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 Public Schools' latest budget proposal: Tapping into reserves, changing school start times
Seattle Public Schools might dip into its reserves for a second year in a row — and borrow money from other district funding pots — to cover the majority of a projected $105 million budget gap next year.
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After receiving racist hate mail, UW students call for action
Some University of Washington students are calling on school officials to take action in the wake of a string of Islamophobic incidents on campus.
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A food union officer and district alumna: Meet Seattle schools' newest board members
The Seattle School Board has chosen two new members to join their ranks.
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Paraeducators strike in Port Angeles. But can strapped school districts afford to pay them more?
The Port Angeles School District's more than 3,500 students are getting an extended spring break, as schools remained closed as of Thursday afternoon because of a paraeducator strike.
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AI should be used in class, not feared. That’s the message of these Seattle area teachers
Earlier this year, Washington became the fifth state in the country to issue guidance on using AI in school. Some teachers had already started using artificial intelligence to improve their assignments, engage students, and save time.
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Demand for electricity in the Pacific Northwest expected to jump 30%
Electricity demand in the Pacific Northwest is expected to rise dramatically over the next decade, and the region’s power sources may not be able to keep up.
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20 Seattle elementary schools could be closed due to budget crisis
District officials have not said which schools will be on the chopping block — a list is expected to be released in June — but they say K-5 students would be better accommodated if the district downsized to 50 elementary schools, down from more than 70 schools.
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University of Washington academic student employees strike for better pay
Thousands of University of Washington student employees walked off the job this morning. The strike comes just a few weeks before final exams — and it could have big impacts on students.
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UW student employees win big pay boost, improved benefits in tentative deal
After a one-day strike, 6,000 University of Washington teaching and research assistants have reached a tentative new labor agreement with school officials.
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Will closing schools really balance the budget for Seattle Public Schools? Parents have their doubts
Seattle Public Schools parents will get more details next week on the district's proposal to close up to 20 elementary schools by the fall of 2025.
