In April 2005, the Superintendent presented a preliminary recommendation on school closure and student assignment to the Seattle School Board and the Seattle community. The purpose of this recommendation was an attempt to focus the District’s available resources on academic achievement and access to quality schools for every student. The overwhelming public reaction was a reaffirmation of how Seattle cares deeply about its students and their education, how important community schools are, and a strong desire to keep schools open. The Superintendent’s response was to remove school closures from his recommendation for balancing the 2006-07 budget.
Although school closures are no longer on the table for the 2006-07 budget year, the District’s immediate and long-term financial picture remains serious. The projected budget gap for 2006-07 is $14M and for 2007-08 is approximately $20M. Over the last several months, the community has made it clear it understands the District’s funding crisis and is willing to help. To capitalize on this reservoir of support, the Superintendent is forming an advisory committee to review the District’s funding challenges, help with the realignment of the District’s budget to better support its academic initiatives, and to explore and provide assistance with strategies for new revenue.
The appointing authority for this committee is Superintendent Raj Manhas. The committee is established pursuant to Board Policy F03.00, Community Advisory and Oversight Committees, and accompanying Board Procedure F03.01.
A. Overall Charge
Provide recommendations on the development and implementation of a short and long-term financial plan/strategy to advance academic achievement and make every school a quality school.
B. The committee’s scope of work should include, but not be limited to:
- Assess the District’s current and long-term fiscal condition.
- Identify efficiencies, cost savings and ways to realign the District’s budget to better support the academic vision.
- Identify options to achieve long-term fiscal stability, including structural changes, as well as ways to increase revenue.
- Recommend strategies for communicating to and receiving input from the public on these issues.
- The committee will be expected to seek input from parents, families and the public in the formulation of its recommendations.
There will be 12-15 committee members, representing a cross-section of community leaders, parents/guardians, business leaders, and other concerned individuals.
The qualifications of committee members should include one or more of the following: financial expertise; experience in leadership roles of large organizations; managing budgets of large organizations; marketing and communication; expertise in K-12 academic issues; and passion, interest and/or experience with the K-12 public education system.
Notification of the proposed establishment of the committee and the opportunity to apply or be considered for membership will include:
- District website
- District e-mail lists, including key communicators, all District staff, and all who have e-mailed to the District website reshaping@seattleschools.org
- E-mail to principals, the Seattle Council of the PTSA, and the District’s Equity and Race Relations Advisory Committee with a request to share the information with their communities
- News-release to all media outlets, including community and special interest publications
Persons interested in being considered for appointment to the committee, or who would like to nominate someone else, should submit their name, address, phone number, e-mail address (if available) and a brief description of their background and reason for interest to:
Seattle Public Schools
Public Affairs Dept. M/S 32-170
P O Box 34165
Seattle, WA 98124-1165
Or e-mail:Publicaffairs@SeattleSchools.org
In the interest of establishing the committee in an expedient manner, the deadline for application/nomination is Friday, June 17, 2005 at 5:00 PM.
The appointment of all committee members will be made by the Superintendent, who may accept or reject any nomination. The Superintendent will also appoint the chair or co-chairs of the committee.
The term of the committee is anticipated to last until December 31, 2005. The term of appointment may be extended upon mutual agreement of the committee and the Superintendent.
The committee will be expected to produce a set of written recommendations to the Superintendent by December 15, 2005. The committee should consider whether to produce interim or draft reports.
The committee will determine the meeting schedule and location. In accordance with Board Procedure F03.01, the meetings will be open to the public and minutes will be kept.
The Superintendent will identify and assign appropriate staff support to the committee. The cost of the staff support has not been determined.