Education Reporter

Job Description

About the role

Berkeleyside, a groundbreaking local newsroom in Berkeley, California, published by nonprofit news organization Cityside, is looking for a tenacious, versatile and seasoned reporter to cover education and the challenges and triumphs of local youth while also taking on other big stories that span the city.

You will primarily cover the 9,000-student Berkeley Unified School District, but you’ll have time to pursue significant stories related to UC Berkeley, town-gown relations, Berkeley City College, the city’s private schools and preschools and more. 

You will also be responsible for producing some general assignment reporting. You’ll be expected to pitch original ideas and take on assignments from your editor. And you’ll produce work in a variety of formats: breaking news, profiles, explainers, information-resource posts, in-depth features and investigations. 

Your education reporting will pull back the curtain on how systems of power reverberate in the lives of students and their families. You’ll examine the impacts of school policies and school board decisions, helping parents and students better navigate their options and providing insight into what is and isn’t working in Berkeley schools. You’ll dig in on hard-hitting accountability stories, bringing together academic policy, archival research, data analysis, lively interviews and fluid storytelling to show the impact of policy decisions. And you’ll get to work on fun, creative features, for example by profiling outstanding students and teachers. 

Over 15 years, Berkeleyside has done much excellent education reporting, including a deep dive on the history of the academic achievement gap, an investigation revealing how district leaders failed to protect generations of students who said they were sexually harassed by their chemistry teacher, a series looking at Berkeley’s historic school integration program, and a profile of a Berkeley High junior braving sharks and hyperthermia to complete world record swims.

It’s an exciting beat. 

This job is based in Berkeley, where you will join a six-person-strong, award-winning newsroom that engages and enriches its community through stellar, civic-minded journalism.

What you’ll do

• Report and write about three stories a week, including breaking news, in-depth features and service-oriented pieces

• Stay up-to-date on education trends, policy decisions and academic research 

• Cultivate sources on the Berkeley education beat and in the community 

• Write with authority, speed, clarity and accuracy

• Display excellent time-management skills and journalistic rigor when working on a tight deadline, and meet deadlines

• Be an accessible, leading source of information on your beat

• Explore with the team other ways to reach and inform people, such as newsletters, community events and text services

What we offer

Benefits and Compensation

• $70,000 to $85,000 per year

• $1,000 a year in professional development stipends

• Cityside pays for 75% of your health insurance premium and provides options for both Blue Cross and Kaiser Permanente medical plans. The coverage also includes dental and vision plans from Guardian.

• 401(k) retirement plan with a 4% company match after 3 months of employment

• 20 paid vacation days

• 18 paid sick days

• 13 paid holidays

• 5 additional paid days for an end-of-the-year break between Christmas Day and New Year

• Up to 6 months of paid parental and caregiver leave

• $100,000 life insurance coverage

In April 2023, Cityside voluntarily recognized a workers union, Cityside Guild, which is now bargaining toward an initial contract. 

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 a diverse organization and a work environment that is safe and inclusive for all employees. We recognize that people of color, gender-expansive people, the LGBTQ+ community and people from working-class backgrounds have been marginalized in journalism organizations. We believe that historically underrepresented communities must be centered in our work, and we strongly encourage applicants from these identities to apply. 

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. Cityside values a wide range of experience and encourages candidates to submit their applications even if candidates do not meet all preferred criteria. We have an office in downtown Berkeley and a hybrid work schedule, with two days per week in the office required.

Job Requirements

Required qualifications 

• Five-plus years of reporting are preferred, but we are open to receiving applications from reporters with various experience levels 

• A track record of producing high-quality journalism, ideally in a daily local newsroom environment

• A commitment to ethical, accurate and inclusive local reporting: You know how to build up and maintain relationships with sources, are a thorough researcher and fact-checker and an astute interviewer

• A solid understanding of, interest in, and comfort with reporting on education, youth and local government

• Ability to pitch compelling, relevant and doable story ideas that are on mission, both verbally and in writing

• A fluid writing style: Your copy is clean, and you sweat the details — proofreading and checking facts — before turning a draft over to your editor

• A solid understanding of how to obtain and use public records

• Familiarity with social media platforms and experience using them as a tool to monitor news and develop sources

• The ability to synthesize and present complex information in a highly accessible, engaging, and clear manner for a wide range of audiences

• An eagerness to take on challenging, complicated or controversial reportage

• Excellent verbal and interpersonal communication skills. You are professional, thoughtful and flexible, bringing a positive and collaborative spirit to your interactions with coworkers, including at Berkeleyside’s sister newsrooms The Oaklandside and Richmondside, and members of the public.

• A masterful understanding of legal, ethical and editorial sensitivities related to your reporting

• Cultural competence: the awareness and knowledge to ensure that our reporting reflects the diversity of Berkeley’s people and communities and the communication skills to collaborate across lines of difference while maintaining empathy 

• Commitment to self-improvement: You continuously work to become a better reporter and writer

• Openness to public speaking, from radio to TV to live events

• An interest and willingness to take a leadership role in the newsroom by mentoring other reporters, proactively contributing to and leading newsroom discussions, proposing practical solutions to newsroom gaps (such as workflow improvements), or other forms of leadership

• Must be authorized to work in the United States

• Live in or near Berkeley, or are willing to relocate to the city (living in the Bay Area is a requirement)

We’re especially interested in candidates who …

• Have education reporting experience

• Are personally grounded in underserved communities represented in Berkeley, which include Latino, Asian American and Black communities

• Have demonstrated experience in community engagement, data-driven reporting, multi-format storytelling or public records

• Speak Spanish and/or other languages other than English

• Have some experience with Newspack or another WordPress CMS

• Have a driver’s license and access to a vehicle

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