August 1, 2020

Effective immediately, the Certified Journalism Educator program will be simplified to one option. All applicants will complete the same application, submit the same documents and take the CJE exam.

“The Certification Committee’s goals include promoting professionalism in scholastic journalism by offering certification. The rigor of the CJE exam shows educators’ knowledge and experience in scholastic journalism and sets a consistent standard for journalism educators. A rigorous certification process strengthens the perception of the profession among the public and school districts,” Certification Chair Amy Sorrell, MJE said.

Applicants who completed all requirements for the original Option A before August 1, 2020, will be grandfathered in and will not take the exam. Applicants who did not meet all of the requirements for Option A before August 1, 2020, will take the exam.

“I’m glad to see this streamlined approach to such a valuable JEA program. The goal is to create a process that focuses on measuring each candidate’s understanding of important concepts and skills related to scholastic journalism education. The Certification Committee is committed to ongoing reflection to make sure the CJE exam aligns with 21st-century scholastic media education,” JEA President Sarah Nichols, MJE, said.

A full description of the updated requirements and links to the new applications are available on the JEA website.