2014 Atlantic Journalism Awards Finalists
Attachments
| Slug/Label | The Drake Course |
|---|---|
| Date Aired or Published | February 19, 2014 |
| Media outlet where first aired or published: | CBC News |
| Name of Program: | CBC News Nova Scotia at 6 |
| If co-produced, list partner: | |
| Location: | Halifax |
| List awards, grants: | |
| Running time (TV/Radio): | 3:47 |
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Short explanation of the story and how it developed: This project started with an anecdote about a growing number of Nova Scotia teachers upgrading their licenses by taking questionable distance education courses and, in doing so, adding thousands of dollars a year to their salaries. Armed with that information, the reporter filed a request under Freedom of Information and received some startling numbers: a clear increase, year over year, of teachers approved to take courses at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. No direct contact with a professor was required. Teachers relied on DVDs mailed to them to complete the courses. The documents confirmed another rumour: most of the teachers who completed the program had taken courses in coaching. There was no requirement for the teachers to teach physical education or even coach a team. Within hours of our report airing on February 19, 2014, Education Minister Karen Casey launched a review of the Drake courses. Two months later, the Minister announced a change in policy, banning teachers from applying for upgrades through Drake. She has since gone further, promising new requirements for all teacher certifications. Through our reporting, CBC was able to show that despite the government crackdown, the Drake courses will end up costing Nova Scotia taxpayers several million dollars a year in augmented salaries and pensions. |
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Resources of the newsroom (money and time) available to complete the story: Reporter Bob Murphy worked on this, along with a producer, intermittently over several months. Other than the time involved, it was not a costly project. The shooting was done entirely in the Halifax area. |
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