NEW: How One Mom Fought Washington’s Special Education System — and Won propublica.org/article/washin… by Lulu Ramadan Mike Reicher The Seattle Times

THREAD: Low-income families face hurdles in Washington’s flawed special education system. Here’s how one mom fought for her son and disrupted the system. st.news/inequities

"The lawsuit cited Seattle Times coverage of the issue, which revealed a number of issues in the jail resulting from severe understaffing, pandemic restrictions on visitation and flawed bunk designs that heightened suicide risks." Nice work by my teammate Sydney Brownstone

IMPACT: Washington State Legislature Strengthens Oversight of Private Special Education Schools propublica.org/article/washin… Lulu Ramadan Mike Reicher The Seattle Times

The WA Leg passed a bill to tighten oversight of private special ed schools, in response our series "Invisible Schools." It's so great to see positive changes for students & impact from our reporting. w/ Lulu Ramadan Taylor Blatchford ProPublica Seattle Times Watchdog seattletimes.com/seattle-news/t…

Since Titan’s disappearance, some researchers reflect on the red flags they saw about OceanGate while diving in the San Juans in 2018. W/ ⁦Mike Reicher⁩ and ⁦Lauren Rosenblatt⁩ seattletimes.com/seattle-news/w…

We talked with people on OceanGate dives in the San Juan Islands who described hitting an underwater wall, propulsion and navigation problems, and losing communications. w/ David Kroman Lauren Rosenblatt seattletimes.com/seattle-news/w…

IMPACT: A Washington Special Education School That Was Accused of Harming Kids Is Now Barred From Taking New Students propublica.org/article/washin… by Mike Reicher Lulu Ramadan The Seattle Times

Just how high? In 2022, the school reported: ▪️ isolating students 446 times ▪️ physically restraining students 475 times As of June that year, the school, across its three campuses, had only 119 students Mike Reicher Lulu Ramadan The Seattle Times ProPublica

We went deep into public records to try to solve a very very serious question: who set off that huge private fireworks show on Puget Sound? This was a fun one with Lulu Ramadan and Paige Cornwell seattletimes.com/seattle-news/t…

“After spending the current $3.8 B, WSDOT expects to have reached 80% of the total habitat. To get the additional 10% it may cost an additional $4 B.” Huge spike in costs to help salmon could derail WA transpo. budget w/ David Kroman Seattle Times Watchdog seattletimes.com/seattle-news/t…

New: A court mandated project to improve the state’s culverts for salmon is now likely to cost up to $4 billion more than expected, doubling original estimates and upending Washington’s transportation budget. W/Mike Reicher seattletimes.com/seattle-news/t…

ICYMI from the weekend: The state's salmon culverts need another $4 billion to satisfy a previous court ruling by 2030, forcing difficult questions for legislators next year. seattletimes.com/seattle-news/t…

NEW - The private special ed school that we wrote last year--the one accused of abuse--is closing after the state barred new admissions. w/Lulu Ramadan Seattle Times Watchdog ProPublica seattletimes.com/seattle-news/t…

It’s easy to treat the media as a punching bag. But look to the nation’s local newsrooms. For little money or recognition, reporters in 2023 stood up to power brokers who tried to bully them into silence, exposed corrupt officials and even saved lives. Proof, from every state:

My latest: University of Washington rejects protesters’ calls to cut Boeing ties | The Seattle Times seattletimes.com/seattle-news/t…

Hey Attorney General Nick Brown know what would seem almost modern? Processing payments for open records in a more streamlined and perhaps contemporary fashion than checks by mail. This delays the public knowing stuff that you may want them to know - or maybe you don't. #YeOldePaymentMethods