Sami West
Education Reporter
About
Sami West is a reporter covering schools across the Puget Sound region and Washington state. 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, child care deserts, 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.
You can also contact Sami via her work cellphone at 206-750-5225.
Location: Seattle
Languages Spoken: English
Pronouns: she/her
Professional Affiliations: Education Writers Association
Stories
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Measure would clear the way for Washington high schoolers to get an even earlier jump on college
A bill to allow incoming 11th graders to take summer college courses is headed to Gov. Jay Inslee’s desk.
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Seattle School Board vacancies draw more than a dozen applicants
Fifteen people have thrown their hats in the ring for the two open spots on the Seattle School Board.
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Banning books in Washington state schools could get harder if bill passes
Efforts to ban books across the country reached an all-time high in 2022, according to the American Library Association. Now, some Washington lawmakers are trying to prevent more bans here.
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As WA schools lose more special education teachers, help comes from within
Fed up with persistent special education teacher shortages, a group of Washington teachers is trying a new approach to building up this workforce.
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Curriculum about fentanyl, other opioids could come to WA junior high classrooms
Washington state's opioid death toll is climbing faster than anywhere else in the country, according to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That's why schools may soon be required to teach students about the risks.
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When will Seattle get two new school board members?
The Seattle School Board has laid out the next steps for filling two empty board seats, and will consider changes to its residency policy next month.
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2 Seattle school board members resign following questions about where they live
Vivian Song and Lisa Rivera announced their resignations, effective Friday, in a joint statement.
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Should social media pay for addicting kids? Seattle schools lawsuit gains steam
A year into Seattle Public Schools' lawsuit against social media companies, the case is gaining traction.
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Washington schools chief encourages educators to embrace AI and use it in class
Washington’s top education official wants educators across the state to embrace AI in the classroom.
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Washington schools chief calls for changes to better fund special education
Washington’s chief of public schools wants the state to fully fund special education this legislative session.