range of topics at the intersection of school finance and politics. In a series of TED-style talks, reporters learn about pressing school finance issues, including the relationship between district boundary lines and the availability of resources, litigation as a tool for political pressure, the financial impact of private school choice programs and the equity implications of school closures. 

How I Did the (School Finance) Story 

An unusually high threshold to pass school bonds, making it impossible for districts to repair or replace their crumbling buildings. A failed effort to establish education savings accounts that cost schools additional funding.  Hear from journalists who tackled these stories, including their tips for reporting on the ways politics affects school funding and how to bring these issues down to the school level. 

Who Is Disappearing From College and Why? 

As colleges across the country continue to deal with new challenges–from mounting political pressure to enrollment declines–it’s time to re-evaluate who is going to college and who is not. Researchers, journalists, faculty members and other experts discuss changing student demographics, barriers to postsecondary education and the ways in which colleges can better serve all students.   

Redefining College: The New Face of College Students

As nearly three quarters of students enrolled in higher education are considered “nontraditional,” it’s time to cover that group in a more nuanced way. As the new majority, many of these students left school for a short or extended period of time without graduating and now face competing priorities while pursuing higher education. Journalists, experts and administrators discuss how college can better serve adult and returning learners. 

Missing Men on Campuses: Answering the Gender Gap 

It is not a secret that college enrollment has seen a decline of men, especially men of color. But why is college not as appealing to men today? How can colleges better support this demographic? Experts, journalists and researchers examine solutions to the gender gap and outline story ideas for reporters to pursue.

Two-Generation Solutions 

More than a quarter of all undergraduate students are raising dependent children. What systemic barriers prevent pregnant and parenting students from completing college and obtaining a degree? How can universities not only protect student parents’ access to postsecondary education, but also support academic and developmental outcomes for their little ones?

Covering Education With an Investigative Lens 

The education beat is rich and complex – and loaded with potential investigative stories. The session explores how to make investigative techniques a routine part of your coverage, how to make time for a long-term investigation while dealing with daily requirements and how to find the dollars to finance your project.

Making Investigative Techniques Routine 

The best way to uncover wrongdoing, spot patterns and dig out problematic practices is by incorporating investigative methods into your regular practice. Journalists walk  through some of the routines you need, including strategies to file FOIAs and review lawsuits.

Making Room for a Big Project During the Daily Grind 

What are some ways to map out a long-term investigation or project you would like to explore while covering teacher strikes and school board meetings? Journalists describe their stories and how they made the time and got their editors to buy in.

Finding Money to Fund the Big Investigation 

So you’ve discovered a questionable expense or practice, but your newsroom doesn’t have the funds to cover data crunching, travel or even an extra body to give you some time to focus. Funding is out there – you need to know how and where to apply.