Supports for our Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community

Dear SPS Families, 

Last week, we failed to serve our Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) community. At the School Board Engagement on May 7, we did not provide American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation. Parents from the DHH community were not able to access the meeting and discussion—one which impacts their students and in which they had made the effort to participate.  

We did not do our part to make sure the information was accessible to our DHH families. As a result, they were not provided the same opportunity to share insights and ask questions to their elected leaders.  

First and foremost, we apologize to the parents who attended and were not supported in that meeting. We also apologize to the broader DHH community.  

We understand this is not just a single incident, but part of a longer history in Seattle Public Schools where decision making has been inaccessible to the DHH community. 

Apologies are empty without action. The School Board is committed to providing ASL interpretation at every regular board meeting, special meeting of the full board, and board engagement sessions.  

We will also be reaching out to the DHH community in an effort to identify additional district spaces that are inaccessible to the DHH community and discuss how best to remedy the issue. This will be an ongoing conversation, and we are committed to making spaces accessible. 

We recognize we have a great deal to learn and improve. We are grateful to the DHH community for continuing to engage with us. We are committed to growing a partnership to better serve DHH families and students in Seattle Public Schools.  

With gratitude, 

Gina Topp 
President 
Seattle Public Schools Board