Introducing a System of Well-Resourced Schools

SPS is sharing important updates about our plan for a system of well-resourced elementary schools, which received approval for further development from the Seattle School Board on Wednesday, May 8.  

A system of well-resourced elementary schools will create a new foundation of stability and consistency that our students and staff need to thrive. 

Many of our SPS elementary schools are under-enrolled. Our proposal does include elementary school consolidations. Empty seats can lead to fewer staffing resources, more staffing adjustments in the beginning of the school year, and inequitable offerings from school to school. 

That’s why, in the 2025-26 school year, we are looking to consolidate more than 70 elementary school sites (many currently under-enrolled) into approximately 50 well–resourced ones. All schools would include the elements that many of our families, staff, and students said were important during the Well-Resourced Schools Engagement Sessions last fall and earlier this spring, including: 

• Multiple teachers per grade level 
• Stable support staff 
• Inclusive learning for every student 
• Social and emotional learning support 
• Art, music, and PE teachers 
• Stable operational budgets 
• Safe, healthy, and beautiful school grounds 
• Space for preschool 
• Connections to the community 

Our new well-resourced elementary school model would mean SPS will have fewer buildings that serve students in preschool through 5th grade. However, each building’s capacity would be better aligned with student enrollment. 

If we maintain the current system, we will need to reduce services. This could mean having more students per teacher, reducing core school staff, scaling back preschool offerings, and suspension of new curriculum adoption. Depending on how much we cut, we might still have to close some schools. 

May and June Well-Resourced Elementary Schools Community Meetings 

Starting this month, we are hosting informational community meetings to get your important input. We want to know how this will impact you and get your suggestions on how to most effectively proceed. 

To ensure SPS families have the greatest opportunity to take part, each meeting will present the same information but be held in locations around our district. 

What’s Next 

Our superintendent, Dr. Brent Jones, is scheduled to bring preliminary recommendations about consolidation plans for 2025-26 to the Seattle School Board in June. 

We understand that change can be challenging for every one of us. Throughout this process, we will be there to listen to you. We will always prioritize inclusive and high-quality education for our students. 

Well-Resourced Schools Update Oct. 1, 2024

Dear SPS families, staff, and community,

Thank you for taking the time to express your thoughts about our plan to develop a system of well-resourced schools. I heard you loud and clear, and I understand the many valid concerns you have about the proposal in its current form.  

We know we need the support of our students, families, and staff to uplift a large-scale change such as this. My hope is that we can work together to re-establish a level of trust that allows us to move forward in a way that honors our school communities.

After taking some time to reflect on your feedback, I have developed a revised proposal that will support addressing the budget deficit for the 2025-26 school year while taking steps to right-size our school system. 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. 

It is also clear our families value many of the offerings we have in our district. Under the revised proposal, K-8 and option schools – including those with specialized service models like Deaf and Hard of Hearing and Dual Language Immersion – are not under consideration for the upcoming school year.

Like many districts, SPS is facing declining enrollment and very real budget challenges. This new approach aims to reduce disruption while helping us balance budgets in the coming years. We are working hard to close an approximate $100 million budget deficit for the 2025-26 school year. Each consolidation will moderately lower this deficit, contributing to our long-term financial stability. 

Selection Criteria for Consolidations

Over the next few weeks, the Well-Resourced Schools team and I will determine the five schools recommended for consolidation for the 2025-26 school year. A third-party expert will validate the evaluation process to ensure transparency and accountability. 

The selection process is 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  

What’s Next

We expect to share preliminary recommendations with the Board by the end of October.  

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. 

Please submit your questions or feedback through our Let’s Talk form.

Thank you for caring so deeply about the future of our schools and for your continued support.  

Sincerely,  

Dr. Brent Jones  
Superintendent  
Seattle Public Schools

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FAQ and Submit Question and Feedback

The district has a $1.2 billion budget. Closing a school to save $750,000 to $2.5 million doesn’t seem like it would make a big difference. Aren’t there better ways to cover the deficit?  

One alternative to closing schools would be to have less staff at each individual school. This would mean further reducing school staff — assistant principals, librarians, counselors, social workers, instructional aides, custodians, maintenance workers, security personnel, grounds staff, — and/or reducing the number of teachers by increasing class sizes.