Washington students boast record-high graduation rates
OLYMPIA—According to data released Tuesday by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), the 4-year graduation rate for the Class of 2023 reached 83.6%, an increase of 1.3 percentage points since 2022 and a record high in Washington state. The total number of graduates in the Class of 2023 has also increased by over […]
Washington public school enrollment climbs by nearly 2,000 students
OLYMPIA, Wash., December 6, 2023—Today, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) announced that enrollment in the Washington public school system this fall has climbed by nearly 2,000 students when compared to fall of last school year. Approximately 1,092,977 students were enrolled at the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year. The largest increases over […]
Washington students see high performance on national ACT Test
OLYMPIA—October 16, 2023—The College Board has released results from the 2023 ACT Test high school assessment. The data show that Washington’s students continue to perform in the top 15 states, and that Washington is 1 of just 5 states that has seen an increase in scores since 2021, the first “typical” year after the major […]
State Supreme Court rules school funding is shared responsibility of state and local jurisdictions
OLYMPIA, Wash., September 9, 2023—The Washington Supreme Court ruled Thursday, September 7, the state is not required to fully cover school construction costs, dealing a blow to districts unable to raise the local tax dollars they need for new buildings and other facility upgrades. In its unanimous decision, the court said Washington’s constitutional mandate for […]
Dolly Parton to visit Washington to celebrate success of Imagination Library
OLYMPIA, August 6, 2023—On August 15, legendary icon, musician, and philanthropist Dolly Parton will visit Washington State to celebrate achieving statewide coverage of the Imagination Library. All Washington children from birth to age five can now register to receive one book every month, for free, from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. August 15 will also be […]
Lynnwood Times travels to Olympia to discuss key issues
OLYMPIA, Wash., February 26, 2023—Lynnwood Times journalists traveled to the state capitol, Olympia, on February 16, to meet with lawmakers, elected officials, and Governor Jay Inslee himself during a visit to the Governor’s Mansion. The day was brought, in part, by the Allied Daily Newspapers of Washington, Washington Newspaper Publishers Association (WNPA), and the Washington […]
OSPI submits $6.5 billion biennial budget for 2023 Legislative Session
OLYMPIA, Wash., September 23, 2022 — At the center of Superintendent Reykdal’s budget priorities for the 2023 Legislative Session is an unwavering commitment to supporting all of Washington’s learners with a K–12 public education that is geared toward their interests, prepares them to serve as tomorrow’s leaders, and allows them to thrive as themselves. “Over the past […]
Dana Miles, 2023 Washington State Teacher of the Year
OLYMPIA, Wash., September 12, 2022—Washington School for the Deaf Work Experience and English Language Arts Teacher Dana Miles has been named 2023 Washington State Teacher of the Year, and Mount Vernon High School Multilingual Student/Family Liaison Veronica Gonzalez has been named 2022 Washington State Classified School Employee of the Year. Both Miles and Gonzalez will […]
Plan to expand dual language education across Washington state
OLYMPIA—August 25, 2022—In dual language education programs, students learn classroom content partly in English and partly in a partner language, providing the opportunity to build biliteracy and bilingualism while learning content. In a media briefing yesterday, State Superintendent Chris Reykdal announced his plan to expand access to these programs to all Washington students. Across Washington, […]
Supreme Court rules Bremerton football coach has right to pray with students after game
WASHINGTON, D.C., June 27, 2022 – In a 6-3 ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Coach Joseph Kennedy, a public high school football coach in Bremerton, Wash., that his constitutional right to pray at the 50-yard line after his team’s games was protected by the First Amendment. The district recommended not rehiring […]