Local News

Immigrant students see ‘Real Hope’ after bill’s passage: Washington’s undocumented students could be able to apply for need-based financial aid as soon as April, when a new website is expected to debut. The State Need Grant funds are available to students at 70 public and private institutions.

Group seeks to double number of U.S. students studying abroad (AP): The Institute of International Education has set a goal of doubling the number of American students who study abroad by 2019. The international group plans to work with colleges and universities to recruit more low-income students and others who are underrepresented in current study abroad numbers.

More students are homeless in Washington state: Officials say more than 30,000 students were counted as homeless during the 2012-2013 school year, an increase of about 3,000 from the previous year. This is the sixth consecutive year the number of homeless students has risen in our state.

Classroom tech use could pose challenge to ban on junk-food ads (CNBC): Federal authorities announced new standards earlier this week that will eventually ban junk-food ads from schools. But the rules don’t seem to apply to online advertisements, which are often distributed to kids more subtly.

Senate Dems propose putting $100 million in tax breaks toward education (AP): A new proposal from Democrats in the state Senate would end $100 million in tax breaks and apply the money toward class-size reductions, all-day kindergarten and pay raises for educators. The plan is the latest in a series of proposals intended to meet the state Supreme Court’s mandate for more education funding.

Foes of CA transgender student law fail to force vote (AP): Opponents of a state law that gives California transgender students certain rights in school fell short of gathering enough signatures to put the matter on the ballot this fall. The legislation, which went into effect Jan. 1, gives K-12 students the right to use school bathrooms and participate in sex-segregated activities that correspond with their expressed genders.

UW subsidized women’s athletics with annual grant: The University of Washington’s athletics department is one of about two dozen nationwide that pay for themselves, thanks in part to a state law that directs a small percentage of student tuition to “gender-equity” sports scholarships. Now, some critics who believe the 25-year-old law is outdated are calling for the scholarships to end.

South King County schools see decline in obesity rates: A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a 17-percent decline in obesity rates among eighth-, 10th- and 12th-graders in seven south King County school districts that participated in a federally funded program. During the two-year initiative, school districts and community organizations shared about $13 million in federal stimulus funds.

Real Hope Act heads to governor’s desk for signature: Legislation that would expand college financial aid eligibility to students who were illegally brought to the U.S. as children is headed to Gov. Jay Inslee’s desk for approval after passage by the House and Senate. The bill, which originated in the Senate but closely resembles the House’s Dream Act legislation, includes a $5 million appropriation.

Teacher-evaluation bill dies in state Senate: An unusual alliance of the Senate’s majority Republicans and minority Democrats voted  Tuesday to defeat a bill that would have required state test scores to be used in teacher and principal evaluations. Federal education officials had said earlier that the state is at risk of losing its No Child Left Behind waiver for not considering test scores in evaluations.

Bill would let students go to college now and pay later (AP): Lawmakers in Olympia are considering legislation that would enable students to attend college for free and, in exchange, pay a small percentage of their future income for up to 25 years. The House bill calls for the program to begin at up to five high schools serving a high percentage of low-income students.

Portland teachers reach deal to avoid strike (The Oregonian): Teachers and union leaders in Portland have reached an agreement to avoid a strike that would have been the district’s first ever walk out. The terms of the deal have not been disclosed.

Technology threatens snow days for older students (The New York Times): The concept of a snow day spent completely detached from school may soon be a thing of the past, as more students receive district-issued laptops. About a third of school districts in the U.S. currently provide students with laptops or similar devices.

School bond still falling short in Lake Washington School District: Updated vote tallies show the Lake Washington School District’s bond measure is still 3 percentage points shy of the 60 percent majority needed to pass. Meanwhile, measures in the Northshore, Edmonds and Mukilteo school districts continue to be narrowly passing.

UW breaks fundraising record for 2013: The University of Washington broke its own fundraising record by raising $336 million in charitable donations last year. The figure puts it at No. 8 among U.S. public universities.

Portland Public Schools prepares for first-ever teacher strike (The Oregonian): Teachers in Portland have voted overwhelmingly in favor of a strike, which is set to begin Feb. 20 if district and union officials do not agree on a deal before then. Among the issues: salary increases, the length of the school calendar and teaching loads for high school instructors.

Most suburban school ballot measures passing: Several school districts outside of Seattle are awaiting final ballot results from special elections held Tuesday. Most bond measures were passing in early returns — some by narrow margins.

Researchers find more teens than adults face ‘extreme stress’ (USA Today): A new survey from the American Psychological Association has found that 27 percent of teens report feeling “extreme” stress during the school year, compared to 21 percent of adults. The report warns that young people’s unhealthy patterns of stress could follow them into adulthood, increasing their risk for a wide range of health problems.

College earnings gap grows to widest level in 48 years (AP): Young people without a college degree today earn 62 percent of the typical college graduate’s salary — the lowest level in nearly half a century. The analysis from the Pew Research Center also found median earnings for individuals with a high-school diploma have fallen more than $3,000 since 1965, with inflation factored in.

UW, Western and Gonzaga lead schools in sending graduates to Peace Corps: Three Washington colleges are among the U.S. institutions who send the most graduates into the Peace Corps. UW came in second on this year’s list of large colleges and universities, while Western was the top-ranked medium-sized college in the nation and Gonzaga was No. 1 among small schools.