The Best News Apps and Sites for Classrooms

Time for Kids has almost everything we look for in a news source for kids. While there are other options for print and digital magazines as well as sites with current-events lesson materials, none quite do it all at the high level that Time for Kids does. Though it lacks some student tracking features of other tools, Time for Kids' content, especially its awesome lessons and great mix of serious and fun news, is unmatched in both quality and trustworthiness. It's also just designed really well, making it easy for teachers and students to use.

The Learning Network has an unfair advantage. It's backed by the New York Times' staff (and budget!) and has pound-for-pound the most up-to-date, high-quality journalistic content, from articles to photography and videos. The stories span the globe and cover hard-hitting and human interest topics. Every week, teachers will find something to spark classroom dialogue, adapted brilliantly by Learning Network editors to match with students' sensibilities. And don't tell anyone, but the Learning Network gives you a secret back door into paywalled New York Times content. It's an incredible value.

Newsela has tons to offer, but it'll cost you (or, should we say, your administrator). How much we're not entirely sure, since it's all based on tailored sales quotes. While some free content is available, it's more of a preview vs. a full experience that teachers can rely on. If your school or district does get you a license, though, Newsela is the only tool on this list that can truly anchor an ELA or social studies classroom. There's tons of content available at five Lexile levels—an industry best. Teachers can also assign out the articles and track students' activities, including writing, quizzes, and annotations.

While other apps and sites we looked at have accessibility features (e.g., read-aloud modes or text modification tweaks), News2you is the only tool we looked at that develops their content specifically for students with intellectual or developmental disabilities. The heart of this approach is their unique SymbolStix system, which combines text and pictures to help students process content. They do all of this without sacrificing content frequency; News2you puts out one issue a week along with lessons, both available at four complexity levels. Note, though, the content isn't as news-y or trending as other options.

Even though NexGen News hasn't been around nearly as long as the others on this list, it's got a lot going for it and shows tons of promise. If you have fond memories of Channel One and its regular broadcasts made just for students, then NexGen News is worth a look. Every two weeks they provide a youth-led newscast and pair it with some of the best lesson materials in the field. While the newscast, materials, and site aren't quite as polished as the rest of the tools on this list, that might not matter to you if the content really meets your needs.