This is #CoveringCOVID19, A daily update featuring coverage, resources, and ideas to help education journalists cover the massive impact of the coronavirus crisis on schools.
A FURLOUGH FUND FOR EDUCATION JOURNALISTS!?
Journalism is going through an extremely tough time right now, and I’m looking to talk to any education journalists who are experiencing layoffs, furloughs, or even just getting pulled off the beat to write other stories.
One notion is that EWA, which recently announced it was postponing its conference, will decide to persuade its funders to allow for the creation of a furlough/layoff fund for education reporters. I’m sure that the organization has spent a ton of staff time and other resources on preparing for the conference, and of course will miss out on the revenue from the non-journalism members who attend the event. But — again, assuming funders allow some flexibility — there’s got to be some amount of money freed up from not having to cover so many journalists and staff members’ travel and registration costs, as well as the event space, etc. And I’d argue it’s worth it to consider a rescue package of this kind to avoid losing a ton of talented reporters whose efforts are critical right now.
Asked about the budgetary effect of the postponement, EWA head Caroline Hendrie told me via email that “it is in no way a windfall.” However, they’re talking to funders about alternative scenarios, so, fingers crossed. Meantime, the Seattle Times’ Paige Cornwell has helped launch a journalist furlough fund and you should contribute to it if you can. Poynter’s Kristen Hare is keeping a list of layoffs and furloughs.
ICYMI: Yesterday’s update: Some ideas for rescuing education journalism
THE TOP FIVE
Here are five great education stories about how schools are responding to the COVID-19 crisis:
🏫 Two brothers to care for. Little classwork. SAT worries. For this 16-year-old, days now feel like weeks – Chalkbeat (above)
🏫 Many Schools Are Not Providing Any Instruction Amid Coronavirus Pandemic – US News
🏫 With spring break shortened to only 2 days, union seeks compensation for NYC teachers – Chalkbeat
🏫 Miami-Dade online learning left behind immigrant students – Miami Herald
🏫 Communities raise thousands for school custodians – The Boston Globe
A VIEW FROM MASSACHUSETTS
I had the chance to talk with the Massachusetts Association of School Committees’ Tracy O’Connell Novick, a field director for the MASC who is a regular presence on Twitter (@TracyNovick) and produces a daily email (above) that you should sign up for. (It’s free!) She told me that she wished that there was more coverage focused about the need for Internet access, not just devices. She also pointed out that, while it’s common to see light-hearted stories about home life in the COVID era, there is a pronounced lack of space and privacy in many families’ homes for students to do any meaningful work online. “That’s the untold story,” said Novick. The only story I can recall seeing that addresses the space/distraction angle is a recent LA Times piece about kids needing headphones to have any hope of paying attention during remote learning.
TIDBITS
😷 Check out this helpful new “framework” to guide an education response to the #COVID19 from the OECD and others. But don’t expect good news. “Absent an intentional and effective strategy to protect opportunity to learn during this period, this disruption will cause severe learning losses for students.”
😷 Former education reporter Brian Rosenthal is doing great work covering the virus, including this piece showing that the virus seems to be hitting poor neighborhoods the hardest.
😷 In case you missed it, there was an EWA webinar on “Remote Learning 101 in the Time of COVID-19” earlier today. Erik Robelen livetweeted some of it and the recording is usually online within a day.
😷 The Texas Tribune’s Aliyya Swaby interviewed the Aldine ISD Superintendent to discuss the impact of the closure of schools across the state on parents, students and educators. You can see it here.
😷 Looking for more stories to read? I’m a big fan of The 74’s weekly Coronavirus Must-Reads, which has replaced the former EduClips.
That’s it! Sign up for the weekly email, Best of the Week, which comes out Fridays around noon Eastern. See you back here on Monday.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alexander Russo
Alexander Russo is founder and editor of The Grade, an award-winning effort to help improve media coverage of education issues. He’s also a Spencer Education Journalism Fellowship winner and a book author. You can reach him at @alexanderrusso.
Visit their website at: https://the-grade.org/
