Rochester City School District awarded $30,000 grant to expand districtwide news literacy instruction for students teachers and librarians

Rochester, New York – The Rochester City School District has earned national recognition with the award of a $30,000 grant that will bring news literacy instruction into classrooms across the district. The funding comes from the News Literacy Project, a nonpartisan nonprofit committed to ensuring that students graduate with the skills to evaluate information critically in an era of rapid change and overwhelming content.

RCSD was one of only 15 districts in the country selected for the highly competitive fellowship. The application was spearheaded by the RCSD School Library System, whose leadership and forward-thinking approach helped secure the award. Over the next three years, the grant will support teachers, librarians, and students while giving the district the tools to embed news literacy as a core skill across all grade levels.

The initiative aims to help students sharpen their ability to judge the accuracy, reliability, and bias of the information they encounter every day. With social media and digital platforms transforming how people consume news, the fellowship will position Rochester’s students to become more informed citizens and critical thinkers.

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Through the fellowship, RCSD will receive access to a wide range of high-quality resources. This includes curriculum designed by national experts, professional development opportunities for educators, and ongoing support to ensure that news literacy becomes fully integrated into the district’s classrooms. The program will also give Rochester an opportunity to serve as a model for other New York districts and to play a role in shaping the future of news literacy education across the country.

Now in its fourth year, the fellowship already includes 29 districts spanning 16 states. Collectively, those districts have the potential to reach more than 1.4 million students. The newest group of recipients places RCSD alongside some of the nation’s largest school systems, including Los Angeles, Chicago, and Clark County, Nevada. Being counted among such prominent peers highlights the significance of Rochester’s selection and the trust placed in its educators to lead on this issue.

The grant will make a difference in classrooms at every level, from elementary schools to high schools, ensuring that students of all ages learn how to separate fact from falsehood. At a time when misinformation and disinformation can spread quickly and influence public opinion, the ability to evaluate sources and spot bias is seen as an essential 21st-century skill.

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“This fellowship is more than just funding,” said district leaders. “It is an investment in the future of our students, empowering them to ask questions, analyze what they see, and make decisions based on credible information.”

With this award, the Rochester City School District joins a growing national movement dedicated to equipping students with the tools they need to navigate the modern information landscape. Over the next three years, the district plans to not only strengthen its own programs but also contribute to the broader conversation about how schools can prepare young people to thrive in a digital age.