Lunchtime LEVinars

Welcome to Lunchtime LEVinars, free, interactive, online webinars on important and timely issues hosted by the League of Education Voters (LEV). These lunchtime webinars are designed to share information and build knowledge about the issues at the core of LEV’s policy priorities.

LEV will host each 30 to 60-minute webinar, which will include a 20–30 minute presentation by an expert from the field and 10 minutes of Q&A. Each webinar will be recorded and archived on our website.

Most Recent LEVinar

Budget Priorities Across the Education Ecosystem: From Early Learning to Higher Ed

The upcoming state budget decisions in Washington will have a far-reaching impact across every level of education, from early learning through higher education. The choices made in Olympia will affect children and families in different ways, with key investments shaping opportunities for equity, access, and success for young people across the state.

In this webinar, we examine how budget and investment priorities across various sectors of the education ecosystem are connected and how they influence equity for students. We explore how decisions in areas such as early learning, inclusive practices, youth diversion programs, and higher education funding can drive meaningful change for students of all backgrounds.

Key questions include:

• What impact will proposed cuts in early learning and higher education have on access, equity, and outcomes for students, particularly those from underserved communities?
• What is needed to ensure sufficient funding for inclusive practices and equity in Washington’s schools?
• How can investments in youth criminal justice and diversion programs improve outcomes for young people involved in the justice system?
• How do new revenue proposals support sustainable investments in education across all levels?

Join us for a conversation with experts across these sectors to explore how budget priorities intersect to impact Washington’s students, and how these decisions can help promote a more equitable and inclusive future.

Panelists:

• Paree Raval, a junior at Sammamish High School in the Bellevue School District and member of the Washington state Legislative Youth Advisory Council (LYAC)
• Sabina Kolovyansky, a junior at Sammamish High School in the Bellevue School District and member of the Washington state Legislative Youth Advisory Council (LYAC)
• Sergio Acuna, a student at Highline College and student leader at Communities for Our Colleges
• Kerra Bower, Executive Director of Raze Early Learning & Development Center
• Lilly Deerwater, Economic Inequity & Health Program Manager at Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility and steering committee member of the Balance Our Tax Code Coalition
• Barbara Gilchrist, Director of Coalition & Government Relations at the Washington State Charter Schools Association
• Roxana Gomez, Director of Policy and Systemic Advocacy at Legal Counsel for Youth and Children (LCYC)
• Nikki Otero Lockwood, President of the Spokane Public Schools Board of Directors
• David Mendez, Associate Director of the True Measure Collaborative
• Dawn Rains, Chief Executive Officer of Treehouse

Watch Now (captioning is available in English, Spanish, and Somali)

• Advocate for students in foster care
• Progressive revenue rallies RSVP
• Progressive revenue phone banking RSVP
• Reduce Restraint and End Isolation action alert

Upcoming LEVinar

Left to Chance: Student Outcomes in Seattle Public Schools from 1990 to 2024

To understand why we can be optimistic about the future of public education, we must first recognize how our understanding of educational improvement has evolved over the past several decades. The journey of Seattle Public Schools, like that of many urban districts, reveals a progression in our collective knowledge about creating effective educational systems that serve all students well.

In this free webinar, Vivian van Gelder, Director of Policy and Research at the Southeast Seattle Education Coalition (SESEC), will present the culmination of over 10 years of research into the history of Seattle Public Schools. She will highlight her latest report on how the district became decentralized, resulting in “100 plus separate school systems.” She will also touch on recommendations by SESEC on how to best move forward and address the education inequities that resulted from the fragmentation.

Spanish interpretation and captioning in English will be provided.

Moderated by League of Education Voters CEO Arik Korman.

Thursday, April 24, 2025
12:30 – 1:30 pm

Register Now

Previous LEVinars

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