A few months ago, the Brookings Institute released a report that had a pretty obvious conclusion to those of us in education and journalism: “Invisible: 1.4 Percent Coverage for Education is not Enough.”
While the report’s main statisticthat education only gets 1.4 percent of coverage out of all the national and local newspapers the authors analyzedhas been questioned, some of its other conclusions are indisputable. One of those is that the depth of coverage is suffering as well.
In the March ASBJ, communications columnist Nora Carr shows why coverage matters. The U.S. population is aging, and about two-thirds of residents do not have school-aged children, and most of these have no connection to their local schools. Many of their beliefs center around their experiences with schools when they were students or their children attended. More news coverage is focused on policy (such as President Obama’s recent high school graduation events).
That’s why it’s so important to build relationships with reporters and find ways to get them tips about the good thingsthe heart and soul of education, as Carr says–that are happening each day in your schools. She points to Manuel High School in Indianapolis, where the superintendent let a local reporter have unfettered access. Some might call that a risky move, but it brought enormous rewards for the struggling school. Reporter Matthew Tully’s chronicle of the students and staff members stories has brought overwhelming community support for the schoolmore than 2,000 people attended its Christmas show, bringing $10,000 in donations.
Effective relationships also don’t shy away from the bad news, Carr cautions. In these situations, though, it is even more vital to have a working relationship with local media. “Schools, like reporters, must acknowledge all sides of an issue, no matter how hard the outcome,” Jeff Arnett, a communications chief at an Illinois district, says.
And, I might add, use these policy issues or data-laden reports as a bridge. Since the focus is on getting students through high school and into college or the workforce, invite a reporter to come see some of the classes and programs your school offers and talk to teachers and students about their goals. Explain how federal and state policies are helping or hindering your efforts. Look at relevant data and talk about real-life examples.
It will take some time, but the investment could be well worth it.
Joetta Sack-Min, Associate Editor
