Regional Education Reporter

Hearst • Houston, TX

7h

About The Position

The Houston Chronicle is seeking an ambitious education reporter to cover one of the country’s largest and most dynamic public education systems. The reporter will examine the policies, demographic shifts and political forces reshaping schools across the Houston region, helping audiences understand what is changing and what those changes mean for students, families and educators.

Moving beyond a traditional district beat, the reporter will focus on suburban districts where many of the region’s biggest education stories are unfolding. The role involves identifying emerging trends across districts, producing accountability journalism that serves families, and connecting local developments to broader forces reshaping public education in Texas.

Requirements

• At least 3 years of relevant journalism experience covering education, government, public policy or another complex accountability beat.
• Aggressive, source-driven reporting, with a record of breaking news and developing deep relationships across communities and institutions.
• Comfort interpreting data, budgets, legislation and public records and translating complex issues into accessible journalism.
• Understanding of how education intersects with immigration, economics, workforce development, housing and demographic change.
• Strong news judgment and the ability to move confidently between fast-paced breaking news and longer-term reporting.
• Ability to thrive in a collaborative newsroom and work across teams to produce ambitious journalism.
• Curiosity, creativity and a strong digital mindset, using a range of storytelling formats to reach and engage audiences.

Nice To Haves

• Fluency in Spanish or professional working proficiency is strongly preferred, with the ability to develop sources and conduct reporting in Spanish.

Responsibilities

• Lead education coverage across Greater Houston, focusing on systems, policies and regional trends shaping public education rather than a traditional district-by-district beat.
• Develop ambitious reporting from major districts including Aldine, Cypress-Fairbanks, Katy and Spring ISDs, using those communities to illuminate broader regional and statewide issues.
• Track enrollment trends, demographic shifts and student outcomes, with particular attention to immigrant students, multilingual learners and students receiving special education services.
• Break news on major developments affecting schools across the region and produce scoops explaining why decisions matter to students, families and taxpayers.
• Produce a mix of breaking news, scoops and utility content that breaks down complex topics.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed