System News | Opinion

OPINION: Washington legislature is underfunding colleges. 

You can’t walk into a business, school or clinic in Thurston County without meeting one of them; graduates of The Evergreen State College and South Puget Sound Community College fuel our local economy, non-profits and high quality of life. And not just here at home. Washington’s public colleges sit at the center of our state’s future: preparing nurses to care for our families, educators to teach our children and environmental scientists to protect our natural resources. 
The News Tribune: Feb. 24, 2026

Skagit Valley College instructor earns honor

...“Matthew Mardesich exemplifies the expertise, dedication, and passion that define Skagit Valley College’s commitment to workforce education,” said Darren Greeno, Skagit Valley College vice president of academic affairs in the release.
Skagit Valley Herald, Feb. 23, 2026

How WA colleges are preparing for ICE

There have been no documented instances of federal immigration enforcement taking place on Washington’s public college campuses. Yet across the state, college leaders say they are actively preparing for the possibility. [Pierce College, Bellevue College, Wenatchee Valley College]
The Seattle Times, Feb. 23, 2026

Yakima Valley College hosts annual STEM Day for local youth

Yakima Valley College held its annual STEM Day, drawing hundreds of local kids to Glen Anthon Hall. The event, which began as Engineering Day, has expanded to include all STEM fields due to growing interest. The atmosphere was full of excitement as children explored various activities workshops and presentations designed to spark their interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
NBC Right Now, Feb. 21, 2026

Higher Education and Politics

Community colleges face widening skills gap in green economy jobs, new study finds

Community colleges are struggling to keep pace with surging demand for workers in advanced infrastructure, energy, and agriculture fields — a shortfall most acute in the nation's largest cities — according to a new national study released this month by the Community College Research Center at Columbia University's Teachers College.
EDU Ledger, Feb. 24, 2026

Education Department hands off more of its responsibilities to other US agencies

The Education Department is handing over more of its programs and grants to other federal agencies, announcing a pair of new agreements Monday that move the Trump administration closer to its goal of shutting down the department.
Associated Press, Feb. 23, 2026

Senate Dems ask GAO to investigate ED dismantling

As Education Department staff working on higher education grant programs are starting to move their work to the Department of Labor, a group of mostly Senate Democrats wants a government watchdog to investigate the agreements that outsourced those programs.
Inside Higher Ed, Feb. 23, 2026

WA community colleges are bouncing back from the pandemic

Washington’s community college enrollment has rebounded fully since the start of the pandemic, while the state’s public university enrollment remains relatively flat. 
The Seattle Times, Feb. 19, 2026