Vickie Bernstein, Executive Director of Teacher Recruitment and Quality, NYC Dept. of Education

Spencer Kympton, Vice President of Recruiting, Teach for America

Dan Goldhaber, Director, Center for Education Data and Research

 

EWA held an audioconference September 2 with journalists from the Los Angeles Times to discuss their groundbreaking series based on the "value-added" method of measuring teacher effectiveness. Reporter Jason Felch and education editor Beth Shuster took questions from reporters both on the project itself and the heated controversy it has generated.

 

The EWA Board of Directors announced it will shift from a traditional membership organization to an open community, embracing a wider net of people concerned about the quality of education information.

EWA sponsored an audio conference for reporters on how to track stimulus dollars for higher education. Jennifer Cohen and Jason Delisle from the New America Foundation led the discussion. Justin Pope, national higher education reporter for The Associated Press, served as the moderator.

EWA sponsored an audio conference for reporters on how to track stimulus dollars for K-12 education. University of Washington professor Marguerite Roza led the discussion and Andrew Brownstein, editor of the Title I Monitor served as moderator.

The Education Writers Association sponsored a brainstorming session for higher ed reporters on finding stories when students leave college campuses for the summer.

Jeff Selingo, editor of The Chronicle of Higher Education, moderated this discussion.

Have you ever finished working on an article and thought: There could be a book here? Are you eager to test your intellectual endurance with a 100,000 word project? The Education Writers Association sponsored an audio conference for reporters to learn about the first steps toward publishing a book. Becky Saletan, editorial director of Riverhead Books, and literary agent Brian DeFiore of New York-based DeFiore and Company discuss how to write a proposal, how to pitch an agent, what types of newspaper projects translate well to books, and the state of the market for books about schools and kids. EWA public editor Linda Perlstein moderated the discussion.

The Education Writers Association sponsored a brainstorming session on finding stories when school is out for the summer for K-12 reporters.

Baltimore Sun reporter/blogger John-John Williams IV moderated this discussion.

The Ed Department released the first installment of education's $98 billion under the Stimulus in early April and the questions have started. Can states or counties cut back their own spending on education to patch a hole in the budget or avoid a tax increase? With a chunk of the funds allocated for existing programs, how will the Department or reporters know if funds are used for teacher effectiveness, work readiness and college completion, improving data systems and shoring up low-performing schools? Scott Palmer of the EducationCounsel, Michael Casserly of the Council of Great City Schools and Amy Wilkins of Education Trust, assess where funds will end up. USA Today's Greg Toppo moderates the forum.

U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan is EWA's featured speaker  who described the new administration's education plans for the next four years.