School Day Task Force

Seattle Public Schools has launched the School Day Task Force (SDTF) to examine potential changes to the school day and ensure our schedules best support student learning and well-being.

The Challenge We Face 

• Graduation Progress & Persistent Gaps: Graduation rates have improved but plateaued at about 86%. Equity gaps remain across student groups. 
• Limited Flexibility: Current schedules leave little room for credit recovery or exploration beyond required courses. 
• Unequal Access: Participation in advanced opportunities—such as dual credit, work-based learning, and advanced coursework—varies widely. Our goal is for every student to graduate “Life Ready.” 
• Student Support Needs: There are challenges in providing time for peer connection, clubs, and teacher support. 
• Safety & Time: The district must optimize time and safety to support learning and well-being. 

How the Task Force is Organized 

The SDTF’s work is organized into two subcommittees: 

• High School Schedule Subcommittee: Focuses on schedule structure, credits, and support systems. 
• Operations Subcommittee: Addresses logistics, safety, and resource allocation. 

How We Work 

• The task force meets twice monthly, with breakout subcommittees focused on high school scheduling and operations. 
• The group reviews data, gathers feedback from stakeholders, and develops recommendations for district leadership and the School Board. 

Membership 

The SDTF includes school leaders, central office staff, parents/caregivers, students, and labor representatives. Membership lists for each subcommittee are available on this website. Please see the Meeting Materials section where we have the December 11, 2025 kick-off meeting presentation.

Meeting Schedule 

Meetings are held on Thursdays from 6:00–7:30 PM, with dates scheduled from January through April 2026: 

• Thursday, January 15, 2026 
• Thursday, January 29, 2026 
• Thursday, February 12, 2026 
• Thursday, February 26, 2026 
• Thursday, March 12, 2026 
• Thursday, March 26, 2026 
• Thursday, April 23, 2026 

What to Expect 

Over the course of these meetings, the task force will: 

• Identify key design priorities and considerations 
• Explore a range of schedule options 
• Narrow down and test the feasibility of those options against budget and staffing constraints 
• Finalize recommendations for district leadership and the School Board 

Meeting Materials 

Task Force Kick Off Presentation – December 11, 2025

Questions or feedback? 
Contact: schooldaytaskforce@seattleschools.org