Last week, the International Examiner published a story by Collin Tong, a freelance journalist for Crosscut and Seattle-based stringer for the New York Times. He reported on the challenges and opportunities facing our schools in closing the educational opportunity gap (Washington is one of nine states where the gap is actually growing). Tong interviewed LEV’s [...]
Last day to sign up for College Bound Scholarship
June 30, 2011 By
Today is the last day for 7th and 8th grade students to sign up for the College Bound Scholarship. Students from low-income families need to fill out this online application pledging to graduate from high school, demonstrate good citizenship, and seek admission to a college or university. Then the state of Washington will promise to [...]
Speaker Series: Ed-tech to revolutionize education
June 10, 2011 By
Last night, LEV hosted three education innovators at UW’s Kane Hall as part of our Voices from the Education Revolution Speaker Series. They gave the audience of more than 200 graduate students, parents and educators a glimpse of how technology will revolutionize education. Tom Vander Ark, CEO of OpenEd Solutions, described the potential of ed-tech [...]
Sign a pledge, attend college for free
June 8, 2011 By
If you’ve been reading the news lately, you know the cost of attending college is going up. Fortunately, there’s some good news to report. On Monday, Microsoft and Boeing announced they will donate a total of $50 million to the new Opportunity Scholarship Program, a public-private scholarship partnership created by the state Legislature under House [...]
Education innovators to speak at UW’s Kane Hall June 9th
June 2, 2011 By
We’re one week away from our speaker series event, Innovations in Learning: Technology in (and out of) the Classroom, featuring education innovators who use technology to deliver better individualized learning and outcomes for students. RSVP to reserve your seat for the June 9th event at 7 p.m. at the University of Washington’s Kane Hall, Room [...]
LEV Foundation files amicus brief in education funding lawsuit
May 31, 2011 By
LEV Foundation filed an amicus brief in the education funding lawsuit, McCleary v. State. In February 2010, King County Superior Court Judge John Erlick declared that the state’s funding of K-12 education violates its constitutional duty in the McCleary v. State lawsuit. The state appealed the ruling in March 2010 and the state Supreme Court [...]
Legislature adjourns sine die
May 26, 2011 By
Despite a tough budget year and an extra 30-day special session, state lawmakers were in a celebratory mood last night. They were relieved that one of the most challenging legislative sessions was done. Legislators and staff lined up on the floor of each chamber and watched through the open doors as Speaker Pro Tempore Jim [...]
Bill to fund lower K-3 class sizes fails
May 25, 2011 By
Last night, state lawmakers in the House voted on legislation to provide funding to lower K-3 class sizes. Although the vote was 52-42 for House Bill 2078, the bill failed because it did not receive a two-thirds supermajority. The vote came one day after a joint op-ed was published in the Seattle Times by LEV [...]
National conference to discuss challenges facing youth
May 25, 2011 By
Are you an educator, youth coordinator, coach, parent or volunteer looking to share and learn new ways to support the future success of our youth? School’s Out Washington is hosting its ninth annual Bridge from School to Afterschool and Back Conference in Seattle on October 17-18. The Seattle-based non-profit organization is dedicated to building community [...]
Sense of urgency key in the classroom
May 24, 2011 By
What makes a great educator? Is it a science? Is it a secret ingredient? Last week, Nick Brossoit, superintendent of Edmonds School District, sent the email below to his staff about his view of what great educators bring to the classroom. After 27 years in public education, I have visited thousands of classrooms and [...]
