The demands for higher standards and improved academic achievement, combined with the establishment of strong accountability systems, has placed a premium on communications with parents of students and citizens in general.

Individual school districts and states are producing and reporting an unparalleled amount of information regarding their results, and so is the media!

Thus, the shadow of accountability also falls upon the print and electronic media because they are a major source of information for citizens seeking to understand how their schools are performing in this standards-driven environment.

By what standards should the media be judged? According to Gene Maeroff, former Education Editor of The New York Times, "Above all, news consumers have a right to expect that reporting on education will be fair and impartial, that it will be honest and candid. Reporting on education, as on other topics, should be done without showing fear or favoritism. Furthermore, those reporting on education should be informed and bring a solid background to their work," a challenging standard for the media in this most demanding and controversial arena.

It means that reporters assigned to cover the education beat need to be experienced, have some depth of understanding of the issues they are reporting, and be prepared to do the in-depth analysis that is required to meet the criteria set forth by Maeroff. They must also understand that they cannot serve as a public relations vehicle for schools or they will lose their credibility.

Looking beneath the numbers to obtain a more detailed picture of the results is also an important responsibility. Such analysis may reveal that some schools serving students from low socio-economic conditions have done quite well in improving their achievement, and may in fact, have done better than other schools serving more advantaged students. Again, according to Maeroff, "This is part of providing depth and context." He cautions, however, "that if this is reported, it should be noted that the value added in what had been a low achieving district is apt to exceed the value added in the high achieving district simply because there was much more room for value to be added. Furthermore, after adding value, if the low achieving district still significantly trails the high achieving district, this too is part of the story."

Coverage of all groups and individuals in this model is important. From the schoolhouse to the statehouse, all individuals and groups set forth in this model should come under the eye of the media and be judged according to the standards established for them.

Additional Resources

August 2006 - The students — they are what the story is all about, Winona Daily News.

May 2005 - Looking Deeper, A Report on the Visibility and Invisibility of Youth, Policy and Race in the San Jose Mercury News, Youth Media Council.

Youth in the Media - Negative, fear-based coverage of youth in the media misinforms the public and can lead to short-sighted public policies that harm young people and, ultimately, all of society. McKnight Foundation.

Minnesota News Council - Promoting fair, vigorous and trusted journalism by creating a forum where the public and the news media can engage each other in examining standards of fairness.

Reporting on Race, Education and No Child Left Behind: A Guide for Journalists - Applied Research Center.

Standards for Education Reporters - National Education Writers Association

- next -

- Model Home -