Schools – The Columbian

State auditor dings Hockinson School District over use of federal special education funds

Will Denner — Sat, 30 May 2026 18:00:11 +0000

The Office of the Washington State Auditor found two issues with the Hockinson School District’s use of federal special education funds in an audit released Thursday.

Ridgefield parents, teachers push back on district’s elementary schedule changes

Will Denner — Mon, 25 May 2026 13:05:05 +0000

Forthcoming schedule changes across Ridgefield School District’s three elementary schools, which will reduce student time in existing specialty classes and recess, have drawn criticism from some parents and teachers in the district.

WSU Vancouver hit with 15% budget cut for 2027 fiscal year

Will Denner — Sat, 23 May 2026 20:53:41 +0000

Washington State University Vancouver will see a 15 percent budget cut for the 2027 fiscal year as part of an $11.7 million reduction across the university’s six campuses.

Religion, power and business converge in Battle Ground

Sarah Wolf — Sat, 23 May 2026 13:06:13 +0000

BATTLE GROUND — On a recent afternoon, families, young adults, older couples, church ladies and business people filled Al & Ernie’s Bakery, a popular new addition to downtown.

Teachers union alleges ‘systemic issues’ in Battle Ground Public Schools’ special education programs

Will Denner — Wed, 20 May 2026 16:36:57 +0000

The Battle Ground Education Association filed a grievance in April, alleging Battle Ground Public Schools’ special education practices violate terms of their collective bargaining agreement.

‘I am not alone’: NAMI Southwest Washington volunteers share their mental health journeys with high school students

Kimberly Cortez — Tue, 19 May 2026 23:40:40 +0000

Serenity Scerbo said she felt alone as a teen. Soon, that feeling spiraled into nightmares, panic attacks and feelings of worthlessness.

‘A fun educational thing’: Washougal to fete 250th anniversary of U.S. with giant mural at Hathaway Elementary School

Doug Flanagan — Tue, 19 May 2026 17:56:22 +0000

WASHOUGAL — To celebrate the United States’ 250th anniversary, Washougal is thinking big — 37 feet by 17 feet, to be exact.

‘Trying to adjust to the realities that we face’: Hockinson School District considers moving fifth grade from elementary to middle school

Will Denner — Tue, 19 May 2026 13:08:37 +0000

Hockinson School District has 2,080 students, which makes it one of the smallest districts in Clark County. Yet close to half of those students — 924 — attend Hockinson Heights Elementary, making it one of the biggest public elementary schools in the state.

‘Each of us has a story to tell’: VITA Elementary students get hands-on history lesson

Will Denner — Mon, 18 May 2026 23:35:40 +0000

Students at Vancouver Innovation, Technology and Arts Elementary School were transported back to 1776 on Monday morning for a hands-on history lesson about the American Revolution.

Clark County sends steady stream of high school seniors into military

Mia Ryder-Marks — Fri, 15 May 2026 13:08:29 +0000

Last month, about 90 high schoolers from across Clark County raised their right hands and took an oath to serve the United States.

Teens For Tomorrow seeks new members

Will Denner — Fri, 15 May 2026 00:12:13 +0000

Clark County Teens For Tomorrow is seeking applicants to fill vacancies for the upcoming 2026-27 year.

State auditor’s letter recommends improvements to Evergreen Public Schools’ supplemental contracts process

Will Denner — Thu, 14 May 2026 13:07:42 +0000

A recent state audit found Evergreen Public Schools lacked proper documentation and evidence for payments to the district’s bargaining team during 2023 negotiations with the Evergreen Education Association.

Kids are in a ‘reading recession,’ as test scores continue to decline

Wed, 13 May 2026 22:00:05 +0000

MODESTO, Calif. — Before every important test, teacher Nancy Barajas dims the lights, turns on a disco ball and blasts music from her playlist. Her sixth-graders dance together as a “pre-celebration” to boost their confidence, then take their exam.

Excitement bubbles over for covered tennis courts at Camas High School

Doug Flanagan — Wed, 13 May 2026 19:20:25 +0000

CAMAS — The Camas High School tennis teams were forced to cancel more than 40 percent of their matches and practices during the 2025-26 school year because of weather conditions. Beginning next school year, that number will drop to zero — and remain there for the foreseeable future.

State auditor: La Center School District inadequately documented federal special education funding

Will Denner — Wed, 13 May 2026 13:08:05 +0000

The La Center School District did not provide adequate documentation for nearly $49,000 of federal special education funding, according to a state audit.

Heritage High School teacher Adam Strong fulfills dream in publishing debut novel ‘Bella Vista’

Will Denner — Thu, 07 May 2026 20:43:37 +0000

Students at Heritage High School are greeted by colorful artwork taped to the door of Adam Strong’s classroom with the words “Dream Factory” on clouds contrasting a blue sky.

Healthy Youth Survey shows progress in Clark County in mental health, academics

Will Denner — Wed, 06 May 2026 20:04:36 +0000

Students in Clark County reported lower rates of depression and suicidal feelings compared with recent years, according to the Washington State Department of Health’s latest “Healthy Youth Survey.”

Clark County’s aspiring teachers navigate tough job market in region

Will Denner — Wed, 06 May 2026 13:07:39 +0000

Soon-to-be teachers in Clark County are navigating a tough job market at a time when several local school districts are cutting staff.

Battle Ground Public Schools plans to cut more than 130 positions

Will Denner — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:59:54 +0000

BATTLE GROUND — Battle Ground Public Schools plans to cut 137.2 positions to address a $20 million budget deficit, which district leaders largely blame on a triple levy failure and lack of adequate state funding.

Washougal School District tightens security at three campuses

Tyler Brown — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 23:17:46 +0000

The Washougal School District is tightening security at three of its schools by locking gates during the school day to better enforce its long-standing closed-campus policy.

Clark County college grads face challenging job market

Sarah Wolf — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 13:06:30 +0000

Clark County’s soon-to-be college graduates are getting nervous, as unemployment rises nationwide for their age group.

Clark County schools brace for cuts to transitional kindergarten programs

Will Denner — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 13:05:51 +0000

In five years since introducing its transition-to-kindergarten program, the Washougal School District has seen a steady uptick in the number of students who start kindergarten ready to learn.

DOJ investigating University of Washington over antisemitism concerns

Jake Goldstein-Street, Washington State Standard — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 23:21:40 +0000

The Trump administration is investigating the University of Washington over concerns about its handling of antisemitism in light of an off-campus event planned by a protest group.

Clark County middle-schoolers excel in Southwest Washington Civics Bee

Will Denner — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:59:02 +0000

Middle school students are plenty familiar with taking tests and making presentations in front of their peers, but few get to test their knowledge in front of a live audience.

Lasting symptoms, growing debt: Injured on the job, Vancouver teacher is denied benefits

Brianna Murschel — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 13:07:13 +0000

Erica Godell requires red-tinted glasses and a microphone to get through the day teaching second grade at Hazel Dell Elementary School. She can’t drive at night. She suffers headaches and nausea.