News Literacy Project, LAUSD & The Broad Foundation partner to create a national model for media literacy instruction

WASHINGTON, D.C., Aug. 14, 2024 — The News Literacy Project (NLP), the nation’s leading provider of news literacy education resources for students, today announced a three year, $1.15 million grant from The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation to support a partnership with Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), the largest independent school district in the U.S., to ensure that all students learn news literacy skills and concepts before high school graduation.

Through the partnership, NLP and LAUSD will pioneer a blueprint not only for districts in California seeking to align instruction with the state’s recent media literacy legislation, but for others across the nation as a growing number of states pass similar legislation.

This investment from The Broad Foundation represents the first time the organization has funded such a venture, marking the significance of the issue throughout the region.

“Young people are growing up in an increasingly challenging and complex information landscape. The thoughtful and timely work of the News Literacy Project equips students with critical thinking skills so they can distinguish credible reporting from misinformation,” said Gerun Riley, president of The Broad Foundation. “Supporting NLP and LAUSD’s partnership is an important step in cultivating a healthy information ecosystem where L.A.’s students can find and use trustworthy information to make well-informed decisions and uplift our communities.”

Beginning with the 2024-25 school year, LAUSD will join NLP’s District Fellowship Program, a nationwide initiative that supports school leaders to design and implement their own innovative, sustainable plans for news and media literacy education for all students in their districts.

“Protecting democracy starts in America’s classrooms, and I appreciate the Broad Foundation’s commitment to our students and teachers in advancing news literacy curriculum,” said LAUSD Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho. “In addition to our recent investment of $2 million in state monies to support educators to develop content, we are pleased to partner with organizations like NLP to implement media literacy education across our District. This collaboration will set the standard for effective news literacy instruction in classrooms across the country.”

NLP provides a professional learning community for administrators, professional learning opportunities for educators and curriculum resources such as The Sift® newsletter and Checkology®, an award-winning e-learning platform with authoritative lessons on subjects like news media bias, misinformation, conspiratorial thinking and more.

“Students have a right to learn how to find information they can trust, share and act on, and they are put at a civic disadvantage for the rest of their lives if they don’t,” said Charles Salter, president and CEO of the News Literacy Project. “This partnership with The Broad Foundation and Los Angeles Unified School District will serve as a roadmap for school leaders across the country to follow and implement their own community-driven approach to news and media literacy instruction. Together, we can prepare the next generation to participate in civic life as well-informed, critical thinkers.”

“I am grateful to The Broad Foundation for their support of NLP and proud of LA Unified, of which I am an alum. This collaboration sends a strong message that in Los Angeles, our young people will be well-equipped to become active and informed citizens. This is not a partisan issue. The News Literacy Project sets the standard for impartial media literacy education, and that helps strengthen our democracy,” said activist philanthropist Melanie Lundquist, who brought together The Broad Foundation, LAUSD and NLP. Lundquist is the largest individual donor to NLP and a member of NLP’s Board of Directors.

Classroom photos and b-roll are available from NLP.

The News Literacy Project is a nonpartisan nonprofit building a national movement to ensure that all students are skilled in news literacy before high school graduation, giving them the knowledge and ability to participate in civic society as well-informed, critical thinkers. Founded in 2008, NLP is the country’s leading provider of news literacy education and works with educators in all 50 states. Learn more at newslit.org.

The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation envisions a world where everyone can shape and participate in a sustainable, equitable economy that serves the public good and builds a brighter future. We steward our institutions in education, science and the arts, and in Los Angeles, we elevate organizations, initiatives and leaders who see our community as a place of opportunity where all Angelenos have pathways and tools to grow and thrive. To learn more, visit: broadfoundation.org/los-angeles/.