News & Stories

Dr. Pasi Sahlberg, the esteemed Finnish educator, scholar and speaker who visited Seattle this past November to discuss the applicability of Finland’s education system to Washington state, recently proposed an interesting idea in a column for The Washington Post: what if, in a perfect world, we simply supplanted Finnish educators – who are considered among […]

The fourteen tax breaks proposed by the state Senate – despite a revenue shortfall and $1 billion funding deficit in K-12 education – beg the question: can we really afford this? Some loopholes have their place, but as the state legislature tries to put together a budget that preserves essential state services with limited resources, […]

With state legislators still at an impasse over Washington’s budget, we’re unveiling a new interactive research tool that allows citizens, journalists, and students to easily examine how public dollars are being spent, and assess the impact of this year’s budget proposals on public schools and universities, hospitals, prisons, courts, health care, and other critical state […]

The kids are all right. And so are their grandparents. Why? Because Social Security is there — for all of us. And we can make that promise even better by making sure we all pay the same tax rate for the same guarantee. The Social Security Trustees report shows solid funding for the next 23 […]

The New York City Council – in spite of opposition from Mayor Michael Bloomberg – enacted the Earned Sick Time Act earlier this month, ensuring the majority of people working in New York City are able to earn paid sick days. The bill, which passed by a vote of 45-3 thus overriding a mayoral veto, came as […]

For the financially insecure, payday lending is like a drug addiction – try it once or twice, get hooked, and suffer the consequences. NBC News covered the payday loan trap and the dire effects it has on everyday Americans. Take 66-year-old Boise resident and veteran Raymond Chaney, who – after a few loans to help […]

Released today, the 2013 Social Security and Medicare Trustees’ report didn’t hold any big surprises. The Washington Post reports good news on the Medicare side, saying: Slower health care cost growth has improved Medicare’s financial outlook, extending the program’s trust fund to last until 2026, two years later than forecast last year. As for Social […]

From the Washington News Service TACOMA, Wash. – Another Washington city is adding its name to a growing national list of those considering a paid sick day policy for all workers. Organizers in Tacoma say they’ve been working on their prospective new ordinance behind the scenes since 2009 and now are ready to launch it. […]

Washington’s estate tax, which applies to the sons and daughters of wealthy estate owners, provides dedicated funding for public schools and public higher education in Washington state, including tuition assistance. But a recent decision by the Washington Supreme Court has opened up a loophole that will allow many wealthy heirs to sidestep the estate tax altogether via a complex mechanism known […]

Not only is payday lending a predatory industry, new evidence shows it is hurting our state economy. A March 2013 study by the Insight Center for Community Economic Development finds the burden of repaying payday loans in 2011 led to $774 million in lost consumer spending and  resulted in the loss of more than 14,000 […]

Payday lenders are facing new federal regulations that will curtail their ability to reap huge profits off short-term, high-interest loans, but they’re trying everything to keep their predatory industry alive. In the U.S., payday lenders are spending big bucks lobbying elected officials and contributing to their campaigns – and they’ve had some success. During his […]

Many teachers and parents in the Seattle School District were thrilled to hear Seattle Schools Superintendent Jose Banda’s announcement earlier this month that the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) standardized assessment will be optional next year. Following the recommendations of a committee regarding the MAP test, Banda announced Seattle high schools will now be able to opt […]

From the Center for Economic and Policy Research: The United States is the only advanced economy that does not guarantee its workers any paid vacation time, according to a new review of international labor laws by the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR). As a result, almost 1-in-4 Americans do not receive any paid […]

This PBS NewsHour video from 2005 feels a bit dated, but the points are still largely true. The payroll tax cap is now $113,700, and just 84% of wages are subject to Social Security taxes. Social Security taxes are still not paid on capital gains or investment income, and the vast majority of income gains in the […]

It’s the job of the Legislature to make sure our kids get a good education, open the doors to higher education, keep us safe at home and on our roads, and to maintain parks for our recreation, enjoyment, and quality of life. It takes money to do this. So how’s the Legislature doing now? I […]

Wall Street bankers have been known to get creative – if not downright deceptive – when finding ways to maximize their own income. Now Moody’s, the bond-rating agency that overvalued junk investments and helped bring the country (and world) to their brink of financial ruin just five years ago has a new trick up its […]

Unlike most workers in Washington state, workers in California can take paid family leave when welcoming a new baby, providing care for a seriously ill family member, or recovering from their own serious health condition. California’s legislature made this possible in 2002, when they passed a paid family and medical leave law allowing workers to […]

New Jersey is one of just a handful of U.S. states that offers paid family leave, allowing workers up to six weeks of paid time off to bond with a new baby or care for a seriously ill family member. Now, New Jersey State Assemblymembers are set to consider another pro-worker/family bill that would allow all workers […]

UPDATE 12:00 PM: 30 donations so far totaling $11,000 – thank you! We’re in awe of all the support so far, but we still have a ways to go to reach our goal of 150 donations. Any amount makes a difference – please tell your friends (on Facebook, Twitter and email) that today is the […]

This spring the University of Washington announced with great fanfare its newest bachelor’s degree program. Joining in the chorus of support for early learning, UW has developed an on-line degree in early childhood education. This will prepare “individuals to work in early learning and child care…” It seems like a good thing, and one in […]

Sitka News reports Senator Mark Begich (D-Alaska) is prepared to introduce legislation to protect and preserve Social Security benefits for future generations, while shoring up the system’s long-term solvency. Senator Begich introduced his plan in response to President Obama’s proposal to switch to the Chained CPI, which would cut annual cost-of-living increases for seniors and veterans on Social […]

I’ve been a mom for 28 years now – and a daughter for a lot longer. At this point, I’d rather have time with my sons for Mother’s Day than the little handmade gifts they used to give me when they were little. And I know my own mom would appreciate the same from me. […]

New research examining the effects of gaining Medicaid coverage on health outcomes shows mixed results. With a number of states opting to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, many have questioned whether the investment will ultimately pay off – for both patients and the state’s bottom line. Fortunately, new data from Oregon is available […]

Being a mother isn’t an easy job, no matter where you’re doing it. But in Finland, which ensures a high quality of life for mothers and their newborns, it’s easier than most everywhere else. Finland was recently ranked number one on Save The Children’s 14th Annual Mothers Index, which is a part of their broader 2013 […]

My daughter is really good with little kids. She can really get them to open up. She engages with them – about who they are, what they want to do, what they could do. These are some of the qualities of a good early childhood teacher. Child-care teaching is one of the most important professions, […]

By Paul Nyhan, from MomsRising.org If you think only new parents and preschool teachers care about early education think again. A few weeks ago, a group of Washington state superintendents, principals, kindergarten teachers and parents called for bigger investments in preschool. You might think they are worried about getting enough money for their K-12 schools […]