Washington Youth, We Want to Amplify Your Voice

Thank you for being part of the League of Education Voters (LEV) community!

Now that the 2026 Washington state legislative session is in the history books, the League of Education Voters Field team is deep in planning mode to expand community engagement across Washington state and begin interviews to inform our 2027 legislative platform. And our Policy Team is working to uplift student voice, develop a long-term strategy to address inequities in education funding, and connect with partners to reflect on the 2026 legislative session and discuss future work and collaboration opportunities.

Thank you to everyone who advocated for students during the legislative session. Together, we helped shape the 2026 Washington state Supplemental Budget. You can watch the recording of last week's LEVinar featuring LEV partners to recap the legislative session and outline strategies for 2027 here.

Speaking of student voice, we are inviting Washington students and youth to take part in the Youth Education Advocates Series on our Youth Advocacy Hub! We know that students are the people most impacted by education policy and advocacy, and we want to create more space for youth voices in this important work. We are committed to leveling the advocacy playing field and empowering young people to become our state’s key thinkers, advocates, and leaders in the education space. More info here.

Read more about our work below.

Students from South Shore PreK-8

Upcoming LEVinar: Artificial Intelligence in Education

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is here to stay. As this technology continues to evolve, educators must prepare students to understand and use these tools. In Washington state, educators are already integrating AI-assisted technologies in schools and empowering students to do the same.

In this free webinar on Thursday, May 14 at 12:30 pm, we will spotlight how AI is now being used in the classroom, explore which guardrails must be in place to protect students and families, and discuss skills students will need to be ready for the workforce.

Confirmed panelists (more to come):

Camille Jones, Digital Education Coach at the Quincy School District and the 2017 Washington state Teacher of the Year
Babak Mostaghimi, Founding Partner at LearnerStudio
Bree Dussault, Principal and Managing Director at the Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE)
Dr. Min Sun, a professor at the University of Washington College of Education and Co-Founder of Colleague AI
Jolenta Coleman-Bush, Director at Microsoft Philanthropies

2026 Washington state Supplemental Budget Summary

The 2026 supplemental budget makes adjustments to the 2025-27 Washington state biennial budget and impacts funding for the remainder of the biennium, which ends in June of 2027. The amounts listed in the summary are in addition to funds that have already been appropriated in the 2025-27 budget.

LEVinar Recording: 2026 Legislative Session Recap - What Washington Students Got and Next Steps

To wrap up the 2026 Legislative Session, League of Education Voters (LEV) Chief Policy Officer Jacob Vela, government relations consultant Carey Morris, and LEV partners provide an overview of what happened in Olympia.

In this webinar, they also share what we can do to prepare for the upcoming session in 2027.

In addition to Jacob and Carey, panelists include:

Gabriel Linares, a junior at Spokane International Academy and a 2nd-year member of the Washington state Legislative Youth Advisory Council (LYAC)
Lilah Wakefield, a sophomore at Bainbridge Island High School in the Bainbridge Island School District and a 2nd-year member of LYAC
Dr. Soleil Boyd, Executive Director of Children’s Alliance
Lynda Hall, Senior Director of Policy & Government Relations at Treehouse
Andrea Kadlec, Staff Attorney at Disability Rights Washington
Liz Trautman, Executive Director of Stand for Children Washington
Amber Ulvenes, Legislative Liaison at Behavioral Health Catalyst
Emily Vyhnanek, Associate Director of Campaigns at the Washington State Budget & Policy Center

Watch Now

We truly appreciate all you do for Washington students, families, and educators. Each one of us has the right to feel safe and valued. We hope you and your family stay well.

Sincerely,
Arik

Arik Korman | CEO
Office: 206.728.6448
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League of Education Voters
3450 16th Ave W Suite 302A
Seattle, Washington 98119
(206) 728-6448
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