#CoveringCOVID19, a daily update from The Grade to help education journalists cover the COVID-19 crisis.
THE TOP FIVE
Five great education stories about how schools are responding to the COVID-19 crisis:
High School Student And Essential Worker: Teens Fill Essential Role During Pandemic – WBUR Edify (above)
Trump criticizes private schools, then Brentwood returns PPP – LA Times
Who’s being hit hardest by New York’s budget crisis? Its highest-poverty school districts – Chalkbeat
Can a school grading system in which no one gets an F still be unfair? Yes, CPS critics say – Chicago Tribune (see also WBEZ Chicago, Chicago Sun-Times)
Small Montana school to be among first in USA to reopen: ‘We’re not taking this lightly’ – AP
ICYMI: Friday’s newsletter features tons of great stories, media commentary, and newsroom comings & goings. Check it out here and sign up today!
REMOTE LEARNING FAILURE?
Based on the coverage I’m seeing lately, it seems clear that remote learning is not working out well for many, even where devices and internet access aren’t a problem. For example, Struggling With Remote Learning, Some Families Cut Class (WSJ, above). However, the experience is more mixed in other places: Some families are burning out on online classes. Others are thriving (Florida Times Union). And a handful of kids and families are finding lots to like about the remote experience: Why I’m Learning More With Distance Learning Than I Do in School.
WHAT DO PARENTS WANT?
Districts and elected officials can plan all they want, but if parents, teachers and kids don’t support it, there are going to be problems. A poll cited in The 74 found that just 15 percent of teachers and 28 percent of administrators support the idea of extending the upcoming school year (above). Sixty-five percent of teachers and 54 percent of school administrators said they want to begin the upcoming academic year with normal schedules. In Michigan, a poll cited in The Bridge suggests that parents largely support keeping schools closed but are worried about the impact on their children’s academic achievement.
TIDBITS
Yes, that was NYT national politics reporter Nicholas Casey, who wrote about students at Haverford College having widely differing school shutdown experiences, on the NYT podcast The Daily.
Two new pieces from The Grade came out recently, including one about how the Seattle Times education team covered the COVID-19 crisis and a $1 million proposal to leave no education journalist behind.
Don’t forget! On Wednesday, Poynter is hosting an event on making diversity a priority even during the COVID crisis. It’s a great topic. Here’s what newsroom diversity in education journalism looked like a year ago. Will things be any better in 2020?
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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/
