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The controversial Silicon Valley-funded quest to educate the world's poorest kids

Jenny Anderson

January 22, 2018 |

Quartz |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: Kenya

Founded by Silicon Valley veterans and funders in 2007 to serve the world's poorest students and most under-resourced teachers, Bridge International Academies now operates 600 low-cost private schools in Kenya, Nigeria, Liberia, Uganda, and India. In Bridge's model, teachers read scripted lessons developed abroad directly from their tablets. While supporters say Bridge is delivering an otherwise unavailable service, at scale, and is seeing improved scores and teacher attendance, critics fear Bridge takes the human element out of learning, strips teachers of agency and fails to teach critical thinking skills.

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This Map of New Orleans Might Save a Life

Jared Brey

January 19, 2018 |

Next City |

Multi-Media |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, New Orleans, Louisiana

By relying more heavily on data analysis, New Orleans officials decreased ambulance response time in many parts of the city from 12 minutes to 8 minutes. This is just one successful project of many from the non-profit group Results for America. The group works with local governments to use data and evidence to solve urban issues, and it has seen successes in New Orleans, Atlanta, Baltimore, and Philadelphia.

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Born Into Rehab: Giving Life to West Virginia's Tiniest Opioid Victims

Joseph Darius Jaafari

January 17, 2018 |

NationSwell |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Huntington, West Virginia

In Huntington, West Virginia, the opioid epidemic – which has graced headlines nationwide – is disproportionately impacting newborns, earning the city the highest rate of infant cases in nation. In response to this crisis, local hospital employees have opened a Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome clinic to help serve the overflow of newborns that the hospital can't handle.

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After a Debacle, How California Became a Role Model on Measles

Emily Oster Geoffrey Kocks

January 16, 2018 |

The New York Times |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Berkeley, California

In 2014, Disneyland experienced a measles outbreak that was linked back to the alarmingly low vaccination rates among Californian children. Following this outbreak, California passed a law that removed two of the most commonly used vaccination exemptions: personal belief exemptions, and conditional exemptions. Two years later, most children in California attend schools that meet herd immunity standards, and the chances of another outbreak are minimal.

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As environmentalists warn about water scarcity, these two companies are saving water and money

Jason Margolis

January 11, 2018 |

Public Radio International (PRI) |

Radio |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Boston, Massachusetts

Monitoring usage incentivizes water-intensive companies to develop water-saving techniques. Boston-based nonprofit, CERES, helps companies like Pepsi and Levi’s develop more sustainable practices. For example, Pepsi recaptures more of its runoff and has replaced water with pressurized air in its cleaning process. Levi’s also replaced water with air, using ozone gas to treat its denim. Tracking and reducing water use improves efficiency and saves the companies money.

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‘I can shut my door and I ain't worried about nothing'

Renuka Rayasam

January 10, 2018 |

Politico |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Houston, Texas

A program in Houston, Texas is helping to identify and offer housing to those who are both experiencing homelessness and are also frequent visitors to the emergency room for health chronic issues. Although gaining funding for the program has been a complicated process and faces an uncertain future, clients who have participated in the program "have seen an 82 percent decline in emergency room usage."

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Finding the formula

Melody Martinsen

January 10, 2018 |

Choteau Acantha |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Choteau, Montana

Officials in rural Montana towns are trying to find what the correct “formula” is for spurring population growth. The town of Choteau is working with the Montana Economic Developers Association to conduct research assessments to gain insight. In the past, these assessments show tangible growth in other towns, so Choteau will model its development efforts based on the data they collect. This is part of a series on economic development in Montana.

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Healthier kids? Just hand their families cash.

Adriana Lleras-Muney

January 10, 2018 |

Politico |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

A study of a 1910 cash-based welfare program in the United States reveals the positive lifelong results of giving families cash to reduce poverty and prevent the long-term effects associated with it. Providing cash for families with children once resulted in a better rate of return in the form of better nutrition, higher socio-economic status and longer life expectancy. Currently, the government provides the "deserving poor" with welfare benefits such as health coverage and food aid but recipients must meet the strict requirements for eligibility.

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We can draw school zones to make classrooms less segregated. This is how well your district does.

Alvin Chang

January 08, 2018 |

Vox |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

In many American districts, school segregation has returned to pre- Brown v. Board of Education levels. When determining attendance zones, most boards have gerrymandered districts to reinforce existing residential segregation. Alvin Chang asks, "But what if we used these school attendance zones to send kids to schools that aren't as homogenous as their neighborhoods?" In this story, Chang introduces new data and tells the story of a few places that have tried to defy the dominant trend of using schools as a tool for further segregation even as their actions sometimes lead to "white flight."

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Predicting Crime in Chicago

Scott Pelley

January 07, 2018 |

60 Minutes |

Broadcast TV Programs |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Chicago, Illinois

What if a computer program could tell you who was at risk for shooting someone or being shot themselves? This is now a reality for Chicago Police Department. By piloting the use of this technology, and assembly a cohort of cops, social workers, ministers and moms to visit the names of those the computer names, the city has seen a decrease in violence over the last year.

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