The Fund for Investigative Journalism partnered with Chalkbeat to hold an online forum on investigative journalists covering education.
This one-hour virtual forum includes insights, lessons and tips for reporting around this complicated and often data-driven story. This is part of a new series of online forums the Fund for Investigative Journalism is holding, called “Impact Investigations.”
The discussion was moderated by James Grimaldi, senior writer for the Wall Street Journal and FIJ Advisory Board Member.
The discussion included:
- Rachel Cohen, whose Washington City Paper cover story led to a new local ordinance that takes effect this week, requiring charter schools to hold open meetings.
- Kayla Jimenez, whose recent investigation for the Voice of San Diego uncovered years of sexual misconduct claims against school staff, which led to new reforms put in place by the County District Attorney this summer.
- Dylan Peers McCoy, whose stories for Chalkbeat in Indiana on schools writing off struggling students as being “homeschooled” (and thus inflating their graduation rates) led to policy changes this summer and won an Education Writers Association national award.
This forum was sponsored by the Smith Family Foundation.