We, the undersigned students, educators, and community advocates, call on you to create equitable access to journalism programs across New York City Public Schools (NYCPS).

Student journalism is a proven engine for academic success and future preparation. By strengthening students’ writing, research, collaboration, and ability to engage thoughtfully with their communities, journalism education equips students with the precise competencies emphasized in the New York State Portrait of a Graduate framework. Beyond the classroom, student newsrooms serve as vital tools for civic accountability. For example, reporting by student journalists at Pace High School on critical facility needs led to a $750,000 award from the City Council for gym repairs, demonstrating that student voices can drive real change.

Despite these benefits and New York City’s status as the media capital of the world, fewer than 20 percent of our public high schools have a journalism course. The systemic scarcity is most acute in underserved communities: while 72 percent of the city’s high schools with the lowest poverty rates have a student newspaper, only 6 percent of the schools with the highest poverty rates have one. This desert persists amid a hostile climate of rampant mis- and dis-information campaigns on social media and news outlets, paired with extremely low rates of teenage news literacy. Reversing this trend requires a direct investment in journalism education. Safeguarding critical thinking skills and creating equitable career pathways are immediate imperatives to prepare our students for their future and protect the civic health of our city.

Journalism for All is the path forward. 30 high schools in all five boroughs are piloting a replicable model for schools across the city to provide students with access to early, high-quality journalism experiences. These schools are offering a new journalism course, creating a student publication, and receiving an adaptable journalism education framework, including curriculum, teacher training, and paid newsroom internships through a new sector focus in the Summer Youth Employment Program. Journalism for All will expand students’ career opportunities, grow their representation in newsrooms and media coverage, and strengthen our democracy. Our city is ready for you to build the infrastructure for systemwide expansion.

We urge you to prioritize access to journalism education in FY27. The City Council signaled its support by passing Resolution 0372 in 2024 and Local Law 27 in 2025, and it is time to fund the mandate to make our shared vision a reality. By investing in the integration of journalism into NYCPS curricula and career pathways, you can provide every student, regardless of their zip code, the opportunity to receive a high-quality journalism education.

Thank you for standing with New York City’s students and the future of our democracy. We look forward to working with you to ensure every student has the tools to write their own story.

In partnership,
The NYC Youth Journalism Coalition
(And the undersigned)