How Mandy McLaren Went From Special Ed Teacher to Reporter

EWA Radio August 5, 2025

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Mandy McLaren of Courier Journal in Louisville claimed the title of “the nation’s top education beat reporter,” winning the Ronald D. Moskowitz Prize at EWA’s National Awards for Education Reporting ceremony during the 2025 National Seminar.

She joins EWA Public Editor Emily Richmond to discuss her nuanced and in-depth coverage of special education in Massachusetts, how she’s balanced personal and professional challenges over the past few years, and why her seven years as an educator continue to shape and inform her journalism.

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Host

Emily Richmond

Speaker

Mandy McLaren

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