Melissa Sanchez

Since March 2014, I've been reporting on the very complicated world of Chicago Public Schools for Catalyst Chicago, an independent education watchdog. I've written about teachers and the teachers union, budgets and early childhood education -- including a complex loan scheme used to fund a preschool expansion. In my first year on the beat, I was a finalist for a national "best beat reporting" award from the Education Writers Association.

Previously, I reported for El Nuevo Herald/Miami Herald (May 2010 to December 2013), covering Miami's city hall and political hijinks in neighboring municipalities, with a special interest in absentee ballot fraud, housing and labor. Reporting projects that I was involved with won first- and second-place Sunshine State awards for best investigative and breaking news reporting. Before that, I covered immigration and crime for the Yakima (Wash.) Herald-Republic, where I won a half-dozen awards from the Society of Professional Journalists' Pacific Northwest competition.

Completely bilingual (English/Spanish) with some experience reporting for radio.

Graduated from the J-School at Michigan State University in 2007. Reported/studied in Managua, Nicaragua, as a fellow for the Inter American Press Association from 2007-2008.

Please email melisanchez1984 at gmail dot com for a complete resume, references or more clips. Links to some stories below in English and Spanish.