FRESNO, Calif., Sept. 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Fresno
Bee announces the launch of the Education Lab, an ambitious
editorial initiative focusing on education issues critical to the
advancement of residents in Fresno
and the San Joaquin Valley.
Four journalists will join The Bee to cover the topic of
education in Fresno and the
San Joaquin Valley. They will
employ solutions-oriented reporting and will convene community
conversations in an effort to elevate diverse voices and find a
sustainable path toward greater educational outcomes. The Education
Lab is funded by nonprofit organizations and private donors at the
local and state level.
Chronic low educational attainment is one of the leading
problems facing the San Joaquin
Valley, which also suffers from high poverty rates and a
complex web of socioeconomic pressures. From pre-kindergarten to
higher education, Fresno County
schools trail statewide averages in several key metrics.
"We can do more as both a community and a news organization to
help our neighbors in this Valley and I am grateful for the support
of our donors who are making this groundbreaking initiative
possible," said Tim Ritchey,
Publisher of The Fresno Bee, in remarks today at the
California Priorities summit on the campus of California State University, Fresno, the presenting
sponsor of the education-focused event. "We know that
increasing the number of college graduates in the area is key to
economic mobility, and a healthier and stronger community. Through
this initiative, we'll help build a more engaged community, one
that creates Fresno's next
generation of stakeholders, business leaders and public
servants."
The Education Lab was built in collaboration with the community,
with input from dozens of stakeholders and via listening sessions
hosted by The Fresno Bee. All of the content produced by The Fresno
Bee's Education Lab will be shared with area news outlets and also
be published in Spanish online. The Education Lab is inspired by a
model created by The Seattle Times.
"The Central Valley Community Foundation is pleased to partner
with The Fresno Bee through our Impact Media Fund in launching the
Education Lab," said Ashley
Swearengin, president and CEO of the Central Valley
Community Foundation and former Mayor of Fresno. "I can think of no more important
issue for our region at this point in history than educating and
investing in the youth of the Central Valley and their
futures. Having a local media team dedicated to researching
and reporting on our educational systems and the families they
serve is a critical part of improving our communities."
Founding contributors of the Education Lab include, Central
Valley Community Foundation, The James Irvine Foundation, The
California Endowment, Central Valley Foundation, State Center
Community College District, California State
University, Fresno, Murray and
Francine Farber, Paul Gibson
and Joan Eaton, and Pete Weber.
The Fresno Bee is currently recruiting new hires for the lab. It
will assign one reporter to cover higher education and another to
report on early education. They will be joined by an engagement
reporter and an editor who will lead strategy, edit stories and
oversee the team. The entire team will publish two to four stories
a week, and one weekly enterprise project.
Joe Kieta, editor of The Fresno
Bee added, "The Education Lab is an exciting expansion of our
existing education coverage. The mission of the new team is to make
education in the Valley a priority by taking a focused look at
what's working and what's not. We also aim to create more community
engagement around this important topic, elevating voices we
previously have not had the resources to share, and making key
connections among stakeholders."
"The Fresno Bee and its parent McClatchy have deep roots in the
Central Valley spanning more than a century," said Lauren Gustus, regional editor for McClatchy's
10 news organizations in California, Idaho and Washington
state. "Our steadfast commitment to local journalism and the
role it plays in helping communities thrive is a mission that
animates the work of its 30 newsrooms across the country."
The Education Lab editorial team will:
- Spotlight stories about access to educational resources
beginning in early childhood through college.
- Recognize and celebrate progress in the Valley's educational
systems.
- Examine challenges and roadblocks in the educational
system.
- Create a conversation among students, parents, teachers and
other stakeholders in Fresno and
the San Joaquin Valley
"Public awareness and understanding of the opportunities and
challenges faced by K-12 schools and higher education institutions
serve as a foundation for support of our mission of boldly
educating and empowering generations of future Valley leaders,"
said Fresno State President
Joseph I. Castro.
Support for the Lab goes toward salaries and benefits of the
four journalists hired to work on this initiative as well as
engagement efforts. The Central Valley Community Foundation is the
fiscal sponsor for The Education Lab as part of its Impact Media
Fund. Donations to this inaugural effort in Fresno are welcome and can be made online
here.
About McClatchy
McClatchy operates 30 media companies
in 14 states, providing each of its communities with strong
independent local journalism in the public interest and advertising
services in a wide array of digital and print formats. McClatchy
publishes iconic local brands including the Miami Herald, The
Kansas City Star, The Sacramento Bee, The Charlotte Observer,
The (Raleigh)News &
Observer, and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. McClatchy is
headquartered in Sacramento,
Calif., and listed on the New York Stock Exchange American
under the symbol MNI. #ReadLocal
Contact: Jeanne Segal
jsegal@mcclatchy.com
o) 202-383-6085
m) 202-271-8880
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SOURCE McClatchy