Ann Dornfeld
Reporter
About
Ann is a reporter on KUOW's Investigations team. Previously, she covered education stories for KUOW for a decade, with a focus on investigations into racial and socioeconomic inequities.
Her ongoing series exposing Seattle Public Schools’ lenient discipline of staff who abused students has won investigative reporting awards from the Society of Professional Journalists, the Radio Television Digital News Association, and the Education Writers Association. She was also lauded for her years of work covering disparities in the amount of recess and P.E. time students received in low-income schools.
Previously, Ann worked at Alaska Public Radio Network in Anchorage, and KLCC in Eugene, Oregon. Her freelance work, focusing on science and environmental issues, has appeared on national outlets including Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Marketplace and The World.
Ann’s marine and underwater photography has appeared in the American Museum of Natural History and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.
She lives with her husband and two children in South Seattle.
Location: Seattle
Languages Spoken: English
Pronouns: she/her
Professional Affiliations: Member, Investigative Reporters and Editors
Stories
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UW sees fewer students from China, India after federal immigration restrictions
The University of Washington had a 9% decrease in students from China and India this fall, the home countries for about two-thirds of the university’s 7,900 international students.
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UW loses federal funding for migrant students
A federal program that helps young people from migrant families attend colleges, including the University of Washington, is not operating this year after the Trump administration eliminated funding for migrant education.
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'Ghost students' are haunting WA community colleges — to steal financial aid
AI-generated students are taking advantage of community colleges in Washington state, filling classes, and spiriting away federal loans and grants.
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UW investigating after intruder disrupts a class with slurs, apparent Nazi salute
University of Washington police are investigating an incident where a man interrupted a human sexuality lecture. A viral video of the incident shows the intruder shouting gay and ableist slurs and appearing to make a Nazi salute as the class jeered him.
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Seattle-area college students return to schools roiled by federal cutbacks
As Seattle-area college students head back to campus this week and next, most return to schools grappling with political and financial pressure from the Trump administration.
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Seattle's new $297-million high school was built on a peat bog. Then the foundation started settling
Months before the long-awaited, brand new Rainier Beach High School opened to students last April, engineers on the $297-million project reported problems with the building’s foundation to the city, records show.
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Seattle-area community colleges see fewer international students amid travel ban, visa restrictions
International students have brought needed revenue to colleges in recent years — especially community colleges where local enrollment has fallen. But getting permission to study in the U.S. has gotten harder under the Trump administration. Seattle-area community colleges have been hit hard by the changes — and the fear they’ve caused.
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'Damning' audit finds lax King County oversight allowed potential fraud, improper payments to contractors
The King County Auditor found that lax financial oversight at the Department of Community and Human Services allowed potential fraud and numerous improper payments to contractors for four youth programs in the last three years.
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First-class flights and resort booze. WA Commerce failed to oversee ed grant, audit finds
A state audit found the Washington Department of Commerce failed to properly oversee $10.7 million intended to bring broadband access, laptops, and training to people in underserved communities.
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Washington migrant higher education programs still waiting on federal funding
Colleges and universities in Washington state are still awaiting word on federal funding for migrant education programs for the upcoming school year.
