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IndyStar, part of the USA TODAY Network, is seeking a veteran watchdog reporter who will authoritatively report on K-12 education in Indianapolis during a time of upheaval.

The traditional models for education are swiftly evolving. State funding has been upended. School buildings are at risk of closure. State legislation is removing power from the Indianapolis Public Schools' elected school board. And a new wave of charter schools are entering Central Indiana.

Meanwhile, the November general election may serve as the most important election in education as a widespread number of school districts are expected to seek referendums to make up for budget gaps. And for the first time here, the school board elections will be partisan.

And parents? They're trying to keep up with the rapid changes — as they also grapple with cell phone bans, new safety plans, culture war battles and seeing their students' schools struggle to retain teachers.

That's why the K-12 education reporter is so essential to IndyStar. The ideal candidate would understand how politics and power are shaping the education systems here, but would rely on deep sourcing and a focus on audience to prioritize the most important stories each day.

The reporter would join our award-winning government and politics reporting team, where the expectation is that each reporter functions as a watchdog while also covering breaking news and generating scoops. Further, the successful candidate will shine a light on little-watched public committees and oversight boards that play outsized roles in K-12 education here.

This reporter will also write IndyStar’s Study Hall weekly newsletter, contribute to IndyStar's Checks and Balances politics newsletter and be regularly featured on the politics team’s videos in the studio and on social media.

IndyStar is the winner of three Pulitzer Prizes, most recently in 2021. You’ll work with and learn from some of journalism’s best while living in a vibrant and diverse city in the heart of the Midwest.

Our mission is clear: IndyStar informs, empowers and inspires the people of Central Indiana with our journalism. We deliver journalism that is essential to the communities we serve with urgency. We are a people-centered newsroom that’s obsessed with thoughtful experimentation and developing our next generation of industry leaders.

If you’re up to the challenge of moving us forward, read on for job requirements and information on how to share your qualifications and best work.

Other responsibilities

• Create vertical video to help tell your stories, particularly to IndyStar's growing social media audience
• Work collaboratively with the politics team and the rest of the newsroom
• May need to work an occasional evening or weekend breaking news shift
• Seek out and represent diverse racial, ethnic and economic perspectives
   

Requirements

• Education and government reporting experience
• An entrepreneurial approach to growing audience
• Ability to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to take photos and record video/audio in the field
• Strong sense of journalism ethics and grounding in basics of media law
• Commitment to reporting with accuracy and fairness
• At least five years of journalism experience
• Knowledge of Indiana government and politics is preferred

How to apply

We are eager to learn more about you and how you fit this role. When you apply, don’t limit your upload to a resume; show us what you’ve done. To do so, put together a single PDF document file that includes the following, in this order:

1. Your resume – one to two pages.
2. A cover letter that outlines how you would approach the job.
3. Links to 3-6 online samples of your work. Show us what you’ve produced or had a hand in that best reflects what you can do in your desired role.

It is important that these items be assembled into a single document and uploaded in PDF format. Completing these steps will ensure that your application receives the highest consideration.

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