This article was created through a collaboration between ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network and the Idaho Statesman. It aimed to address the grave issue of deteriorating school buildings in Idaho, a topic already familiar to locals but hard to bring to the forefront of broader public attention.
Idaho residents were aware of the poor conditions of their school buildings and the challenging state laws impeding districts from securing funds for repairs. There was uncertainty about whether additional reporting would effect any change.
To potentially make an impact, the team pursued a comprehensive statewide investigation. The goal was to provide a panoramic view of the problem, compelling readers through detailed depictions of the issues plaguing schools. As visiting every school was impractical, the team relied on community contributions from across the state to paint an accurate picture.
ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network facilitated about nine months of investigative work, gathering insights from 106 of the state’s 115 superintendents and input from 233 students, parents, teachers, and other community members.
Given Idaho’s stringent requirements for passing school bonds, the challenge of school funding extends nationwide. Local journalists have extensively covered related equity issues across the country. For those looking to scale their reporting efforts, the team shared their methods and lessons learned.
For assistance in adapting these strategies, reporters can reach out via the provided email contacts.
### Step 1: Determine the Reporting Gaps
New reporters to the topic should first understand state-specific school funding mechanisms, identifying existing data, public records, and gaps therein. Information can be obtained from resources like the Education Writers Association, the National Council on School Facilities, state Departments of Education, and local school administrators. The Education Commission of the States provides a 50-state comparison on school construction funding.
In Idaho, Becca Savransky acquired school bond election data through a records request. However, a comprehensive statewide assessment of school facilities had not been conducted for nearly three decades, leaving many gaps in the official records. Maintenance inspections were superficial, focusing on worker safety rather than extensive facilities reviews, as evidenced by conditions at a Boundary County school.
### Step 2: Identify and Engage Stakeholders
Identifying who holds the necessary information and gauging their willingness to communicate is crucial. Early discussions in Idaho indicated buy-in from numerous superintendents and other stakeholders, who provided concrete examples of the problems and expressed a keen interest in participating.
### Step 3: Develop a Reporting Plan
Reporters should determine the specific data and questions needed, considering what information would substantially strengthen their stories. The Idaho team sought to illustrate the prevalence of disrepair, obtain visual evidence, and document the impact on students, parents, and staff. They used Airtable to track outreach and responses.
For effective engagement, they solicited superintendent responses through a carefully tested survey, achieving replies from all but nine superintendents via follow-ups and peer encouragement. In reaching school staff, students, parents, and community members, they published public callouts, leveraged associations, and engaged on social media to gather widespread input.
### Step 4: Continuously Assess and Adjust
Evaluating responses against initial goals and making necessary adjustments is key. The team pivoted their focus based on community feedback, address criticisms, and clarified inclusion criteria to ensure a comprehensive understanding of school conditions, even adjusting their callouts and outreach strategies as needed.
### Step 5: Conduct On-the-Ground Reporting
Visiting schools and engaging directly with stakeholders often yields the most impactful reporting. The Idaho team prioritized visits to rural districts and those with significant facilities issues, visiting 39 schools. They engaged students in documenting problems, overcoming initial photographic challenges by using appropriate tools and ensuring they left with visual evidence.
### Step 6: Maintain Communication with Sources
Keeping in touch with sources is essential for ongoing stories and future projects. When legislative actions were proposed in Idaho, the team reached out to sources for their reactions, demonstrating a commitment to continued engagement and impact.
### Conclusion
Overall, ProPublica’s engagement team emphasizes the cyclical relationship between reporting and source connections, which can lead to further stories and impacts. They advocate for sustained communication with sources to foster lasting relationships and deeper community insights.
ProPublica welcomes feedback and inquiries about these engagement tactics from reporters looking to apply similar methods in their work. They plan to extend partnerships with newsrooms nationwide through their Local Reporting Network and invite proposals for collaborative accountability projects.
For further details about partnering or discussing potential projects, reporters can reach out through the provided contact emails. Peter DiCampo of ProPublica contributed to the reporting of this article.
