See What Washington Students Got in the 2025 Legislative Session

Upcoming LEVinar: 2025 Legislative Session Recap - What Washington Students Got and Next Steps

To wrap up the 2025 Legislative Session, League of Education Voters (LEV) Chief Policy Officer Jacob Vela, government relations consultant Carey Morris, and LEV partners will provide an overview of what happened in Olympia.

In our free webinar next Wednesday, May 7 at 12:30 pm, they will also share what we can do to prepare for the upcoming session in 2026 and answer your questions.

In addition to Jacob and Carey, panelists include:

• Ruben Flores, Executive Director at the Washington State Council of Presidents
• Eli Taylor Goss, Executive Director at the Washington State Budget & Policy Center
• Ramona Hattendorf, Director of Public Policy and Civic Engagement at The Arc of King County
• Katy Warren, Deputy Director at Washington State Association of Head Start & ECEAP
• Jessica Winston, Policy and Advocacy Manager at School’s Out Washington

2025-2027 Washington state Biennial Budget Summary

See what Washington students got from the 2025 Washington state legislative session. In the 2025-27 biennial budget compromise, all amounts are per biennium unless noted.

LEVinar Recording: Supporting LGBTQ+ Students in Schools: Advocacy and Policy Updates

Students and families who identify as LGBTQ+ are facing challenges in schools, but there are ways we can all step up to support them. In this webinar, we discuss how to create safe, affirming, and inclusive learning environments for LGBTQ+ students.

This session provides:

• Practical strategies to support LGBTQ+ students and families
• Insights on the latest executive orders and policy changes impacting schools
• Resources for educators, administrators, and community advocates

Now more than ever, our students need strong allies in their schools and communities. Panelists from across Washington state share best practices and tools to support our students.

Panelists:

• Colleen Melody, Wing Luke Civil Rights Division Chief at the Office of Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown
• Felisciana Peralta, Executive Director of Equity in Education at the Puget Sound Educational Service District
• Taylor Farley, Executive Director of Queer Power Alliance
• Gabriel Neuman, Policy Counsel & Government Relations Manager at GSBA, Washington State’s LGBTQ+ & Allied Chamber of Commerce

LEVinar Recording: Washington state Teachers of the Year on Maintaining Strong and Welcoming Public Schools

Executive orders at the federal level are targeting students who are undocumented, students who identify as LBGTQ+, students who come from low-income backgrounds, and students with disabilities. Now more than ever, it is crucial to maintain strong and welcoming public schools.

In this webinar, Washington state Teachers of the Year share what they are hearing from students, families, and colleagues in their community about how the current school year is going and what students need now, especially as we face massive changes at the federal level. Students from across Washington state offer their feedback.

Panelists:

• Minal Gowda, a junior at Lincoln High School in Seattle Public Schools and a member of the Association of Washington Student Leaders (AWSL)
• Naomi Elsing, a junior at Lincoln High School in Seattle Public Schools and a member of the Association of Washington Student Leaders (AWSL)
• Leonel Perez Valenzuela, a senior at Summit Atlas Public School in Seattle
• Kim Broomer, the 2025 Washington state Teacher of the Year and Kindergarten Teacher at Ruby Bridges Elementary School in the Northshore School District, which is part of the Inclusionary Practices Technical Assistance Network (IPTN)
• Jerad Koepp, the 2022 Washington state Teacher of the Year and Native Student Program Specialist at North Thurston Public Schools
• Brooke Brown, the 2021 Washington state Teacher of the Year, Instructional Equity Specialist at Franklin Pierce Schools, and Board Member of the Washington State Board of Education
• Amy Campbell, the 2020 Washington state Teacher of the Year, special education teacher at Helen Baller Elementary School in the Camas School District, and Board Member of the Washington State Professional Educator Standards Board
• Mandy Manning, the 2018 Washington state Teacher of the Year, the 2018 National Teacher of the Year, and Digital Content Specialist for the Washington Education Association
• Lyon Terry, the 2015 Washington state Teacher of the Year and Principal at Midway Elementary School in Highline Public Schools

LEVinar recording: Left to Chance: Student Outcomes in Seattle Public Schools from 1990 to 2024

To understand why we can be optimistic about the future of public education, we must first recognize how our understanding of educational improvement has evolved over the past several decades. The journey of Seattle Public Schools, like that of many urban districts, reveals a progression in our collective knowledge about creating effective educational systems that serve all students well.

In this webinar, Vivian van Gelder, Director of Policy and Research at the Southeast Seattle Education Coalition (SESEC), presents the culmination of over 10 years of research into the history of Seattle Public Schools. She highlights her latest report on how the district became decentralized, resulting in “100-plus separate school systems.” She also shares recommendations by SESEC on how to best move forward and address the education inequities that resulted from the fragmentation.

LEVinar Recording: Equity in Education: From Research to Action

With the state legislature looking to renew its commitment to our K-12 education system, it is critical to remind policymakers that good policy is informed by data.

In this webinar, we explore the latest research on student homelessness in Washington state and how data-driven insights can drive meaningful policy change. This discussion highlights key research efforts and explores how they can be leveraged to create equitable educational opportunities for all students.

• Learn key findings from Building Changes’ latest K-12 report.
• Learn about the prevention work of Upstream through Chapin Hall.
• Hear from experts on bridging research and policy to address educational disparities.

Panelists:

• Betsy Naymon, Senior Research Associate at Building Changes
• Dr. Forrest Moore, Policy Fellow at Chapin Hall
• Aaron Yared, MA, JD, Director of Policy & Advocacy at Building Changes
• Neal Morton, Western Education Reporter at The Hechinger Report