UPDATE Oct. 2, 2024: In an announcement sent to Seattle Public Schools parents on October 1, SPS Superintendent Brent Jones said the district is now focusing on “consolidating” only five schools—a far cry from the 17 to 21 school closures the district has been considering—and parents have been protesting— since last year.

The letter was an abrupt change from the two options for dealing with the district’s projected $94 million 2025-26 budget deficit announced at the Seattle School Board’s September 11th school meeting. At that meeting, two school closure proposals were put forward: one that would have closed 21 schools for $31.5 million in savings and another that would have closed 17 schools, saving $26 million. considered for the school closure plan. The plan is intended to help balance an estimated $94 million budget shortfall for the 2025-26 school year.

Following the September 11 meeting, parents opposed to closures intensified their efforts to persuade the district to rethink the options.

But in the letter to parents this week, Jones responded:

“After taking some time to reflect on your feedback, I have developed a revised plan that will support addressing the budget deficit for the 2025-26 school year while taking steps to right-size our school system,” he wrote in an email to parents. “Under this revision, I intend to propose consolidating five schools for the 2025-26 school year. What we learn from this initial set of schools will guide our future action.”

In his message to parents, Jones said the selection of the five schools to be consolidated will be based on the following criteria:

- - - Building condition: Physical building safety and health levels
    - Learning environment: Facility’s design in support of all types of learning
    - Analyzing enrollment and capacity: Facility’s ability to hold 400+ students, including space for intensive IEP services and preschool classrooms
    - Minimizing disruption for students and staff: Facility’s ability to keep as many students and families together as possible
    - Maintaining student access to specialized service models: Facility’s ability to house the resources students need to thrive ‘

Jones said the district plans to share its recommendations with the Board by the end of October, adding:

“We encourage you to stay engaged and share your thoughts as we navigate this important decision together. We will be hosting community gatherings for both general information purposes as well as to share specific plans and transition supports for impacted schools. We are listening, and we value your input — it is critical in shaping a stronger future for our students.”

The district is now inviting parents to submit questions or feedback through its Let’s Talk form. For more information, go to the Well-Resourced Schools webpages.

**News updates to this evolving news story are provided by Seattle’s Child staff

Changes coming to Seattle Public Schools

By Jillian O’ Connor

Originally published August 30, 2024

For many young students and families, local elementary schools are a safe and familiar place — a home away from home beginning at age 5 or younger.

From that perspective, it makes sense that when Seattle Public Schools (SPS) announced last May that as many as 20 elementary schools would be closed to help balance an estimated $94 million budget shortfall for the 2025-26 school year, many parents voiced outrage and concern.

Some parents expressed concerns that closing schools would not substantially reduce the district’s budget hole while causing major upheaval for children, families, and school staff.

“It’s not addressing the root cause, which is likely going to require some tax reform at the state level,” says Rebecca Fischer, a Wedgwood Elementary parent.

The district has estimated that each building closure saves about $1.5 million—$30 million for 20 schools. While SPS is well aware that school closures don’t solve its serious funding issues, the district believes they are a necessary part of the solution.

Most students will be impacted

As a June 10th article in The Seattle Times pointed out, closures in Seattle will not only impact kids whose buildings are shuttered. Along with closing schools, SPS officials say the district will broadly redraw attendance boundaries. The upshot? Kids whose current buildings stay open may still have to move to other schools in 2025-26.

Seattle is not alone in its financial problems. Many districts in Washington and across the U.S. are facing budget reductions now and into the future.

Bellevue School District closed two schools at the start of 2023-24. According to its online budget priorities document, that district faces a $10 million deficit this year and “potentially $15 million in 2025-2026 as well as another potential $15 million in 2026-2027.”

Taking time to gather and consider public input

After holding several, at times raucous, public meetings in May and June to hear community comment on the closures, SPS announced that it would hold off on announcing the list of schools that will close to have more time to consider input from families and the broader community.

At the Seattle School Board meeting on August 28, Superintendent Brent Jones gave board members an updated timeline for the plan to “consolidate” schools for the 2025-26 school year. On September 9th, the two different proposals that are being considered were shared with the community. Jones’ updates to the Board can be seen on the Seattle School Board YouTube. The final proposed school closure list will be announced on October 9th.

“Reducing the footprint of our elementary schools will help us achieve two goals: creating better learning environments for students and balancing our budget,” Jones said at the Aug. 28 board meeting.

School closures will drastically alter the current boundaries map. Graphic by Kathleen Halloway.

A system of “well-resourced” schools

The School Board and Superintendent Jones say that the closures will ultimately result in larger but more equitable and “well-resourced schools” throughout the district. Jones has said more than 50 SPS elementary schools have fewer than 400 students. The goal of consolidation would be schools with between 400 and 450 students, with ample access to a nurse, librarian, art and music programs, and a Pre-K curriculum accessible in each building. According to information disseminated by SPS, a well-resourced school:

Includes access to high-quality educators and modern classroom resources, textbooks, and technology,
Offers a curriculum that is inclusive and representative of diverse cultures, backgrounds, and abilities,
Prioritizes safety through proactive security measures and
Fosters a supportive environment where students feel valued and supported socially and emotionally.

Strong community reaction

Some parents and parent advocacy groups, including All Together for Seattle Schools, say closing schools breaks up community, connection, and consistency for kids and families. They want to see the numbers. They called on Superintendent Jones to “Show your work!”

In a letter to Jones and the SPS Board, All Together leaders wrote: “School consolidations will likely not solve the SPS budget gap or give remaining schools additional resources.”

Other parents are speaking out in support of the closures, saying they consider them necessary, although difficult, measures that have to be taken as a partial solution to the district’s budget deficit.

Lots of parents worry that closures will negatively impact BIPOC communities and the district’s commitment to inclusion for kids with disabilities.

Janis White, mom to three SPS graduates and the past president of the Seattle Special Education PTSA, is concerned that closures will mean more self-contained classrooms for kids with disabilities. White wants assurance that remaining schools will be “in line with what the evidence now shows, over decades: that all students — not just the students with disabilities, but the nondisabled peers in the inclusive classroom — do better” with inclusion.

Parent Dionne Malatesta has also served in the Seattle Special Education PTSA and is the creator and moderator of the Facebook group Future of Seattle Public Schools. Of the upcoming school closure probability, Malatesta says: “I have learned not to be too concerned about all the little details until we actually hear things from SPS about closures. I don’t think they’re being very transparent, [but] that’s par for the course.”

And parent Becky Brownlee, who has a son enrolled in SPS, says she feels “passionate” about public schools, but SPS is “just not resourced appropriately.”

“I think they just need to make the announcements so that we can start preparing students, staff, and families for the changes,” Brownlee says of the closure plan.

In August, SPS promised that when developing the plan for well-resourced schools it is committed to “ensuring every student thrives in educational environments that reflect our community’s diversity and needs.”

Big questions yet to be answered

As the new school year starts, parents have many questions. Will they have access to child care with a school move? They are concerned about busing. They want to know: Will SPS use an equity tool in its decision-making to ensure decisions are even-handed and equitable for kids throughout the city, for children of all races, economic levels, and religions, and for LGBTQ kids? Attending the SPS Community Meetings in September and early October will give parents a change to weigh in on these and other concerns and may provide some of the answers.

Change is always challenging and the impact of school closures is profound at both the family and community levels. Elsewhere in this section, we share some of the hopes, fears, and concerns of parents and other community members regarding the district’s deficit reduction — including school closures — plan.

You’ll also find suggestions for avoiding a fear-based approach when parenting your kids through big changes.

Find updates on the SPS Well-Resourced Schools plan at seattleschools.org/resources/well-resourced-schools/

Read the full ‘Changes coming to SPS ‘ project

Seattle’s Child talked to parents and community leaders about their thoughts about school closure impacts, fears about school closures, and ideas for navigating the changes. Check out the rest of the package.