The mission of the Education Writers Association is to strengthen the community of education writers and improve the quality of education coverage to better inform the public.
As the professional organization of members of the media who cover education at all levels, EWA has worked for more than 65 years to help journalists get the story right. Today, EWA has more than 3,000 members benefiting from their high-quality programs, training, information, support, and recognition.
The need for top-notch coverage of education is more pressing than ever.
Yet the capacity of education journalists to achieve excellence is under great strain. Caught between eroding business models and an accelerating news cycle, today’s reporters, editors, and other media professionals need a community of colleagues to help them tell stories that make a difference. EWA is that community.
Benefiting from the vision of a dynamic board of directors, EWA is reinvigorating long-standing services while opening new avenues for members to connect, learn, and access individual assistance. Webinars, blogs, videos, podcasts, e-newsletters, and email listservs are among the ways EWA knits together the community that cares about high-quality education coverage.
Their professional gatherings include the National Seminar, an annual conference on covering education from cradle to career for hundreds of journalists, education experts, newsmakers, and others. The annual Higher Education Seminar focuses on postsecondary education, while other gatherings throughout the year offer training and information on a range of timely topics in both education and journalism.
They public editor provides free, confidential help with reporting, writing, and editing to hundreds of journalists each year. And the National Awards for Education Reporting, an annual contest, recognizes excellence in all types of media, including through the Fred M. Hechinger Grand Prize for Distinguished Education Reporting.
The EWA Reporting Fellowships offer financial support and other assistance for journalism projects aimed at producing compelling, in-depth coverage of critical issues in education.
They extend eligibility for membership both to working journalists and to others interested in advancing high-quality coverage of education. Members in the journalist category produce independent news media products for digital and print newspapers, magazines, radio, television, and other journalism outlets. Community members include advocates, authors, communications officers, educators, and researchers, among others.
EWA is a nonprofit journalism organization funded in part by grants from leading foundations, seminar sponsorships, and individual donations. EWA maintains editorial control over all its programs and services.
