The pandemic has forced us to change a lot of things in our lives. Now, as more and more people get vaccinated, it doesn’t feel crazy to think about when life can return to normal.

Take the Mic: What's bringing you joy now?

Mar 16th, 2021 1m 40s

The past year has been tough, and we've all had to find ways to try to stay happy and sane.

After almost a year of remote school, kids are back at Keithley Middle School in Parkland

Mar 10th, 2021 7m 23s

As the Seattle school district delays the date for bringing preschoolers and some students with disabilities back to classrooms to the end of this month, 40 miles to the south in Pierce County, seventh- and eighth-graders at Keithley Middle Sch

Take the Mic: What's it like to move to a new state and start a new school in a pandemic?

Mar 8th, 2021 2m 33s

The pandemic has been an isolating experience for many of us. It’s even harder if you’re trying to start out in a new place and build a social circle. That’s what 13-year-old Nascha Martinez faced when she moved here from Breckenridge, Colo., a

Highline school board votes to authorize possible legal action against its teachers union

Mar 4th, 2021 1m 9s

In South King County, the Highline school board has voted to authorize possible legal action against its teachers union. It’s another example of escalating tensions around the region over the resumption of in-person instruction.

School counselors in Pierce County make home visits to help kids connect to remote classes

Mar 2nd, 2021 7m 17s

On a recent day under a light drizzle, Alyssa Andrews and Anna Hester stood in a school parking lot in unincorporated Pierce County, going over their plans to visit families of middle-school students who haven’t been logging on to remote classe

In Puget Sound area, not all students will return to classrooms this school year

Feb 26th, 2021 1m 2s

Some districts in the Puget Sound region say they will not be expanding in-person learning to all students this school year. That includes the Edmonds and Lake Washington districts.

As remote learning drags on, parents search for answers about school in the fall

Feb 18th, 2021 7m 41s

Kamari Johnson is 11 years old. She’s trying to make the best of remote school, including keeping up with orchestra class, which means playing violin at home by herself. She remembers what it was like to play music together with other students

Bill would let some young people who are incarcerated transition to live in the community

Feb 16th, 2021 1m 10s

It can be difficult for anyone who’s been incarcerated to readjust to life after getting out. A bill working its way through the Legislature would allow some young people in juvenile rehabilitation to serve part of their sentences in the commun

State lawmakers consider backfilling school district budgets after enrollment declines

Feb 10th, 2021 1m 7s

Public school enrollment is down almost 4 percent statewide compared with last year. Many families decided not to enroll their kindergartners because of remote learning, and others have switched to private schools or home schooling. Because sta

State lawmakers consider bill to allow school districts to build teacher housing

Feb 4th, 2021 1m 13s

School district leaders, the statewide teachers union and other groups are urging lawmakers to address housing affordability for school employees. Right now, state law allows school districts with fewer than 2,000 students to build teacher cott

Take the Mic: What's it like to start the high school football season in February?

Feb 1st, 2021 3m

In an already very weird year, high school football in Tacoma is now set to begin less than a week before the Super Bowl – in February. Fall sports that were delayed for months due to the pandemic have now been given the go-ahead to begin, with

State lawmakers explore ways to address students' learning loss during the pandemic

Jan 28th, 2021 1m 7s

Acknowledging the degree to which education has been disrupted during the pandemic, state lawmakers are discussing ways to help students catch up academically.

Take the Mic: A South Seattle group helps high schoolers get desks for remote learning

Jan 25th, 2021 2m

Most students around the Puget Sound region have been learning remotely since last March. But in addition to needing access to the internet and a computer, they’ve also had to figure out how to make a learning space at home. The South Seattle c

King County Court commissioner denies Bellevue district's temporary injunction request

Jan 21st, 2021 3m 56s

Amid a dispute over the Bellevue School District’s expansion of in-person learning to young students, the district asked a King County Superior Court commissioner to issue a temporary injunction against its educators union to force them to resu

Bellevue district will bring 2nd-graders back even after teachers union votes against it

Jan 20th, 2021 1m 3s

UPDATE, 4:12 pm : Adds information about the Sedro-Woolley School District. Bellevue Superintendent Ivan Duran says the district will continue with its plan to welcome about 770 second-graders back for in-person learning on Thursday, even thoug

Take the Mic: A Tacoma 7th-grader shares a day in the life of online school

Jan 19th, 2021 4m 1s

Roll out of bed, turn on your laptop, wander to the kitchen to get food during class – online school during a pandemic is pretty different from regular school. And while some districts are in the process of bringing the youngest kids back to cl

Highline district will open maritime-focused high school in the fall

Jan 12th, 2021 1m 7s

Eighth-graders in Seattle and South King County trying to figure out where to go to high school will have a new option to consider. A regional high school focused on marine science and maritime careers will open in the Highline school district

Kindergarten rite of passage on Mercer Island happening in January, not September

Jan 6th, 2021 1m 14s

UPDATE, Jan. 6: Adds comments from a kindergartner, her mom and school principal. Seeing your teacher, meeting your classmates, getting used to having your own desk and cubby – these are the exciting (and perhaps terrifying) rites of passage fo

Teachers' unions express concerns as some districts prepare for in-person learning

Jan 1st, 2021 1m 11s

The frustration among families over remote learning has built up over months. Now some districts, including Mercer Island, Bellevue and Tacoma, are taking steps to bring the youngest students back for in-person school this month.

Some kids have been learning outdoors for months in Whatcom County, but not in Seattle

Dec 18th, 2020 7m 30s

UPDATE, Dec. 22: Corrects story to reflect that the Seattle school district recently approved one outdoor learning program serving four students. The risk of catching the coronavirus is lower outside than inside, and for that reason, a lot of p

Governor releases updated guidance to encourage schools to resume in-person learning

Dec 16th, 2020 1m 12s

Amid increasing pressure from parents to have schools offer more face-to-face instruction, Gov. Jay Inslee has released updated recommendations to school districts to encourage them to do that.

Take the Mic: Finding creative ways to build school spirit during remote learning

Dec 14th, 2020 2m 30s

How do you build school spirit when students are learning from home? That’s been on the mind of 16-year-old Isaac Velazquez, a junior at Franklin Pierce High School in the Midland area of unincorporated Pierce County.

State superintendent says distance learning is not working for a lot of kids

Dec 1st, 2020 1m 5s

More than half of the state’s public school students are in districts offering almost exclusively remote learning , but state Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal acknowledged to state lawmakers on Monday that distance learning is

Schultz Family Foundation funds work for young people to address food insecurity

Nov 30th, 2020 1m 10s

Demand for food assistance has surged this year as many people have lost their jobs. The Schultz Family Foundation, which was started by former Starbucks Chief Executive Howard Schultz and his wife, Sheri, has created something called the Washi