Bellingham Public Schools wins $30,000 grant to teach news literacy: District leads the way as first in Washington accepted to fellowship

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 28, 2026 – Bellingham Public Schools has been accepted for a prestigious fellowship with the News Literacy Project, a nonpartisan nonprofit that helps educators teach students how to find credible information.

The three-year News Literacy District Fellowship provides a $30,000 grant and customized support to integrate news literacy education districtwide, ensuring all students learn to think critically about news and information.

“Our strategic plan, The Bellingham Promise, commits to developing graduates who are skilled users of technology and information and well-rounded, engaged members of their communities. In a world full of online falsehoods, the News Literacy Project’s District Fellowship program provides our educators with the tools they need to teach students lasting skills in news and media literacy,” said Dr. Bill Palmer, director of teaching and learning for technology integration at Bellingham Public Schools. “These skills will serve our young people well in school, in their future and in the workplace.”

Now in its fifth year, the News Literacy Project’s District Fellowship program spans 44 districts across 16 states, with the potential to reach more than 1.45 million students. Bellingham is a pioneer in the state. As the first district in Washington to be accepted to the program, education leaders will build a blueprint for other schools to follow as support for news literacy instruction gains momentum nationwide.

To learn more about the News Literacy Project, visit newslit.org

Contacts: 

for inquiries about Bellingham schools:

Dana Smith
Bellingham Public Schools
Dana.Smith@bellinghamschools.org

for inquiries about the News Literacy Project:

Christina Veiga
News Literacy Project
cveiga@newslit.org