UPDATE 11/25/2024:
On Monday, November 25, Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Brent Jones announced the district will not close or consolidate schools in 2025.
In a message sent to parents, teachers, and district staff, Jones said he is withdrawing his preliminary proposal to the Seattle School Board to close four schools next year. That number was a far cry from the up to 21 schools the district discussed closing earlier this fall. But parents still rallied against any closures, challenging the district’s planning process and urging SPS to look elsewhere for the money. Following is Jones’s statement in full:
“As Superintendent, I take seriously the responsibility of ensuring our district’s schools meet the needs of every student while operating sustainably for the future.
Earlier this year, the Seattle School Board directed me to develop a preliminary recommendation for elementary school closures and consolidations to address enrollment declines, budgetary challenges, stabilizing programs and services.
After much deliberation, reflection, and engagement with our community, it is clear there is no longer a pathway for this approach for the 2025-26 school year. I am withdrawing my preliminary recommendation, and we will not pursue school closures and consolidations for the upcoming school year. The Board will vote Tuesday to formally approve this direction.
This decision was not made lightly and reflects the Board and my shared priority: the needs and well-being of our students, families, and community. While our Board recognized the vision for the proposed changes, and many in our community understood the need for stability behind them, this decision allows us to clarify the process, deepen our understanding of the potential impacts, and thoughtfully determine our next steps.
The projected $5.5 million savings from the proposed closures are significant. However, we agree that achieving these savings should not come at the cost of dividing our community.
The discourse surrounding this issue highlighted the need for constructive conversations and collaboration to replace conflict, as meaningful progress for our students requires unity and shared purpose.
Instead, we will focus on addressing our district’s budget shortfall through legislative and levy renewal advocacy, as well as pursuing operational efficiencies aligned with our shared values and priorities. We also remain committed to addressing the underlying issues that drove this initial proposal. These challenges remain critical to ensuring the long-term health of our district, and we will continue to work together to find solutions and ensure any adjustments we make are both equitable and sustainable.
I extend my gratitude to the community for its valuable engagement, feedback, and courageous conversations over the past year. Your voices have underscored our collective commitment to the students in Seattle Public Schools.
Moving forward, the School Board and I are resolute in our leadership and dedication to steering SPS toward a strong, sustainable, and student-centered future. Together, we will rise to meet these challenges and create opportunities that support the success of every child we serve.”
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Parents at four Seattle elementary schools marked for potential closure heard some promising words from Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Brent Jones on Tuesday, November 19. During a Seattle School Board meeting, Jones told board directors he is rethinking closures as a tool for dealing with the district’s projected $100 million budget shortfall for the 2025-26 school year.
Jones told the board, “It is now clear that that direction is shifting, and I am considering withdrawing my preliminary recommendation.”
Click here to see the Nov. 19 Seattle School Board Meeting video. Parent speakers start at 1:16:00.
Jones said he needs more time to consider any deficit-reduction approach that includes closures “when it comes back if it does.” The announcement followed months of public outcry about a district plan to close up to 21 elementary and K-8 schools. Earlier this fall, that plan was reduced to a proposal to shutter four elementary schools.
Jones’ comments came following a rally to “Save Our Schools” orchestrated by the parent-led advocacy group All Together for Seattle Schools. The group formed over a year ago to push the district away from closures and toward other options for dealing with the deficit, including working with state lawmakers to fully fund public schools in Washington. Recently re-elected Washington Public Schools Superintendent Chris Reykdal has requested from lawmakers a $3 billion increase in public school funding for the 2025-26 biennium.
During Tuesday’s School Board meeting, many parents spoke about the personal ramifications of potential SPS school closures.
Their comments visibly upset Board President Liza Rankin, against whom five parents recently filed a recall petition. In a tearful response, Rankin told the gathering she didn’t see how the board could vote yes on closures at this point:
“Your questions haven’t been answered; our questions haven’t been answered. I’m so angry to be right here in a completely preventable place, and I’m so sorry that you all have to take your time to come down here,” she said. “I can’t see how the plan that we have right now is in alignment with any of the things that we’ve asked for.”
Following the board meeting and Jones’s announcement, SPS parent Peggy Fu said, “This is the right decision for Seattle’s students and families, and I applaud Director Rankin for recognizing the critical role neighborhood schools play in our communities. As a parent of three daughters in SPS, I am committed to working alongside our community, SPS, and the School Board to advocate the legislature to fully fund schools and ensure every child in Washington has the support they need to succeed.”
Another parent, Kevin Litwack, expressed relief at Jones’ shift and hope for a future where parents work with the district to secure a strong financial future.
“I’m relieved to see the district recognizing the severe negative impact that closing schools would have at this moment,” Litwack said.
Jones’ shift is the first sign that the district may take shuttering schools off the table for next year. The schools named for potential closure are Sanislo, North Beach, Stevens, and Sacajawea elementary schools.
The most recent plan calls for them to consolidate into four other schools (Viewlands, Highland Park, John Rogers, and Montlake). Last month, the district announced December public hearings to discuss closures with impacted families. The School Board was expected to vote on the closure proposal in January.
“I am incredibly relieved that the district is finally listening both to their families and to reason,” said Rebekah Binns, another SPS parent. “Closing schools will not save money or help our students. But the work is just starting. We need the district to reach out and accept parent support and involvement as we find a path forward, together. We are offering a helping hand and have a small army of committed, motivated parents behind us. Please, let us help.”
In response to Jones’ statement to the Seattle School Board, All Together for Seattle Schools put out their own statement on Wednesday. It called the superintendent’s reconsideration of his closure recommendation “welcome news” and urged SPS to “move away from a scarcity and binary mindset, and embrace opportunity through collaboration.”
“We call for SPS to explicitly abandon its school closure plans, whether it is these four schools or the twenty-one schools that were on the recommended closure list in September, because the harm to students and communities is clear, there remains no benefits to student outcomes or the budget deficit, and enrollment projections are on the upswing,” the All Together statement said. “We believe the district and board must get their house in order to build public trust and build confidence with state legislators in Olympia that more funding for public education will be prioritized for student success in SPS.”
The group’s statement said its parent members believe SPS can “learn and grow” from its planning failures:
“The district’s announcement that it may reconsider its closure plans demonstrates that the district needs to fundamentally rethink its governance and management approach, and the way it engages the community. How and when it developed options, the extent to which the community was involved, and how it was proposed caused an unacceptable amount of turmoil and emotional stress to students, families, educators, and communities. It is not enough to stop the closures, we encourage SPS district leaders to change how it operates its system, interacts with school communities, and shares information in accessible and transparent ways. We also encourage the board to change how it conducts oversight, engages with and represents its constituents, and holds the district accountable.”
At the same time, the parent group urged SPS to look for ways to improve pubic, teacher and parent trust, increase enrollment and improve student outcomes.
“This requires SPS leaders to listen to, and partner with, the entire community,” the All Together statement said. “We know this can be done in a way that still centers our most marginalized community members without excluding others. We have seen an outpouring of activism from families across Seattle, from a diverse range of backgrounds, united around a vision of great public schools that meet the needs of every child.”
Following the School Board meeting, Seattle Public Schools canceled several public hearings about the potential closure of Sanislo, North Beach, Stevens, and Sacajawea elementary schools. According to Washington law, districts must hold meetings at schools targeted for closure at least 90 days before a school board makes a final decision.
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