Peter Medlin is an education reporter at WNIJ, where he has been sharing impactful stories since 2018. His work primarily focuses on the education system, covering a range of topics including K-12 education, special education, and lifelong learning, often highlighting the voices of teachers and students through his podcast, Teachers’ Lounge. Peter's reporting has been featured in notable outlets such as Illinois Newsroom, NPR Illinois, and St. Louis Public Radio.
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Rockford, United States (Local)
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Peter Medlin's coverage mainly focuses on local education issues, including teacher well-being, student mental health support, and educational programs in Illinois. His articles often cite data and cover government announcements related to these topics.
If you want to reach out effectively to Peter Medlin, consider providing insights into local education initiatives or statistics related to teacher burnout, student mental health services in northern Illinois, or federal programs benefiting small school districts. Additionally, offering perspectives from educators or experts involved with educational policies in the region would likely grab his attention.
Given his focus on Rockford and Northern Illinois, providing information specific to these areas will likely resonate best with him.
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By: Peter Medlin
Recently, WNIJ's Peter Medlin reported on Illinois' county juvenile detention system. Two new state laws look to reform it. He spoke with Elizabeth Clarke, founder of the juvenile detention watchdog Juvenile Justice Initiative , about the impact the laws could make…
By: Peter Medlin
A recent court ruling now bars undocumented students in Illinois from receiving in-state tuition and receiving state financial aid.
By: Peter Medlin
For the first time, students in short-term vocational programs are eligible for federal financial aid. They’re called Workforce Pell Grants. Peter Medlin has more on how the rollout is going in Illnois…
of Rock Valley College just opened a brand-new campus in downtown Rockford, just a few blocks west of the Rock River.
By: Peter Medlin
On a new Teachers' Lounge, picture Chicago in the dead of winter. It's a cold morning, still dark as students walk the icy sidewalks to school. On the far south side of the city, Anne Shippy watches her middle school students walk in without hats and without gloves. They often don't have school supplies either like pencils, notebooks, or folders. And the classroom needs books.
By: Peter Medlin
Our education podcast, Teachers' Lounge is also on the radio. We feature interviews with Illinois teachers and education stories you love, along with exclusive segments, in a monthly, hourlong show on WNIJ.
By: Peter Medlin
For the 2026-27 school year, our correspondent is Kelcey Dodd! She's a kindergarten teacher at Spring Creek Elementary School in Rockford. Kelcey is in her first-year as a teacher, so we're going to be checking in on her as she figures things out.
By: Peter Medlin
Fall enrollment at Northern Illinois University is down 1.7% from last year . Total enrollment at the university sits at 15,811 students.
Northern Illinois University just released its fall enrollment numbers . WNIJ education reporter Peter Medlin sat down with Sol Jensen, NIU's VP for Enrollment Management, Marketing and Communications, for the details…
By: Peter Medlin
Sandra Perez says it felt like her world stopped when she heard the news. She's not undocumented, but her mom is, and a couple of friends are; friends who now have to rethink their college plans.
