Op-eds & Letters to the Editor

Purpose/

Raising awareness about education issues we’re advocating for and reaching a large audience of engaged readers in specific regions. Op-eds and letters to the editor offer the chance to reach elected officials who monitor these think pieces submitted by the public, and create an impression of widespread support for or opposition to an issue

Outcome/

Publication of a letter or short essay in a local, statewide or national newspaper about issues of concern from its readers

Process/

Draft a letter to the editor or op-ed that communicates important arguments about an education issue such as Foundation Aid funding for schools

01/

What is an op-ed? What is a letter to the editor?

Op-eds and letters to the editor are both submitted and published in newspapers, but there are important differences.

Click here to see which one is the right fit for you.

03/

Put your thoughts on paper

Use these tips and rubrics to learn about the basic structure of an op-ed or letter to the editor, and help organize your ideas.

Template op-ed

Tipsheet: Writing a letter to the editor

05/

Share your published work!

If your letter or op-ed gets into print, share it widely — the more people who see it, the bigger impact it could have!

02/

Before you begin...

Research your local media outlets. How you frame your op-ed or letter to the editor depends on the paper you want to submit it to — different papers have different requirements on topics, word counts, authorship and more. Do your research up front, to give yourself the best chance of getting it published.

04/

Submit your piece

Follow the instructions for submission at the outlet you chose. Don't forget to follow up in a day or two if you don't hear back!