Good morning.
We’re about to launch the most ambitious reporting project in Salem Reporter’s history — and we invite you to help make it possible.
In July, we will add an experienced reporter dedicated exclusively to Salem’s schools. This will not be routine education coverage. It will be a deep, sustained examination of how our schools are performing, how nearly $1 billion a year is spent, and what results our community is getting.
Strong schools matter to everyone in Salem. They matter to families. They matter to employers who need skilled workers. They matter to nonprofits, neighborhoods and taxpayers. And they matter to anyone concerned about the long-term challenges facing our community.
Our new reporter will dig into student performance, classroom practices, district leadership and school finances. We’ll examine why too many children struggle — and highlight what is working. This will be rigorous and fair journalism designed to give Salem the information it needs to do better.
Such journalism will empower all of us to help cut down on student failures and on child poverty. It sets the table for ensuring our children are prepared for success in life. If they succeed, we succeed as a community.
This kind of reporting requires time, expertise – and sustained financial support from the very community we serve.
It depends on support from parents who want clearer answers. On taxpayers who want transparency. On educators and local institutions who believe informed debate makes schools stronger. And on readers who understand that accountability journalism is a public good.
That’s why we are launching the Salem Reporter News Fund. Your contribution will directly support this full-time reporting position and strengthen local accountability journalism.
Through our partnership with Report for America, a portion of this position is already funded. You can make a tax-deductible contribution to cover the remaining costs – in addition to your subscription.
The early response has been encouraging, with donations ranging from $25 to $1,000, and even a $5,000 check before we formally launched. That tells me Salem sees strong local journalism as essential to driving change and improvement in our schools and for our children.
I commit to using my more than 50 years of experience in Oregon journalism to see this work is done to high standards – and for strong impact. This matter of education is essential to Salem’s future.
All of us at Salem Reporter appreciate that you are among our many thousands of readers. We work hard to earn and keep your trust.
Now, you can help advance this important initiative with your contribution to the Salem Reporter News Fund. As a bonus, we intend to email special updates updates and status reports on this project directly to donors.
Should you have any questions about this project or ways to contribute, please reach me at [email protected].
I thank you for your time.
Les Zaitz, Editor and Owner, Salem Reporter
