A new pilot program will provide 30 high schools in New York City with a journalism curriculum and grant funding for newsroom internships for students. To ensure a fair and equitable selection process, the organizations involved must clarify how schools will be chosen and must ensure that a diverse range of schools, i.e., both specialized and zoned schools, are selected.
Through the Journalism For All program, a , high schools across the city can apply as the organization seeks to reverse the trend of United States public schools lacking journalism education. The collaboration includes the Youth Journalism Coalition, led by The Bell, the City Council and the CUNY Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, where experts will facilitate the curriculum and provide training for instructors.
While the Journalism For All program, primarily led by private organizations, aims to address gaps in student education, the Department of Education must also ensure that high school students have access to resources that expand their career opportunities. This includes expanding partnerships between schools and various organizations and colleges across multiple different career fields to benefit students.
According to a Baruch College study, only 27% of public high schools in the city have a publication. Among the 100 public schools with the highest rates of student poverty, just seven have student-run publications.
The study also found that schools with poverty rates of 78% or higher tend to have higher graduation rates when they have newspapers. When considering other underlying factors, the study highlights this as an “example of a disparity in educational opportunities among NYC public high schools.”
In August, the City Council passed a bill requiring the DOE to support the creation of student newspapers in all city high schools. To further increase the presence of student journalism, Councilwoman Rita Joseph, chair of the Education Committee, will introduce a bill mandating the DOE to provide annual data on school journalism programs.
Moving forward, it is essential for multiple city stakeholders to provide journalism curriculums and other specialized education to ensure that overlooked schools have access.
