Joe Hong
Education ReporterJoe Hong covered education stories across KPBS platforms. Prior to joining the KPBS newsroom, he covered three school districts for The Desert Sun in Palm Springs. He has written about school finance, negligence in special education, and school board misconduct. Previously, he covered equity issues and historically black colleges and universities for Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine based in Fairfax, Virginia. Before a career in journalism, he was pursuing a doctorate in comparative literature at Rutgers University. He pivoted to journalism in 2016 and earned a master's degree from Columbia Journalism School in 2017, specializing in investigative reporting. In September 2019, he completed The Data Institute, a two-week workshop for journalists of color taught by ProPublica in collaboration with the Ida B. Wells Society.
-
Black and Latinx students as well as English learners and students with disabilities were more likely to be chronically absent or receive a failing grade during the 2020-21 school year. -
Librarians hope this year’s program can boost reading skills, especially in those students who have fallen behind this year. -
Protesters spoke out against a nearly $19 million increase to the police department’s budget, saying the money should go to homelessness services, better parks and supports for youth. -
The California Legislature is unlikely to require vaccines and state officials have yet to say whether masking and physical distancing rules will remain in place. -
The initiative would divert youth arrested for misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies away from the criminal justice system and into counseling and mentorship programs. -
Following a statewide trend, San Diego City College’s enrollment declined by about 15% this year.
