More than 500,000 children will get $120 in nutrition benefits this summer
OLYMPIA—May 13, 2024—More than 500,000 Washington children will receive funds this summer to help buy food through a new Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) program called SUN Bucks. In December 2022, the federal government authorized a permanent, nationwide Summer EBT program to support children’s access to food during the summer months. The Department of Social […]
WA high schools to observe Temperance and Good Citizenship Day
OLYMPIA—On Tuesday, January 16, public high schools throughout Washington will observe Temperance and Good Citizenship Day, an annual event created in 1923 to educate future voters about the importance of civic engagement. In partnership with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Office of the Secretary of State offers resources to support K–12 educators […]
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 Superintendent Chris Reykdal announces 2024 supplemental budget
OLYMPIA, Wash., September 28, 2023—Today, State Superintendent Chris Reykdal announces his 2024 supplemental budget priorities. Reykdal’s office will submit the proposals to Governor Inslee and the Office of Financial Management, and then the Legislature will consider the requests during the 2024 Legislative Session. As the school year gets underway across Washington, State Superintendent Reykdal is […]
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 […]
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, […]