Sami West
Online Editor/Reporter
About
Sami West joined KUOW’s web team as an Online Editor/Reporter in 2025.
Before that, she spent over two years covering education at KUOW, reporting extensively on mounting financial challenges in Seattle Public Schools and districts across Washington state. Her coverage also focused on growing concerns about violence in and around schools, teacher shortages, the youth mental health crisis, and the countless ways Covid continues to affect schools and families, among other topics.
Previously, she wrote about education for Chalkbeat in Memphis, Tennessee, and two newspapers in Wisconsin.
A Midwesterner at heart, Sami originally hails from Minnesota and holds degrees in journalism and English from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
Languages Spoken: English
Pronouns: she/her
Professional Affiliations: Education Writers Association
Stories
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Seattle, Shoreline families rally to save school arts programs amid budget cuts
As school districts across Washington prepare for budget shortfalls next school year, families are rallying to save arts programs and other electives that may be on the chopping block.