Schools

A student grabs a carton of milk during lunchtime at Ogden Elementary School on a Wednesday morning in December. The U.S. Department of Agriculture requires public school districts to fulfill a number of daily nutritional categories, such as dairy, grain, protein and more.

COVID-era universal free lunches are going away in many Washington schools

August 31, 2022, 7:50am Latest News

Starting this fall, about half of all Washington public school students will have to pay for school meals for the first time in more than two years. That’s because federal lawmakers did not extend a pandemic-era reimbursement program for schools nationwide that provide free breakfast and lunch. Read story

Discovery Middle School students keep in step as they head to class on Tuesday morning.

First day, fresh faces as classes start at many Clark County schools

August 30, 2022, 3:19pm Clark County News

Teachers lined the hallways at Fruit Valley Elementary School on Tuesday morning, eagerly welcoming a tiny cascade of students on their first day. Read story

Teachers and supporters gather in front of the Ridgefield School District offices at a rally preceding union negotiations, Monday. The Union has promised a strike vote tonight if an agreement is not met.

Ridgefield teachers to be present for first day, despite strike authorization vote

August 30, 2022, 11:40am Clark County News

Despite authorizing a potential strike Monday night, Ridgefield teachers said they will be in the classroom for the first day of school on Wednesday. Read story

Ridgefield seventh grade math teacher James Davies, Center, his wife Sheena Davies, left, and their daughter Camryn Davies join other teachers and supporters at a rally in front of the the School District offices in Ridgefield on Monday.

Ridgefield contract deal not yet reached, teachers likely to strike

August 29, 2022, 7:05pm Clark County News

As of Monday evening, the Ridgefield Education Association and the Ridgefield School District have not yet reached a deal on a new contract. The union is likely to vote to go on strike in a membership meeting later Monday night, deeming the district's latest offer to be far below what… Read story

FILE - With the Founders Library in the background, a young man reads on Howard University campus July 6, 2021, in Washington. For millions of Americans, President Joe Biden'??s student loan cancellation offers a life-changing chance to escape the burden of debt. But for future generations of students, it doesn't fix the underlying reason for the crisis: the rising cost of college.

‘A milestone moment’ or ‘a slap in the face’? Eastern Washington voices sound off on Biden’s student debt forgiveness

August 29, 2022, 6:05am Northwest

When it comes to debt from student loans, Elissa Pennebaker says she’s “a mutant” compared to her Spokane Community College classmates . Read story

Ridgefield parents: Crowded-school ‘solutions’ fail our kids

Students gather in the cafeteria at View Ridge Middle School before school on May 4, 2022.

With the start of the 2022-23 school year on the horizon, parents in Ridgefield are starting to get a clearer picture of the cramped classroom conditions some students will face amid rapid population growth in recent years. Read story