Educate. Empower. Engage.
Your quarterly update on education issues that matter to our community — and how you can make a difference.
Education Interest Group
The Education Interest Group meets every other month on Zoom, 2nd Friday of the month, 10 am to 11 am. Please contact Lori Walker for Zoom link. Next meeting is scheduled for 11/13/ 2026.
Update on the Education Freedom Tax Credit?
The decision is still pending on whether the Washington State governor will opt in to this program. The Department of the Treasury is expected to release rules and guidance by the end of this month, which will likely affect Washington State’s decision. So far, 30 states have opted into the program. Several non-profits, including the Alliance for Education, are setting up the necessary scholarship granting organization (SGO) in the event our state decides to opt in. Arik Korman, CEO of League of Education Voters, is following this issue closely and is the best source for questions you may have.
Washington State Re-envisioning Public Education
The Big Idea Group is an informal working group convened by Washington State Representative Sharon Tomiko Santos, Chairwoman of the House Education Committee. The initiative aims to completely restructure how Washington State delivers public education, moving beyond traditional funding tweaks to address deep systemic inequities.
Rather than relying purely on rigid funding formulas, the Big Idea Group is exploring structural reform that acknowledges different students have different needs and varying associated costs—with special education as a prime example, where civil rights obligations require entirely different levels of support.
The Big Idea Group is one of three K–12 work groups that were active in Washington following the 2026 legislative session:
The Big Idea Group — the legislative group coordinated by Rep. Santos, focused on re-envisioning the education system's design.
The UW SUPES group (UW Superintendents United in Partnership for Equitable Schools) a grassroots coalition of 20+ superintendents working with the University of Washington College of Education toward an "ample and equitable" funding system.
The K-12 Funding Equity Workgroup — coordinated by OSPI, whose work feeds into the superintendent's budget request to the governor.
According to Arik Korman, the target for establishing the vision is June 2027. More on this as it develops.
How Can You Get Involved in Supporting Youth & Education?
· Volunteer in schools — School Connect WA seeks tutors for this school year. Here is a message from Roy Chang, Executive Director
“We are especially looking for volunteers to support literacy in grades 1–3. This aligns directly with the Superintendent's focus on third-grade reading and gives you a practical way to make the greatest impact on students' skills before the end of third grade.”
o Volunteers can begin the week of October 19. The commitment is simple: 1 hour per week
o Literacy support for students in grades 1–3
o Rising Star Elementary, 8311 Beacon Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118 o You can sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0548AFAD2BA3FFC25-65251644-rising#/
Rotary Boys & Girls Club — Come join the Rotary Boys & Girls Club on 10/24, 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. for a day of cleaning and organizing the club. If weather permits, we will have options available outside - landscaping, raking leaves, cutting blackberry bushes, pruning and more. Inside, we will organize and deep-clean the club. This year the High School Leadership Group "Keystone" will be joining the fun as well!
· Attend an Education Group meeting — Every Rotarian brings something different. Tell us how you'd like to help, and we'll find the right way to put it to work for students.
Have an education story or issue you'd like to see featured in a future column? Contact Lori Walker lwalker@thewalkergroupnw.com or Tatyana Tsyrlina-Spady tsyrlina@aol.com
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