Richmondside is seeking an experienced reporter to cover education and the challenges and triumphs of local students and teachers.
The reporter will primarily report on the West Contra Costa Unified School District but will be expected to pursue significant stories related to Richmond’s charter schools, Contra Costa College and various education and youth-focused nonprofits in the community.
The job requires occasionally producing some general assignment stories. This could be, for example, a breaking news story, a profile of a Richmond community member, an “explainer” on how an aspect of local government works, information-resource posts, such as how school budgets work, as well as other features and investigations.
Richmondside is committed to providing fair, in-depth coverage of education because, during our ongoing listening work in the community, Richmonders have told us this issue matters to them, and because schools are community focal points. We take a holistic approach to education reporting, from examining district policy to covering what’s happening at the classroom level. Our coverage seeks to understand the root causes of systemic challenges and centers the perspectives of students and families, as well as teachers and administrative leaders. Stories range from features about individuals who are making a difference at the grassroots level to analyses of the larger, sometimes hidden, dynamics shaping student outcomes.
Students in the West Contra Costa Unified School District live in a region that’s historically been marked by economic, social and environmental injustices and disparities. The education reporter will examine how these challenges affect schools and their communities. They’ll look at the impacts of school policies and school board decisions, helping parents and students better navigate their options. And they will provide insights into what is and isn’t working in Richmond schools. We’re looking for someone to produce hard-hitting accountability stories, pulling together academic policy, archival research, data analysis, lively interviews and fluid storytelling to illustrate the impact of policy decisions. And there will also be an opportunity to work on fun, creative features, for example by profiling outstanding students and teachers.
Although Richmondside launched less than a year ago, we’ve already set a high bar for the beat. We have published dozens of articles that have informed the community about the news that impacts them most, such as the sudden shutdown of one of the district’s oldest schools; an unprecedented delay approving a new budget after parents said the district wasn’t adequately serving vulnerable students; and a civil-rights lawsuit that seeks to hold the district accountable for ongoing systemic inequities.
It’s an exciting beat, and there’s much more to come. The district recently froze or eliminated jobs to balance its budget and is recruiting a new superintendent.
This job is based in Richmond. Richmondside is published by the nonprofit news organization Cityside. The Richmondside education beat is supported by funding from the Chamberlin Education Foundation.
About Cityside Journalism Initiative
Cityside is an award-winning nonprofit and nonpartisan news organization in the Bay Area whose mission is to strengthen democracy through local reporting that matters to residents. Cityside currently operates newsrooms in Berkeley (Berkeleyside), Oakland (The Oaklandside) and Richmond (Richmondside), and covers the local food scene through East Bay Nosh.
Cityside is an equal-opportunity employer and is committed to building an organization that is diverse and a work environment that is safe and inclusive for all employees. We encourage candidates from all spectrums of race, ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, socio-economic background and levels of physical ability are welcome to apply.
The deadline for applications is April 14. Have questions about the role or application process? Please email Cityside Director of People Sarah Lee, sarahlee@citysidejournalism.org.
