Only half of WA students are reading at grade level, new test scores show Just 50% of students across Washington state are reading at grade level, according to the state’s latest standardized test results. Literacy rates declined during the pandemic and have yet to rebound. Sami West
Some parents in Lahaina fight to keep their school — and kids — together Schools remain closed after the deadly fires on Maui. Parents say it's important to keep their community from being displaced indefinitely. Marisa Peñaloza
Student loan borrowers are spending a lot of time on hold, says federal watchdog The head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says many borrowers are struggling to get through to the companies that get paid to answer their questions. Cory Turner
Mental health at colleges NPR's Nathan Rott speaks with psychiatrist Dr. Jessica Gold about the need for colleges and universities to provide appropriate mental health services for students. Nathan Rott
Extreme heat is cutting into recess for kids. Experts say that's a problem A heat wave at the start of the school year has educators scrambling to keep kids cool and safe. Beth Wallis
In southwest Washington, educator strikes stall the start of school Tens of thousands of students in southwest Washington are still waiting for their school year to get started. That’s where two teacher strikes are stretching into their second weeks. Libby Denkmann
Seattle Public Schools narrowly averts strike, allowing kids to return to classes Seattle Public Schools averted a strike, allowing the district’s nearly 50,000 students to return to classrooms on time for the first day Wednesday. Sami West
Bellevue’s first Asian American superintendent reflects on his family’s 120-year US journey Despite budget cuts and change, Kelly Aramaki, Bellevue's first Asian American superintendent, has an ambitious vision for the place he grew up. Sami West
Strike is 'looking more likely,' some Seattle school staff say Days before the first day of school, one of the unions representing Seattle Public Schools staffers says a strike is becoming increasingly likely. Sami West
The front page of UNC's Daily Tar Heel was a gut punch. Here's the story behind it In the midst of a school shooting, UNC's student journalists kicked into action, covering the story as it unfolded. Now, the paper's front page — a block of heart-wrenching texts — is earning praise. Vanessa Romo