Features

“There was never a time when we needed caretakers more than during the pandemic — we still need them,” says Seattle Public Schools (SPS) Chief Academic Officer Keisha Scarlett. “Families have skills and expertise as our first teachers. As we return to school in the fall, how do we remember how we were stretched? How do we build on that and not default back like a rubber band?”

When parents first receive a disability diagnosis while struggling to manage challenging behavior, they urgently need information and support. Yet, because of a shortage of behavioral specialists, they often end up waiting in a stressful and isolated limbo. The UW Haring Center for Inclusive Education's use of Project ECHO® seeks to change that.

"It was clear how much a space for her child mattered," says Cathi Davis, principal of Ruby Bridges Elementary in the Northshore School District. "Her whole demeanor changed when she realized that her child belongs here."

U.S. News & World Report has ranked the University of Washington College of Education No. 5 among the nation’s best public education schools — and No. 13 among education schools overall — in its annual graduate school rankings, released March 30.

Reflecting on the College’s top rankings, Dean Mia Tuan noted that the College’s commitment to equity is what truly makes it a leader among its peers.