Annual Adjustments to School Staffing
Enrollment Down from 2017-18 School Year
Twice a year, we project student enrollment figures for the coming school year. These figures are important because they help us anticipate state funding and allow us to hire the anticipated number of staff for each school building. Funding for staff is based on student enrollment. The enrollment adjustment is a process all districts statewide implement to match the number of teachers with the actual student enrollment levels of each school.
This year's count was 724 fewer students than projected, resulting in a shortfall of $7.5 million.
The trend is not unique to Seattle Public Schools, many neighboring districts' enrollment including Bellevue, Issaquah, Highline, Kent, Federal Way, and Tukwila are all lower than their projections. We are evaluating multiple factors to understand why our projections were so much higher than actual September enrollment.
Staff applied a race and equity lens to support our schools with the highest need. While the need was greater than our available resources, we are able to stabilize staffing and minimize greater disruptions for some schools
We shared the new adjusted staffing allocations with school leaders on Sept.19, and they are in the process of informing staff and their community.
What does this mean for your family and child?
- For some schools, they may receive an increase in staff to accommodate additional students.
- For other schools, staff may be moved to another building because their final enrollment was lower than predicted.
- The school principal may need to adjust the master schedule and class lists to accommodate the final student enrollment.
We recognize that any school staff disruption causes anxiety and frustration. Central office staff and Executive Directors of Schools are working closely with principals to make this process as smooth as possible for students and families.
We know the changes will affect our teachers, students and families. We thank you for your patience and understanding in this process. If you have additional questions, please email staffing@seattleschools.org.
If you want to learn more about enrollment projections and staffing, please visit our Staffing Adjustments FAQ webpage.