Back to School² is an educational series on K–12 education issues from school funding to culturally restorative practices like ethnic studies.
by Oliver Miska
From August through May, the South Seattle Emerald will put its education beat on high!
This series aims to make the bureaucratic education system more accessible to those in our community who are rightfully upset at school closures, educator layoffs, carceral practices, white supremacy culture in our school system, inadequate responses to youth mental health needs and student voice, and the regressive nature of our tax code.
With a final article following the end of the 2025 legislative session, this series will feature different articles or “lessons” with background context and ongoing coverage of public meetings at Seattle School Board and behind-the-scenes work for policy development within our communities on student-led priorities. We highlight a central question in this series: “What does student-centered education truly look like?” to set the intentions of generating productive policy conversations that address not the prophetic “future” of our youth, but the youth of our present.
This is part of a series in the South Seattle Emerald called Back to School2: An Educational Series on Education highlighting advocacy efforts in education policy from the local School Board to the State Legislature.
There is decreasing civic engagement citywide, not because of apathy, but because of the lack of relevant civic engagement opportunities and policy; our hope is to change the discourse.
Each article, or lesson, will be collaboratively produced, highlighting the voices of leaders driving this work in our community, including educators, youth organizers, parents, policy experts, and union members.
As educators, we will provide extended learning opportunities, primary documents, self-assessments, and ways to engage with what you learn. We might even give some homework and quizzes!
In addition to providing a brief outline of what to expect in terms of topics, authors, and format, in this introduction you will also find links to “pre-readings.” Yes, that’s a euphemism for “summer reading,” but it’s optional!
We were a little late to get out the summer reading, but let’s be honest, you wouldn’t have started it until August. We teachers were once students too.
Good luck with your summer pre-reading; don’t feel like you have to do it all at once. We encourage waiting to do pre-reading until the week before a new article from the series comes out. Don’t worry, we will provide a pre-reading reminder the week before!
Best way to follow along is through South Seattle Emerald’s (SSE) social media accounts, or follow @back2schoolSEA on X, formerly known as Twitter, for live updates.
The following is what teachers call a “scope and sequence” of what to expect!
Welcome Back to School² for 2024–2025
August: Laying Foundations Through Youth Leadership and Voice
Lesson 1: Youth Leadership and Voice in Washington State Education Policy Part 1 (Aug. 12)
Q/A interview with youth leaders: Luna Crone-Barón (student representative of Seattle School Board), Hiro Hirano-Holcomb (Legislative Youth Advisory Council), and Kaley Duong (NAACP Youth Council).
Lesson 2: Introduce Big 5 Legislative Priorities for Fully Funding our Schools (Aug. 19)
Op-Ed introducing UW Professor David Knight’s Big 5 Legislative Priorities to fully fund our schools.
Authors include: Oliver Miska.
September: Back to School² Month!
Lesson 3: School Board and School Safety Plan Community Report Back (Sept. 2)
Report back from Seattle School Board Aug. 28 Meeting: School Safety.
Authors include: Garfield ASB Student Leaders, Oliver Miska, and Mark Epstein (SCORE)
Pre-Reading:
“When Will We Fully Fund Student Mental Health Services and Restorative Justice Practices?” | South Seattle Emerald
Lesson 4: Education Finance 101: (Sept. 16)
Lesson introducing the history of education finance in Washington State and understanding the basics of school finance, from School Board to state Legislature.
Authors include: Oliver Miska and Jeff Paul.
Pre Reading:
“Seattle Parents Are Right to Yell About School Closures” | The Stranger
“Mad About School Closures? Blame Our State Supreme Court” | The Stranger
Lesson 5: What is Ethnic Studies? (Sept. 30)
Op-Ed: “Movement History of Ethnic Studies in Washington State, Next Steps for Authentic and Decolonized Ethnic Studies”
Authors include: Dr. Tracy Castro Gill and Oliver Miska from Washington Ethnic Studies Now (WAESN)
Pre Reading:
Ethnic Studies Coverage at South Seattle Emerald
October: Leveling Up!
Lesson 6: Education Finance 102: (Oct. 14)
Leveling up our knowledge of education finance policy, focusing on allocation and funding formulas with emphasis on districts and state government.
Authors include: Oliver Miska and Parents
Pre-Reading:
Lesson 4
Lesson 7: Youth Advocacy for Ethnic Studies: (Oct. 28)
Youth organizers across Washington tell the history of youth advocacy for ethnic studies, from School Board to state Legislature.
Authors include: Youth Organizers from NAACP and WAESN.
Pre-Reading:
Lesson 5
November: Election Month Special!
Lesson 8: Youth Leadership and Voice in Washington – Part 2 (Nov. 11)
Q/A interview with youth and student leaders: Caitlin Ehlers (Student Washington Education Assocation), Laura Wollo (Ethnic Studies Advisory Committee), and Sophia Hernandez (UW).
Pre Reading:
Lesson 1
Lesson 9: November Election and Ballot Result Implications (Nov. 25)
Youth op-ed discussing results of billionaire ballot initiatives on capital gains and elections.
Authors include: Youth organizers of NAACP and WAESN.
Pre-Reading:
“Keep or repeal the capital gains tax? Voters will decide in November” | The Seattle Times
December: Deep Dive Into Progressive Revenue (Read: Tax the Rich)
Lesson 10: Education Finance 103: Progressive Revenue (Dec. 23/30)
Op-Ed reporting about Balance Our Tax Code’s “Summit” announcing menu of Progressive Revenue Policies.
Authors: SCORE and Oliver Miska
Pre-Reading:
“Why Washington State Doesn’t Have an Income Tax: The 1930s Campaign for Tax Reform and the Origins of Washington’s Tax System” | Great Depression Project
January–April: Schools in Session, Reporting Live From the 2025 Legislative Session in Olympia
Lesson 11: Session Begins — Equity and Justice in Education Legislative Priorities (Part 1) (Jan. 13)
Op-Ed: “From Ending the School to Prison Pipeline to Ethnic Studies to Equitable School Funding and Progressive Revenue, There Are Intersecting Education Movements Calling for Systemic Change at the State Legislature.”
Authors include: Collective collaboration.
Lesson 12: Youth Report Back From State Legislature — Mid-Session (February)
Lesson 13: Education Equity and Justice Coalition Legislative Update (Part 2) (March)
Lesson 14: Youth Advocate Report from Legislature Before End of Session “Sine Die” (April)
May: Post-Session Reflection
Lesson 15: Youth Op-Ed Reflections From Legislature (May)
We’re excited for you to join our educational series online and engage in this dialogue about our schools with us online.
Grant us grace, as a good educator knows how to adjust their curriculum for their students, especially when it means adapting what we have planned. This “scope and sequence” might change as new developments arise.
If you have questions, comments or concerns, or want to be in conversation with collaborators, please visit our Twitter (X), where we will be hosting a page for discussion @back2schoolSEA
The South Seattle Emerald is committed to holding space for a variety of viewpoints within our community, with the understanding that differing perspectives do not negate mutual respect amongst community members.
The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by the contributors on this website do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints of the Emerald or official policies of the Emerald.
Oliver Treanor Miska, 33, is a queer Seattleite, educator, community organizer, and lobbyist for educational justice policy in Washington State. Transitioning out of Seattle classrooms after six years, they recently founded Solidarity Policy and Public Affairs, a political consulting firm. As a community organizer, Oliver has held leadership roles within Seattle Democratic Socialist of America and Washington Ethnic Studies Now, where they co-lead a statewide legislative coalition. Oliver is organizing to advocate for progressive revenue and equitable distribution of education spending policy at the state Legislature. To contact them, email solidaritypolicywa@gmail.com
📸 Featured Image: Photo via Slladkaya/Shutterstock.com
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