What is NIE?

These are answers to frequently asked questions about the Kalamazoo Gazette's Newspaper In Education program.

What is Newspaper In Education (NIE)?

Newspaper In Education is the Kalamazoo Gazette's school literacy program. It is helps students become better readers and more informed about their local and global communities through the use of newspapers in the classroom. Teachers receive sponsored, classroom sets of discounted-rate newspapers, free curriculum guides written on various subjects and for learning levels from elementary to adult education, and occasional special-topic newspaper supplements three-to-four times per school year.

What are the benefits of NIE?

Classroom use of the newspaper motivates students, allows for individualized instruction, promotes critical thinking, encourages reading for pleasure and provides a greater understanding of local, national and global issues. Newspapers offer real-life examples of textbook lessons.

Studies have shown that enhancing regular curriculum with the newspaper positively impacts students' learning. National research has found that students who used the newspaper in class scored an average of 10 percent higher on standardized tests. Middle school students scored an average of 13 percent higher and middle-school minority students averaged 29 percent higher.* Furthermore, 92 percent of adults who used the newspaper regularly in school said newspapers were educational and informative, 75 percent said newspapers were a welcome change and 51 percent now regularly vote in general elections.**

* Source: Measuring Success, NAA Foundation, 2001.
** Source: Growing Lifelong Readers, NAA Foundation, 2004.

Who is eligible to participate?

A teacher in a classroom setting at any public, charter or private school in the Kalamazoo Gazette circulation area may participate. We serve elementary, middle school, high school, alternative, juvenile and adult-education programs. Due to Audit Bureau of Circulation regulations, library and home-school programs are not eligible to receive NIE newspapers.

How much does the program cost?

If you order any edition besides the Sunday edition, the program is completely FREE.

In addition, curriculum guides and supplementary materials are provided FREE OF CHARGE by the Kalamazoo Gazette. The Gazette also discounts NIE newspapers.

Generous community sponsors as well as donations from subscribers cover the discounted cost of Monday through Saturday NIE newspapers as well as part of the discounted cost for Sunday NIE newspapers. Because Sunday newspapers cost considerably more than daily newspapers, the charge for receiving the Sunday edition is 31 cents per paper.

What youth content does NIE offer?

Regular newspaper stories and features offer unlimited learning opportunities. In addition, NIE publishes specialized youth content, including The Mini Page and Teen Newsbreak, in the Gazette on specific days of the week. For more information on youth content and special NIE series, please visit the Current Program page of this Web site.

I'm not a teacher, how can my child participate?

Have your child's teacher contact Ann Marie Keeler, our NIE Coordinator, at 1.800.466.2472 or nie@kalamazoogazette.com. Only teachers and school administrators in the Kalamazoo Gazette circulation area may sign up for our NIE program.