Here's what Washingtonians need to know about new federal student loan policies ^19.6%

KUOW Public Radio - By Noel Gasca - 7/1/2026, 11:20 PM

Negativity Bias 21.5% - Appeal to Authority 13.4% - Loss Aversion 12.4%

If you're among the more than 800,000 Washingtonians estimated to be living with student loan debt, you may be subject to new repayment policies that went active on July 1. And those changes could mean you'll have to start paying more. The Saving on a Valuable Education Plan — better known as SAVE — was launched by the Biden... more

Bargaining begins for Seattle Public Schools, teachers union amid continued budget shortfall ^38.2%

KUOW - By Noel Gasca - 6/25/2026, 10:56 PM

Negativity Bias 21.6% - Anecdotal 12.5% - Confirmation Bias 11.3%

Contract negotiations between Seattle Public Schools and the union representing more than 5,000 educators in the district kicked off on Thursday. After signing a one-year contract extension last year, union leaders with the Seattle Education Association say they're seeking a multi-year agreement to bring "stability" to members. Davina... more

Should Seattle schools have weapons detectors, fences? Superintendent considers safety upgrades ^28.2%

KUOW - By Noel Gasca - 6/16/2026, 10:35 PM

Ambiguity (Equivocation) 18.9% - Availability Heuristic 18.8% - Anecdotal 17.2%

The last day of classes for Seattle Public Schools is tomorrow. But the head of the district is already discussing campus safety changes students may see in the fall. At a media roundtable on Tuesday, Superintendent Ben Shuldiner said new fencing and security cameras could be put up at schools over the summer. "Some schools have been... more

This team of Seattle teens prepares for 750-mile race to Alaska ^7.4%

KUOW - By Noel Gasca - 6/13/2026, 1:00 AM

Overconfidence Bias 9.5% - Framing Effect 7.2% - Optimism Bias 5.9%

Some of the world’s most audacious sailors will race 750 miles from Port Townsend to Ketchikan in this year’s Race to Alaska. The competition's youngest racers are five scrappy Seattle teens. The rules of the Race to Alaska are straightforward, and possibly a parent’s worst nightmare. Your boat can’t have an engine, there’s basically no... more

As districts sever ties with police, this Bothell school is fighting to keep its cop ^33.1%

KUOW Public Radio - By Noel Gasca - 6/3/2026, 9:15 PM

Negativity Bias 18.1% - Appeal to Emotion 15.2% - Anecdotal 14%

Hundreds of Bothell High School students stood outside Bothell City Hall last month, carrying signs and chanting "Vote them out! Vote them out! Vote them out!" They were there speaking in support of Officer Garrett Ware, a popular school resource officer who has worked at the school since 2017. Students say Ware does more than just... more

This Seattle 7th grader is ready to take on the best spellers in the country ^0.5%

KUOW - By Noel Gasca - 5/23/2026, 12:14 AM

Anecdotal 20.6% - Optimism Bias 17.8% - Post Hoc (False Cause) 17.6%

Thick workbooks and stacks of flashcards sit on the dining table at the home of Raven Amrhein, a seventh grader at Hamilton Middle School. “On the average weekday, I will probably be memorizing 30 minutes at a minimum, to one or two hours at a maximum,” Amrhein said. “On the weekends though, I’ll be practicing one to two hours [or... more

Juniper Blessing, UW student fatally stabbed, remembered for her 'magnificent' voice ^16%

KUOW - By Noel Gasca - 5/20/2026, 9:26 PM

Anecdotal 21.3% - Appeal to Emotion 21.1% - Optimism Bias 16.7%

Savannah Rutherford said her private vocal student, Juniper Blessing, could use her “magnificent” voice to sing anything. Whether she was tackling a Mozart aria or a song from a Disney movie, Blessing meticulously studied to improve her technique, even when she was being pushed out of her comfort zone. “When somebody would suggest a new... more

Stricter cellphone rules are coming to Seattle Public Schools ^3.8%

KUOW Public Radio - By Noel Gasca - 4/30/2026, 6:34 PM

Confirmation Bias 14.3% - Appeal to Authority 12.5% - Post Hoc (False Cause) 10%

Starting next Monday, Seattle Public Schools will implement its first district-wide cellphone-use policies for students. While many individual schools have adopted their own phone policies, Superintendent Ben Shuldiner said the district "deserves" a clear phone policy. "Some schools have policies or procedures, some schools don't,"... more

Millionaires' tax could ‘revolutionize’ WA education, OSPI chief says ^88.5%

KUOW Public Radio - By Noel Gasca - 2/7/2026, 1:05 AM

State School Superintendent Chris Reykdal says a Democratic plan calling for a so-called "millionaires' tax" has the potential to "revolutionize" education in Washington state. State Democrats estimate the proposed tax would raise $3.7 billion from high-income earners making more than $1 million, and would tax 9.9% of income over $1... more