Florida Press Educational Services opens associate membership to non-Florida newspapers

Nov 15, 2023

Florida Press Educational Services (FPES) is opening associate membership to daily and weekly newspapers in states other than Florida who have – or are interested in starting – Newspaper in Education programs.

FPES is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization of newspaper professionals that promotes literacy and critical thinking, particularly for young people. The mission of FPES is to support Newspaper in Education programs at daily and weekly newspapers throughout the state of Florida.

Newspaper in Education, or NIE, is an international program that promotes literacy by using the newspaper as a teaching tool. Through NIE programs, teachers use newspapers, in both print and digital form, as a “living textbook” to teach subjects such as history, reading, math, economics and government at all grade levels.

Research shows that students using the newspaper as an educational resource score more highly on standardized tests, develop the habit of lifelong reading and are more likely to become engaged citizens and regular voters.

TEACHERS CONSIDER THE NEWSPAPER A VALUABLE EDUCATIONAL TOOL

Samantha Lynge of MacFarlane Park Elementary School in Hillsborough County, Florida, said, “Our school's subscription to the newspaper truly enhances (students’) experience. Students are engaged in current events that are impacting their neighborhoods and their worlds, and are actively working to make a change in their communities because of that learning.”

Donald Whitaker of Inverness Middle School in Citrus County, Florida, said, “I started using the newspaper because I wanted my students to understand the importance different opinions have, and the impact government plays in our lives…But most importantly I wanted to make civics real for the students. The newspaper allows me to do just that. The newspaper provides great writing that the students understand, about issues they care about.”

And Heather Wiseman of East Lake High School in Pinellas County, Florida, said, “Newspaper classroom activities help my students with reading and connect them to the world in which we live. The real skills I want my students to walk away with center around the prevalence of misinformation circulating and the limiting of the press. I work to have the students practice verifying sources and detecting bias continually, not just for our class, but in their lives.”

NIE programs benefit newspapers, too. Students using the newspaper as an educational resource learn to value the newspaper as a reliable source of news and are more likely to become newspaper subscribers as adults. And, NIE circulation may count as verified circulation for audit purposes.

FPES membership offers many advantages to NIE programs and newspapers, including networking, training and professional development opportunities, assistance with curriculum development and access to NIE materials, resources and best practices.

For more information, visit fpesnie.org or contact FPES Executive Director Karen Tower at ktower@flpress.com.