Laura Fay

Career Trajectory

We’ve followed Laura Fay’s evolution from early education reporting at KQED to her current role as engagement editor at The 74, where she’s become a leading voice in documenting systemic challenges in American schooling. Her career arc reveals a journalist equally comfortable analyzing billion-dollar relief packages and amplifying student activists’ grassroots campaigns.

Defining Works

• Polarization, Learning Loss, Relief Funds: 7 Insights into Pandemic Recovery

This 2020 analysis became essential reading for district administrators, synthesizing COVID-19’s disparate impacts through seven data-driven lenses. Fay masterfully wove together:

• ESSER fund allocation disparities • Remote learning infrastructure gaps • Teacher retention crisis precursors

Her use of Department of Education FOIA requests revealed 23% of rural districts lacked broadband mapping data needed for infrastructure grants. The piece’s "Policy Action Checklist" framework was later adopted by six state education agencies.

• As School Board Members Across the Country Share Racist Social Media Posts, Current Students and Recent Grads Push Back

Fay’s 2020 investigation into 147 school board members’ problematic social media activity combined:

• Geolocation tagging of posts • Demographic analysis of targeted districts • First-person accounts from student organizers

The article’s interactive map showing board member resignations vs. recall efforts became a template for accountability journalism. Her follow-up interviews with newly elected Gen Z board members sparked national conversations about representation in educational governance.

• Philadelphia-area artists including Sabrina Carpenter win big at 2025 Grammy Awards

This culture piece showcases Fay’s ability to pivot to arts reporting while maintaining educational throughlines. By highlighting the Philadelphia Orchestra’s Grammy-winning Leonard Bernstein tribute, she drew connections between music education programs and professional success. The article’s focus on local arts nonprofits’ role in artist development offered pitch-perfect regional relevance.

Beat Analysis & Pitching Guidance

1. Ground policy analysis in classroom realities

Fay prioritizes stories demonstrating how legislation impacts actual students and teachers. Pitches about state funding formulas should include interviews with:

• Title I school principals • Textbook procurement staff • Extracurricular program coordinators

Her 2024 series on curriculum bans excelled by pairing bill texts with teachers’ modified lesson plans.

2. Center student activists without tokenization

Successful pitches provide access to youth organizers with:

• Verifiable campaign results (policy changes, meeting minutes) • Multi-generational coalition building examples • Digital activism metrics (petition signatures, viral content)

Fay’s award-winning coverage of Parkland-inspired voter drives set this standard by tracking registration numbers against advocacy timelines.

3. Use public records as narrative drivers

Compelling proposals incorporate:

• FOIA-obtained disciplinary records • Archived school board meeting transcripts • Budget amendment track changes

Her 2023 investigation into construction contract irregularities used redline documents to show bid process violations.

Awards & Recognition

“Fay’s reporting doesn’t just document crises—it maps pathways to solutions.” - Education Writers Association citation, 2024

• 2024 EWA Public Service Award: Recognized for exposing special education service gaps during remote learning transitions. The judging panel noted her use of longitudinal data to prove service denial patterns.
• 2023 JSK Community Impact Fellowship: Awarded for developing a student journalist mentorship program that trained 87 teens in investigative techniques.

Pitching Protocol

• Subject Line Precision: Use “[Geographic Focus] [Policy Impact] + Data Type” (e.g., “Chicago Teacher Housing Stipends & Eviction Records”)
• Localize National Trends: Pair national studies with district-level implementation examples
• Student Voice Integration: Provide vetted student sources with media release forms
• Visualize Data Stories: Include proposed charts/maps using school boundary files
• Follow-Up Timing: Allow 3-5 business days for responses before checking in