The Chicago News Cooperative produces a regular stream of reported education stories, has a bigtime outlet for much of its work, and -- this is key, folks -- a paying customer. As such, it might be a useful model for nonprofit ednews outlets struggling to figure out how to make things work in the new era. Set up by former Chicago Tribune folks, the Coop has assigned Crystal Yednak to the education beat and its work is included in the Midwest edition of the New York Times. Here are some of her recent stories:
Seeking to Assure Students' Safety Outside School,
Educators and Parents Await News on Cuts,
City Schools' New Criteria for Diversity Raise Fears. It's not perfect, but these are the three elements -- output, readers, and cash coming in -- that so many other outfits seem to lack. Catalyst Chicago, the Philly Notebook, and the Hechinger Report all seem to have more editors than they do writers, don't have
