League of Education Voters (LEV)

Washington state has 295 school districts, but only 25 received the State Superintendent Award for Educational Excellence (SSAEE) award. Seven of the winning school districts are in Pierce County. buff.ly/CelrhYL announced the winners on March 5. buff.ly/QBhzwja

Powerful Voices: Spokane NAACP Youth Council President showcases the advocacy and care of local youth If you’ve attended a community event recently, there is a good chance the Spokane NAACP Youth Council was present. Over the last few years, thanks to a lot of hard work and dedication of Priya…

@educationvoters.org Statewide Field Manager, Kenji Linane-Booey, talks with the naacpspokane.com Youth Council President about getting "students under the age of 25 involved in advocacy in the community and understanding what it means to be civically engaged." buff.ly/AaQlTew blacklensnews.com

WA House heads toward final vote on ‘millionaires tax’ The Washington state House took up a debate on the proposed state income tax on people earning more than $1 million a year.

After expected changes in the House version of the bill — including an expansion of a state tax rebate program for working families — the proposal will head back to the state Senate to sign off on the revisions. buff.ly/fmymU3K buff.ly/1euhdlW

In case you missed our LEVinar this week, about the Millionaire's Tax, you can watch here! bit.ly/millionaires.... balanceourtaxcode.com
@Budget-policy.bsky.social awsleaders.org

The CRPE (crpe.org ) report, the result of another gathering in November, asserts that schools are at a pivotal moment. Their AI policies could go one of two ways: They can either entrench outdated educational models or help bring about a fundamental transformation of schooling. @the74.bsky.social

In case you missed our LEVinar yesterday, about the Millionaire's Tax, you can watch here! bit.ly/millionaires.... balanceourtaxcode.com
@Budget-policy.bsky.social awsleaders.org

Join us TODAY at 12:30 for a timely and informative session unpacking Senate Bill 6346, Washington state’s proposed Millionaire’s Tax, which would establish a 9.9% income tax on annual earnings above $1 million. Register here: bit.ly/millionaire_...

WA Democrats forge ahead with budget plans despite Republican opposition Time is winding down for this year's legislative session. Lawmakers in the State House and Senate are now looking to reconcile two slightly different spending plans. Each chamber passed its own…

Both budget versions rely heavily on revenue generated from a proposed tax on high income earners, also known as the millionaires’ tax, which could take effect in 2029. And both budgets pull from the state's rainy-day fund for this year to cover shortfalls. buff.ly/InyOMzY @kuow.org

Join us on March 4 at 12:30 for a timely and informative session unpacking Senate Bill 6346, Washington state’s proposed Millionaire’s Tax, which would establish a 9.9% income tax on annual earnings above $1 million. Register here: bit.ly/millionaire_...

The Washington state House and Senate have released their 2026 supplemental budget proposals. The 2026 supplemental budget makes adjustments to the 2025-27 biennial budget and impacts funding for the remainder of the biennium, which ends in June 2027. Here is our side-by-side: buff.ly/wmQSwb0

Join us on March 4 at 12:30 for a timely and informative session unpacking Senate Bill 6346, Washington state’s proposed Millionaire’s Tax, which would establish a 9.9% income tax on annual earnings above $1 million. Register here: bit.ly/millionaire_...

2026 Washington state Supplemental Budget Side-By-Side The Washington state House and Senate have released 2026 supplemental budget proposals. See how they compare with the Governor's proposal.

The Washington state House and Senate have released their 2026 supplemental budget proposals. The 2026 supplemental budget makes adjustments to the 2025-27 biennial budget and impacts funding for the remainder of the biennium, which ends in June 2027. Here is our side-by-side:

How WA colleges are preparing for ICE The state's public colleges are bracing for possible federal immigration enforcement on campus by updating protocols, trainings and communication.

State college leaders say they are updating policies, retraining staff and reinforcing legal boundaries as student anxiety grows in response to immigration enforcement actions elsewhere in the country. buff.ly/6yF5Pck seattletimes.com cwu.edu bellevuecollege.edu wvu.edu pierce.ctc.edu

Bill would ban some school isolation, restraint OLYMPIA — A proposed bill in the state Legislature would ban the creation of isolation rooms and the use of certain restraints unless a student’s behavior is to the point

House Bill 1795 establishes that restraint and isolation cannot be a planned response to escalated behavior, unless the parent or guardian has consented and a licensed physician has deemed it necessary. buff.ly/P07UrDQ www.aclu-wa.org disabilityrightswa.org www.ospi.org #WAedu

ICYM yesterday's webinar about Washington's new strategic plan for developing a Prenatal to 25 strategic plan for well-being, you can watch here: bit.ly/washington_t... bhcatalyst.org

In this episode, League of Education Voters CEO Arik Korman interviews Michelle Whitney, the 2026 Washington state Superintendent of the Year, who has served as Superintendent of the Pasco School District for the past 10 years. bit.ly/superintende...
buff.ly/coEEkYP #WAedu www.psd1.org

Getting Students in the Door: Why Washington's New Attendance Challenge Matters Last month, Washington state joined a nationwide effort led by Attendance Works to change what attendance means in our schools. It's not about tracking who shows up—it's about recognizing that when…

The National Chronic Absence Challenge has set an ambitious goal: to cut chronic absenteeism in half over five years. For Washington, that means reducing chronic absence from 27% to 14% by 2029. School districts across psesd.org are meeting this challenge. buff.ly/WfDIt6l attendanceworks.org #WAedu

What worked and what didn't with a cellphone ban at a Kentucky school Keeping students off their devices is the new norm in many schools. We talked to students and educators at one Kentucky school to see how it's working.

In talking with educators and students at the The Academy at Shawnee (www.jefferson.kyschools.us/o/shawnee ), there seems to be agreement — reluctant agreement from some students — that it is working. Just not exactly in the way the policy intends. buff.ly/E7uN2XO npr.org

These WA colleges are drawing more students Community college enrollment in Washington has now exceeded where it was in 2020, outpacing public four-year universities.

New preliminary fall data from the Washington Student Achievement Council (wsac.wa.gov) show the number of students seeking a degree or credential at community colleges rose by 7.5% in just one year, between 2024 and 2025. buff.ly/0xUMGd8 highline.edu bellevuecollege.edu #WAedu

Legislature should keep WA Running Start summer program | Op-Ed Two proposals before the Legislature this year seek to eliminate the ability for Washington students to take 10 additional summer credits.

Low‑income students will be hit the hardest as these students use the income waivers most often during the summer. When the credits are not funded, those same students lose opportunities because paying out of pocket isn’t possible for many students. buff.ly/9pdQBhn #WAedu ospi.k12.wa.us sbctc.edu

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Washington Thriving: Supporting Child, Youth, and Young Adult Behavioral Health. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar. Washington’s young people are facing growing behavioral health needs, and leaders across the state are working together to build a more coordinated, equitable system of support. Washington Thriving…

Register for our webinar on Monday, 2/23, to learn about www.washingtonthriving.org. This is our state’s new strategic plan for developing a Prenatal to 25 strategic plan for well-being that centers lived experience and outlines a statewide roadmap to improve behavioral health. bit.ly/wa_thriving

100 years of celebrating Black history despite persistent attempts at erasure | Editorial Even 100 years after U.S. black history was honored, many still want to ignore or erase the contributions Black Americans made to the nation's development.

Locally there are opportunities this month to learn and share with others America’s Black history. Blackpast.org, the www.kcls.org and buff.ly/PVqNLkI have events scheduled this month and resources for all ages.

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Washington Thriving: Supporting Child, Youth, and Young Adult Behavioral Health. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar. Washington’s young people are facing growing behavioral health needs, and leaders across the state are working together to build a more coordinated, equitable system of support. Washington Thriving…

Register for our webinar on Monday, 2/23, to learn about buff.ly/mM5Pzg8. This is our state’s new strategic plan for developing a Prenatal to 25 strategic plan for well-being that centers lived experience and outlines a statewide roadmap to improve behavioral health. bit.ly/wa_thriving

Walla Walla Community College earns nationwide STEM innovation grant Walla Walla Community College is one of only 18 colleges nationwide to receive a STEM Innovation Grant from the American Association of Community Colleges in partnership with General Motors.

WWCC’s expanded Kids College programming will build early awareness of STEM careers and strengthen the regional talent pipeline by engaging youth in hands-on, exploratory learning. buff.ly/FceCcxi www.wwcc.edu www.union-bulletin.com www.aacc.nche.edu

Hundreds rally in favor of WA ‘millionaires tax’ The "Rally for Revenue" organized by several Washington labor unions and groups, drew government-funded workers from across the state to Olympia Tuesday.

Education emerged as a clear theme of yesterday's rally in Olympia, with speakers stressing that schools already shoulder responsibilities well beyond academics, including meals, mental health support and child safety. buff.ly/rvw9kia buff.ly/CepwnR2 #WAedu

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Washington Thriving: Supporting Child, Youth, and Young Adult Behavioral Health. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar. Washington’s young people are facing growing behavioral health needs, and leaders across the state are working together to build a more coordinated, equitable system of support. Washington Thriving…

www.washingtonthriving.org is our state’s new strategic plan for developing a Prenatal to 25 strategic plan for well-being that centers lived experience and outlines a statewide roadmap to improve behavioral health for children, youth, young adults, and their families. www.bhcatalyst.org

2026 Legislative Bill Tracker - League of Education Voters Here is a list of bills related to education that LEV is tracking during the 2026 Legislative Session. Questions? Please contact us.

With the 2026 Legislative session underway, you can track education bills on our bill tracker, here: buff.ly/xE6XEt8 We are keeping this up to date as the session progresses.

Go Seahawks!

Are you a young person who wants to dig deeper into education advocacy?
Visit our Youth Advocacy Hub (buff.ly/yhMikcr ) for ideas, resources, and information on how to engage with legislation in Olympia this session.

February is Black History Month February is Black History Month, honoring and recognizing the vital and impactful achievements of African Americans and their central role in U.S. history.

Black History Month is an important opportunity to share and promote the histories, stories, and voices of the Black community so that they are honored, amplified, and uplifted as they deserve to be. buff.ly/bMgvYMH www.psesd.org #WAedu