Sami West
Education Reporter
About
Sami West is a reporter covering schools in Seattle and across the Puget Sound region. She’s been on the education beat for over five years and has reported extensively on the countless ways COVID has impacted schools, students, and families. Her coverage has also focused on school finances, special education issues, the importance of early childhood education, and the growing youth mental health crisis.
Before joining KUOW in 2023, she wrote about education for Chalkbeat in Memphis, Tennessee, and two newspapers in Wisconsin. A Midwesterner at heart, Sami originally hails from Minnesota and holds degrees in journalism and English from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
When she’s not attending school board meetings or chasing other education news, Sami enjoys exploring the beautiful trails and abundant breweries of the Pacific Northwest with her husband and dog.
Location: Seattle
Languages Spoken: English
Pronouns: she/her
Professional Affiliations: Education Writers Association
Stories
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Seattle schools approves budget plan, but hard choices remain ahead
Seattle Public Schools officials are celebrating having a solution in place for next year. But they're also quick to caution that Washington's largest school district isn't out of the weeds yet.
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Renton grants help high school grads who can’t afford college
Called the Renton Program, the new partnership’s goal is to create a new pathway to higher education for students who otherwise wouldn’t be able to attend.
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Asian American history isn't required in WA schools. A new group wants to change that
A group of teachers and students want Washington state to pass legislation mandating all students learn Asian American history in K-12 schools.
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What can be done to prevent further gun violence in or near Seattle schools?
They met at the school Monday to talk about community safety.
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Seattle school leaders face tough budget decisions as deadline approaches
Seattle’s contentious school budget season is coming to a close on July 6, when the school board is scheduled to vote on a fiscal plan that will close a $131 million dollar gap.
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Class of Covid: 2023 grads reflect on their journey to high school graduation
Graduation has finally arrived for the Class of 2023. And for this year's graduating seniors, their high school experience was unlike any other: A global pandemic hit in their first year and upended education as we knew it.
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What does SCOTUS' ruling against affirmative action mean for WA?
The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday overturned more than four decades of legal precedent by declaring affirmative action unconstitutional. What does it mean for Washington?
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SCOTUS ruling on affirmative action raises new questions for WA colleges and universities
The decision prohibits colleges from using race as a factor in admissions.
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Inside Seattle Schools' budget: Staff cuts, but no teacher layoffs or school closures
When the new school year kicks off in September, Seattle students might notice some changes in their schools due to budget cuts.
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Report: WA's high cost of child care hits single moms hardest
A new report finds the average annual cost to send a toddler to a child care center in Washington state has risen to more than $14,000.
