Dear Chalkbeat readers,
Maybe you read Chalkbeat before you start school. Or you scroll through Rise & Shine while you eat your breakfast. Or maybe you swap Chalkbeat stories with colleagues and friends who care just as much as you do about education. Whatever your style, there’s a word for what you do; you Chalkbeat.
To Chalkbeat ˈchȯk-ˈbēt verb: The act of contributing to, creating, reading, sharing, discussing, and/or acting on high-quality local stories about educational equity — all as part of a community of like-minded people.
This year, we are calling on our readers to make Chalkbeat’s work possible by:
- Sharing #WhyIChalkbeat on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram
- Making a monthly donation by clicking here
Two years ago, I decided to open Chalkbeat’s Indiana bureau because I believed the organization was the best way to ensure that our state had access to high-quality education journalism. I’m pleased to say my bet has paid off! In 2015, we have answered questions about funding, teaching, and learning. We have told the stories of students like Elly Mawi, a Burmese refugee who came to Indianapolis unable to speak English and recently graduated third in her high school class. I Chalkbeat because for every story like Elly’s, there are hundreds more. There are more than 1,900 schools in Indiana, each filled with untold stories and unanswered questions. If we don’t write about them, who will?
While Chalkbeat is largely funded by the generosity of philanthropy and sponsors, your participation is vital to sustaining our work and independence. We believe that strong community journalism requires strong community support. Above all, we are accountable to you, our readers. To make sure we stay that way, we need your support.
Together, we can work toward a better informed Indiana.
Scott Elliott, bureau chief