The Fred M. Hechinger Grand Prize for Distinguished Education Reporting is the United States' top annual prize for journalism about education. It has been awarded each year since 1972 by the , the national group for reporters and editors who cover education issues. The Hechinger Prize is awarded to the top work of journalism among the first-place winners in the association's annual . It is named for Fred M. Hechinger, the longtime education editor of The New York Times.