Alan Gottlieb reflects on a significant new development for EdNews Colorado, his new role and the new managing editor.
Education News Colorado this week is undergoing the most significant change in its five-year history. The transformation should be invisible to readers, at least for now. But it represents a major leap forward for the organization, as it charts a course to long-term sustainability.
Today, EdNews the Public Education and Business Coalition, EdNews’ parent for the past five years, issued this press release:
Education News Colorado, the award-winning, Denver-based non-profit news website, is leaving its home of the past five-years to help launch a national network of education news websites.
Born to and raised by the Public Education and Business Coalition (PEBC), a venerable 30-year-old education non-profit based in Denver, EdNews has become Colorado’s definitive source of education news, analysis, data and commentary since PEBC launched the site in January 2008. EdNews is partnering with New York City-based GothamSchools to form the non-profit Education News Network (ENN).
“The idea of launching a network of education news websites in states on the cutting edge of education change is one that excites educators, journalists and funders,” ENN Publisher Alan Gottlieb said. “We believe we have developed a model that will provide great local education journalism while demonstrating that non-profit news can be financially sustainable in the long term.”
ENN plans to open education news websites in several cities and states around the country in the next three to five years.
ENN’s mission is to provide deep local coverage of education policy and practice, to inform decisions and actions that lead to better outcomes for children.
Gottlieb also emphasized the key role played by PEBC in creating EdNews, sustaining it through some tough times and “sticking with us in the early days when we generated more than our share of controversy.”
Rosann B. Ward, PEBC’s president, said that while nudging EdNews out of the nest is bittersweet, it also represents the next logical step in the website’s evolution.
“PEBC has a proud history of incubating innovative projects,” Ward said. “While EdNews was an integral part of PEBC, the board saw this as an opportune moment for both PEBC and EdNews to make this transition happen. We are proud of and committed to the innovative work EdNews does in our state. And we look forward to its increasing impact on education beyond Colorado.”
Prominent education figures in Colorado also lauded the move.
“PEBC created the most powerful education news and information resource in the country in EdNews, at a time when traditional media outlets were abandoning serious reporting on education issues,” said Barbara O’Brien, former lieutenant governor of Colorado who now serves as president of Get Smart Schools. “With the creation of ENN, this unique resource will now expand to other communities across the country.”
ENN will operate under the fiscal sponsorship of the Colorado Nonprofit Development Center while it waits for the Internal Revenue Service to finalize its 501(c)(3) status.
EdNews also announced today that the site has a new managing editor, joining the organization in late March. Maura Walz comes to EdNews from Georgia Public Broadcasting’s Southern Education Desk, “a consortium of public media stations in five Southern states (Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee) committed to exploring the challenges and opportunities confronting education in the southern United States in the 21st century.” Previously, Walz worked as a reporter for EdNews’ sister site, GothamSchools.
“Maura brings to EdNews deep education expertise, extensive web and multi-media skills and infectious enthusiasm,” Gottlieb said. “We are lucky to have her.”
Stay tuned for additional announcements about ENN in the near future.
About the author
Alan Gottlieb has been the publisher of Education News Colorado since 2008. This week, he becomes publisher of the national Education News Network.
I am glad this is happening. Since moving here from Florida, I have recognized that Ed News Colorado is a huge part of what makes Colorado such a unique ecosystem for ed reform. Accountability and conversation are so lacking in other places.
There are plenty of national education news publications, yet SO much of what happens in education happens locally. Local news media does a horrible job, in most cases, of covering education. Most local outlets let superintendents, school board members, and union presidents tell the story without doing much digging – which is a big part of the problem.
While some of that might happen from time to time in Ed News as well, at least in the Voices section many different stake holders have a chance to push back and shine light.
Kudos to Ed News Colorado, and I hope we soon see equivalents in all 50 states!
Congratulations all around! It’s always nice to see hard work and a great idea be recognized and rewarded. Bravo, Alan!
I’m guessing that this is a rare case in which all of us hot head, know it all commentators from all sides of the education debates will agree…Congrats Alan and the EdNews team!
Congratulations, Alan. What will happen to EdnewsColorado? Will you all still be reporting educational news
for Colorado or will the website take on a more national focus?
Joanne,
There will be no change away from a local focus for EdNews. This is more of a management and structural change. If anything our local content will become richer and more contextualized, and there will be a chance for readers to learn what is happening elsewhere through links to our sister sites. ENN will be a network of local sites like EdNews in cities and states across the country. That’s the vision, at least.
That’s great! We will look forward to keeping up with the new site (not to mention throwing in our two cents here and there!).
Congrats, guys! It sounds like a great move for an already indispensable site!
Congrats, Alan, and good news for all of us who appreciate the timely information and lively debates. I echo Tim’s and Van’s comments. We should all be able to agree on this news as a positive development!
We are lucky to live and work in Denver/Colorado with the PEBC right in our back yard . . . and to have EdNews Colorado staying on top of everything education. Good luck!
Congratulations guys — sounds like a great move for EdNews and for people who care about education around the country – nice work!
Another important and impressive step forward! Hearty congrats!
This is great news! Since moving to Boston, I have missed EdNews Colorado’s coverage. Maybe you’ll create a sister site in MA? I hope so!
Congratulations, Alan! As a consultant who works in K-12, I have come to rely on EdNews to comprehensively cover the legislature and issues in local districts. I work with other states and I know they will also welcome your issue-oriented approach.
The lively comments section adds great context when there are strong feelings on two sides of a controversy as well.
As a school board member, this has been one of my “go to sites” for information. Well done, I am certain your trajectory will continue in the right direction.
Thank you, Alan.
It is just great to know that EdNews Colorado will continue to focus on local issues and perhaps also bring news from the rest of the country.
Congratulations, Alan and team! A job well done. What a great opportunity to share the benefits of EdNews with a national focus. Great stuff!
Ed News has been my go to for staying current about education issues that ultimately affect us.
I have long thought that a national news core focused on education news, events, criticism, and in depth reporting would provide the education world a vehicle to examine its politics, create frisson around innovation and possibility, and create fissures in the conventional wisdom that dams us up. Crossing boundaries between various factions and interests creates possibilities. I am very excited and pleased to hear about this important new venture. Congratulations.
Congratulations and best wishes for success!