Story Search Results

Advanced Search

There are so many ways to search the solutions journalism stories in this database. Explore our searchable fields:

Search Results

You searched for: -

There are 2383 results for your search. View and Refine Your Search Terms

After its dams came down, a river is reborn

Kate Schimel

September 04, 2017 |

High Country News |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Washington

Removing dams pays back dividends by restoring ecological diversity. In Washington State, the decommissioning of the Elwha and Glines Canyon Dams began a decades-long process of restoring the Elwha River’s floodplain. By studying the river and learning from their failures, researchers are learning the best ways to maintain salmon populations and foster an environment more resilient to climate change.

Read More
Go to Original Story
New Zealand Tries a Different Kind of Private Prison

Rikha Sharma Rani

August 31, 2017 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: New Zealand, Auckland

The privatized prison system is largely skewed against inmates, as most are funded based on the number of individuals incarcerated, creating a disincentive to invest in the rehabilitation and comprehensive treatment of inmates. But the Wiri prison in Auckland is piloting a new approach that focuses on the greater good: the government pays the prison for positive results based on recidivism rates and improved outcomes for inmates, especially the Maori minority.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Malawian Farmers Adapt in the Face of Climate Change

Deogracias Benjamin Kalima

August 31, 2017 |

Earth Island |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Malawi, Lunzu

Malawian farmers have been hit hard by climate change over the last two farming seasons, and have thus seen a drop in agricultural production. To combat these losses, agriculture experts have begun implementing climate-smart farming practices that allow them to "sustainably increase productivity, enhance resilience (adaptation), reduce greenhouse gas emissions where possible, and help with achievement of national food security and development goals" according to the Food and Agricultural Organization.

Read More
Go to Original Story
How Cities Say No to Military Equipment for Their Police

Tanvi Misra

August 31, 2017 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States

Putting more military weapons and other tactical gear in the hands of local law enforcement has little or no effect on crime, but does make police violence more likely. After the Trump administration lifted a loophole-ridden Obama-era policy restricting the distribution of such gear to local agencies, some local lawmakers sought to impose their own restrictions. But police continue to find ways to arm themselves as if for war, making them more likely to overreact to routine problems, with predictably violent outcomes.

Read More
Go to Original Story
While Pa. debates merits of Pre-K, Ontario goes all-in

Kevin McCorry

August 30, 2017 |

Keystone Crossroads |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Canada, Toronto, Ontario

Part 4 of the "Equity or Bust: Are Ontario's Public Schools a Model for Pennsylvania" Series: Ontario is widely lauded for its education system. But, like Pennsylvania, evidence in Toronto suggests that Ontario has struggled to close achievement gaps between historically underserved minorities and their peers. Many believe universal pre-K will prove to be the decisive factor in bridging that gap.

Read More
Go to Original Story
The rise and fall of Berlin's plan to integrate schools

Kevin McCorry

August 29, 2017 |

Keystone Crossroads |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Germany, Berlin, Berlin

Part 2 of 3 in Series "The Social Wall: Universal Lessons in Berlin's Attempt to Integrate Schools" - A progressive funding model has been a boon to schools in Berlin’s poorer neighborhoods, which receive a baseline of staff and resources. But schools in poorer neighborhoods face a myriad of struggles that additional resources haven’t been able to quell, due to the deep socioeconomic disparities between the home neighborhoods of wealthy and poor students. This "social wall" lies exactly along the lines of the once physical Berlin wall and now divide the haves and have-nots.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Even with progressive education funding, 'fairness' eludes Berlin schools

Kevin McCorry

August 29, 2017 |

Keystone Crossroads |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Germany, Berlin, Berlin

Part 1 of 3 - A progressive funding model has been a boon to schools in Berlin’s poorer neighborhoods, which receive a baseline of staff and resources that would make them the envy of many of their counterparts in Pennsylvania. But schools in poorer neighborhoods face a myriad of struggles that additional resources haven’t been able to quell, due to the deep socioeconomic disparities between the home neighborhoods of wealthy and poor students. This "social wall" lies exactly along the lines of the once physical Berlin wall.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Ontario celebrates diversity, but still works to close achievement gaps

Kevin McCorry

August 29, 2017 |

Keystone Crossroads |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Canada, Toronto, Ontario

Part 2 of the "Equity or Bust: Are Ontario's Public Schools a Model for Pennsylvania" Series: Ontario has become widely lauded for its education system, celebrated for both high performance and relatively smaller achievement gaps between wealthy and poor students, particularly compared to the system in Pennsylvania. Keys to Ontario's success include celebrating diversity and catering education modules to the varied backgrounds of their students, as well as increased parent-teacher involvement.

Read More
Go to Original Story
Trauma and transitions: How San Diego grapples with educating refugees.

Megan Wood Mandy McLaren

August 28, 2017 |

Investigative Reporting Workshop |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, San Diego, California

San Diego County public schools have a large number of refugee students and changes such as lowering noise levels (such as school bells) that triggered post-traumatic stress, reducing class sizes, providing daily teacher consistency, and integrating language and academic instruction has helped them feel more comfortable and fill the gaps in their education. Not all of the interventions have led to academic success, but schools are juggling very limited budgets to address the specific needs of refugee students, including extra English language instruction and counseling services.

Read More
Go to Original Story
An Easy Way to Encourage Businesses to Hire Marginalized Workers?

Neil Parmar

August 27, 2017 |

OZY |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: Canada, Toronto

A pilot program in Canada is providing increased job opportunities for disadvantaged populations - including refugees, those with disabilities, and laborers who have been unemployed long-term - through a special program that rewards companies hiring them with what is essentially a cash-back rebate on loans covered by the government. The rebate adds up to be significantly less than the cost of paying out unemployment, and has the additional benefits of encouraging workplace diversity and corporate growth.

Read More
Go to Original Story