Findings
  • Finding 1→
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    Finding 1

    Teachers and parents believe that media coverage affects teachers.
  • Finding 2→
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    Finding 2

    Newspapers rarely discussed teachers in depth or included teachers’ voices.
  • Finding 3→
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    Finding 3

    Newspapers covered non-academic factors that affect learning more than any other topic.
  • Finding 4→
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    Finding 4

    National newspapers started covering evaluation less and quoting teachers more around 2015.
  • Finding 5→
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    Finding 5

    Both local and national newspapers most often portrayed teachers engaged in the work of teaching. National newspapers more often portrayed teachers being evaluated than local newspapers did.
  • Finding 6→
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    Finding 6

    Depictions of teachers being evaluated in national newspapers began declining after 2015, while depictions of professional development and compensation began increasing.
  • Finding 7→
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    Finding 7

    In the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, depictions of teachers changed more in national newspapers than in local newspapers.
  • Finding 8→
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    Finding 8

    From 2009 to 2020, newspapers rarely depicted teacher shortages, lack of classroom resources, or lack of diversity in the profession.
  • Finding 9→
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    Finding 9

    Depictions of teachers involved in illegal activity were rare, but spiked modestly in certain years.
  • Finding 10→
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    Finding 10

    Teachers believe it is important for the news media to cover student poverty, lack of classroom resources, and teacher shortages.
Summary of Findings→
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Summary of

FINDINGS

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FINDINGS

Implications Interviews Methodology
Findings
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Summary of Findings→
Implications Interviews Methodology
teachers

Interviews

Teachers and Journalists Respond

Public Agenda asked K-12 public school teachers and education journalists to reflect on how the news media covers teachers and teaching.

Youtube Video

Why is it important to include teachers’ voices in coverage of education?

Youtube Video

How does media coverage affect teachers?

Youtube Video

How does the news media portray teachers?

Youtube Video

How has coverage of teachers changed during the pandemic?

Youtube Video

How would you like education journalism to develop in the coming years?

Youtube Video

Why can it be challenging for journalists to include teachers’ voices?

Youtube Video

Why did coverage of evaluation start to decline around 2015?

Youtube Video

Why doesn’t diversity in the teaching profession get covered more often?

Youtube Video

Why is it important for journalists to cover student poverty?

  • Findings
  • Implications
  • Interviews
  • Methodology

Public Agenda is a nonpartisan research and public engagement organization dedicated to strengthening democracy and expanding opportunity for all Americans. To learn more about this project please email editorial@publicagenda.org.

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Photo credits

Photo Credits
First two photos on home page and photos on Findings 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 by Allison Shelley for EDUimages. Third photo on home page and photos on Findings 5, 8, 10 by Allison Shelley/The Verbatim Agency for EDUimages. Photo on Finding 9 by iStock.com/Goxy89. All other credits appear near photos.