This week, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) announced something new: the inaugural State Superintendent's Award for Educational Excellence. Forty-six school districts across Washington are being recognized — and 16 of them are right here in the PSESD region, serving students in King and Pierce counties and on Bainbridge Island.

Last month, Washington state joined a nationwide effort led by Attendance Works to change what attendance means in our schools. It's not about tracking who shows up—it's about recognizing that when students are in class, they're connected to teachers, peers, and the support systems that help them to thrive.

The National Chronic Absence Challenge set an ambitious goal: to cut chronic absenteeism in half over five years. For Washington, that means reducing chronic absence from 27% to 14% by 2029. Our school districts across PSESD are stepping up to meet this challenge.

Calling all kids! Here's a chance for kids of all ages to help the Washington State Department of Ecology to design a clean water coloring book.

Today, according to statistics from UNESCO, women continue to represent less than one third of the world's researchers.

Taking place each year on February 11, the International Day for Women and Girls in Science is working to change that, and the day helps to showcase existing good practices and solutions for building more inclusive Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) ecosystems. 

Do you know a teacher or classified staff member who deserves the spotlight? The Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) has announced that nominations are now open for our state’s 2027 Teacher of the Year and Classified School Employee of the Year awards!

February is Black History Month, honoring and recognizing the vital and impactful achievements of African Americans and their central role in U.S. history.

Today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day, or the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust, designated by the United Nations on January 27, the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp.

In Spring 2026, PSESD's Equity in Education team will be hosting three Communities of Practice for educator, administrator and student leaders. Each series focuses on one of three distinct strategies for diversifying the educator workforce: 1) Cultivating Leadership Communities for Educator Retention & Thriving, 2) Building Youth Partnerships to Strengthen Educator Pathways, and 3) Measurement Systems to Support a Thriving Educator Workforce. All three series are designed to support district teams to learn about specific regional bright spot practices, self-assess their own conditions, and thought partner with other districts and PSESD to design and/or strengthen their own district initiatives.  

The registration deadline for all sessions below is February 13, 2026. Cost for each series is $800 per team, or $1,000 with coaching. Scholarships are available! 

High school sophomores, do you want your chance to serve on the Washington State Board of Education?

The Board is now accepting applications from current high school sophomores to serve as the Board’s next Student Board Member for the 2026–2028 term.

Observed on the third Monday in January, Martin Luther King Jr. Day (also known as Civil Rights Day) celebrates the life and legacy of clergyman, activist, humanitarian, and Civil Rights Movement leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. while supporting his dream of a better world.

Lake Washington School District recently shared that students at Thoreau Elementary are pedaling into a new era of safety and fun! This year, they became the first participants in the Let’s Go Bicycle Program, a statewide initiative funded by the Climate Commitment Act and administered by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), which selected Cascade Bicycle Club to design and implement the program.

Oregon's Beaverton School District, led by incoming PSESD Superintendent Dr. Gustavo Balderas, was just named K-12 Dive's 2025 District of the Year.

Seattle Public Schools recently shared that Franklin High School is making history, as thanks to the Seattle Seahawks and PCL Construction, the school has received a Girls Flag Grant to launch its first-ever high school girls flag football team! This milestone comes as flag football is officially recognized as a WIAA sport, opening new opportunities for female athletes across Washington.

January is School Board Recognition Month, which was originally created by the National School Boards Association in 1995. 2026 marks the 30th anniversary of School Board Recognition Month, with the theme “Our Future is Public.” The month provides an important opportunity to recognize the talented, dedicated people on Washington's 295 locally elected school boards, as well as the nine elected educational service district boards who are the core of the public education governance system in Washington state.

Tacoma Public Schools recently reported that St. Joseph Medical Center, part of Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, recently surprised Edna Travis Elementary School with a generous gift of $11,870! Travis Elementary was selected by St. Joseph team members as their chosen beneficiary, making the donation an unexpected and welcome show of support.