Education Reporter, Student Achievement

Education reporter, student achievement

We are looking for a journalist who can show how the state takeover of Houston Independent School District is affecting student achievement. The successful candidate will provide coverage aimed squarely at parents and students, not administrators and elected leaders. The reporter must be passionate about answering questions that parents have right now, and helping them navigate options outside the district, whether it is charters, private schools or homeschooling. The reporter will need to explore special education in the Houston schools, how it is working and whether it is working. This reporter must look closely at the issues parents are weighing if vouchers become a reality in the state, which is a story of national significance. If legislators approve a voucher system backed by Gov. Greg Abbott, Texas could become the largest test yet for a taxpayer backed education credit system that many Republicans have fought for decades to implement across the country.

This reporter's work should also reflect the important role that health and safety play in student achievement.

The successful candidate must be relentless in answering crucial questions about whether the changes occurring in the district are boosting student achievement: Is the Houston ISD takeover working for students? If so, why? If not, why not?

What will you do?

• Help parents make educational choices using a variety of data not in their hands now. Use data to pinpoint what is working and what is not.

• Bring readers into the schools. This reporter will write about what it means to learn in a school without a library. How do students adapt to polluted water fountains? How is the curriculum changing? How is success measured? How is student discipline changing? How can parents get tutors for their students?

• Help parents learn how to enroll students in high-performing schools, get special education services or become involved in school improvement efforts.

• Find ways to create new products to serve a core audience, whether it is a new newsletter, podcast or live events.

• Bring a spirit of experimentation, with an overarching desire to reach new audiences.

Requirements

• Work collaboratively with editors, other reporters, visual journalists, audience team and the data visualization team to tell impactful stories across platforms that attract and retain subscribers and find new audiences.

• HISD's student body is almost two-thirds Latino, so fluency in Spanish is preferred.

• Be eager to break news and be comfortable using best digital practices in your work.

• Use metrics to guide storytelling and shape your reporting

• Be familiar with SEO, evergreen strategies, alternative story formats, and social media to amplify your work

• Communicate quickly and effectively with journalists to break news online and follow up when appropriate.

• Have at least three years of experience as a beat reporter, preferably on an education beat in an established newsroom

• Be detail-oriented, with a proven ability to effectively juggle multiple tasks in a deadline-driven environment

• Understanding of Texas and federal open-records laws is preferred.

About the Houston Chronicle:

The Houston Chronicle, recognized for its Pulitzer Prize-winning journalism, serves its 2.3 million residents with content and marketing solutions across two of Houston's largest websites - HoustonChronicle.com and Chron.com, along with our magazine, television and newspaper brands. Our mission is to spark conversations that inspire action to create a better Houston. All our content and the innovative business solutions we provide invite Houstonians to join conversations about a community we've been committed to covering and helping prosper for more than 120 years. The community we all call home.

About Hearst Newspapers:

With 2,500 employees across the nation, HNP encompasses a network of 24 daily and 52 weekly publications, including the San Francisco Chronicle, Houston Chronicle, San Antonio Express-News and Albany Times Union, several top digital-only news and lifestyle sites, marketing services businesses, and entertainment businesses such as King Features Syndicate.

At HNP, we are investing in new and innovative ways to tell stories - growing newsrooms, diversifying tools, evolving platforms - to support the millions of people who trust us each month to help them make decisions, take action and be inspired.

Be a part of something bigger - your headline awaits.

Recognizing the diverse needs of our candidates, if you are interested in applying for employment and need assistance or an accommodation to use our website or regarding the application process, please contact us by email at hnpemployment@hearst.com. Please do not use this email address to inquire about the status of applications. We will only respond to inquiries concerning requests for a reasonable accommodation through this email address.

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