Reporter or Editor Indiana Reporter
Job Description
Chalkbeat, the growing nonprofit news organization covering the story of public education in America, is seeking a reporter to join our Indiana bureau.
This reporter will cover education at the state level, translating how high-level decisions affect educators, families, and communities. You’ll cover breaking news and enterprise stories about state government, including the governor, legislature, and state board of education. You’ll visit schools to see how decisions about what and how to teach play out in the classroom. Your reporting will examine how the state holds schools, students, and teachers accountable, and explain how Indiana’s education policies and politics fit into national contexts. You will shed light on the state’s educational inequities in both K-12 as well as higher education, focusing on socioeconomic, racial, and other divides. You’ll also communicate and build relationships with readers and key players in the local community through our weekday newsletters, social media, and events.
Who are you?
You are committed to local journalism and respect the transformative power of a good story. You’re a self-starter who is hungry to break news, eager to understand and inform vital public policy debates, and enthusiastic about creating new models for sustainable journalism. You’re a strong beat reporter who can develop reliable sources and beat the competition. You’ve got the ability to write a range of stories, from breaking news to enterprise and long-term investigative projects. Most importantly, you can serve as a guide for our readers — school personnel, education insiders, parents, students, and curious citizens — in explaining how education in Indiana works. And you’re not afraid to call its leaders to task when warranted.
What background and skills do you have? (We know not all strong candidates will have all the skills we list. That’s OK. What else do you bring to the table? Please tell us!)
- At least 3-5 years of experience covering education, government, or public policy
- Experience with building sources and generating story ideas
- The ability to write clearly, cleanly, and on deadline for quick-take, daily, and longer-form stories
- Familiarity and experience with social media
- Comfort or experience working with data, research, and reports
- Interest in or experience with reader engagement, including finding creative ways to connect with a diverse set of readers and use those efforts to inform our reporting
- Ability to report in a language other than English is a plus
The position will be based in Indianapolis and report to our Indiana bureau chief. We are currently working remotely, with plans to return to office space in Indianapolis when it is appropriate.
This is a full-time position with benefits. Chalkbeat offers a competitive salary, commensurate with experience, and a generous benefits package, including a paid winter recess from December 26-31.
About Chalkbeat:
Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news organization committed to covering one of America’s most important stories: the effort to improve schools for all children, especially those who have historically lacked access to a quality education. We are mission-driven journalists who believe that an independent local press is vital to ensuring that education improves. Currently in seven locations and growing, we seek to provide deep local coverage of education policy and practice that informs decisions and actions, leading to better schools. Read more about our mission and values.
