Linda Lantor Fandel, the Des Moines Register's deputy editorial page editor, has won first place in the opinion category in the 2008 National Awards for Education Reporting for her series, "World Class Schools for Iowa?"

As part of her series, Linda visited Alberta to discover what makes Alberta's schools among the very best in the world. Her in-depth article "Alberta keeps pushing to improve its schools" is well worth reading and sharing.

Linda also wrote articles on Alberta's detailed curriculum, teachers' professional development, and teachers' training and salaries,

Linda conducted a number of interviews while in Alberta, talking to Minister Hancock to get his perspective on the successes and challenges of education in Alberta. She also sought out the perspectives of junior high students, high school students, parents and a principal.

The full series examines Alberta, Finland, Chicago and Iowa, and includes photos and video interviews with Alberta students and teachers.

You can also read the article about Linda's award. Congratulations, Linda!