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The News Tribune | Tax Millions of Average Families or the Richest 32,000?

I didn’t want to write this.

I wanted someone else to instead – someone who is wealthy and would actually pay a capital gains tax.

So I went through my contacts and called 10 or so friends and acquaintances who I thought made enough income from investments that the capital gains tax would apply to them.

Because it’s the most important conversation happening in Olympia right now, as the Senate Republicans, House Democrats and Gov. Jay Inslee negotiate a state budget that funds public schools. Should we raise taxes on average people or ask a wealthy 0.4 percent of Washingtonians to pay their fair share for our schools? [read full article]

Coalition: New Proposal Sidesteps State Budget Issues

Washington News Service | February 6, 2015 | Chris Thomas, Producer

OLYMPIA, Wash. - A coalition is making some noise about  to direct two-thirds of all new state revenue to education. According to the group Washington United for Fair Revenue, it seems like a noble goal but would restrict lawmakers' ability to fund other important priorities. [read full story]

State Supreme Court Holds Hearing on Contempt for Failing to Fund Basic Education

9-3-14 | The Washington State Supreme Court held a hearing to determine if the State should be held in contempt for failing to meeting a 2012 court order to fulfill the state constitution which requires fully funding basic education. Read more.

Seattle "First Book" Event About More Than Reading

May 16, 2014 | Washington News Service | Chris Thomas, Producer

SEATTLE – It's more than a chance to pick up a couple of free books this weekend at the Seattle Center. At a First Book Resource Fair on Saturday, families can learn more about 20 local community groups, from the arts to social services.

The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Washington partnered with the national nonprofit group First Book to organize the event.- Read or hear the full story here. 

"Teaching Millions or Making Millions?"

AFT Washington is a member of the Campaign for the Future of Higher Education (CFHE), a coalition of education advocates concerned about the attacks on and degradation of public investment in higher education and they are a good resource for research and working papers on a variety of topics to reach out to the academic and non-academic communites. Watch CFHE's just-released video, "Online Ed: Teaching Millions or Making Millions? to find out more about online education.

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AFT Washington Celebrates Books and Reading

Please join us at a family-friendly book give-away and resource fair on Saturday, May 17th, at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall with our community partners to provide free books to children through AFT's partnership with the nationally-recognized First Book. First Book offers new books to kids in need to promote reading and literacy to help them succeed in school and life. We will have Caldecott and Newberry Medal award-winning books in several languages and for all cultures and ages.

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New Union Members at Seattle Community Colleges

Mar. 20, 2014 | Washington News Service | Chris Thomas, Producer

SEATTLE – Seattle Community College has become the fourth community or technical college in the state where employees in a variety of administrative roles have decided to bargain collectively for their wages and benefits. They'll be part of AFT Washington, after a vote last week to form a union. [more]

Legislature Should Let Community College Faculty Manage Their Own Affairs

Feb. 21, 2014 | Crosscut.com | Guest Opinion by Karen Strickland and Michael Boggess

If you or someone you know has taken a class at one of Washington's community and technical colleges, there is a 50-50 change that the instructor was a part-time faculty member. For decades, higher education institutions across the country have increasingly hired part-time, adjunct or contingent faculty to reach, primarily because of shrinking state funding. [full article]

"Pay it Forward" aims to change how students fund college

Feb. 21, 2014 | USA TODAY | Alex Koma, Collegiate Correspondent

The "Pay it Forward" program may change the way students pay for their college education. A bill making its way through Washington state's House of Representatives has the potential to change the way students pay for college. . . . "The program is addressing a problem we all agree exists, but the problems outweight the benefits," says Karen Strickland, president of the Washington chapter of the American Federation of Teachers, . . . ." [full article]