SCHOOL CLOSURES? Seattle Public Schools delays announcement until at least September

Thanks for the tips. Seattle Public Schools has decided to again delay the announcement of any specific schools planned for closure/consolidation. The topic is still on tomorrow night’s School Board agenda, but here’s what superintendent Dr. Brent Jones says will and won’t happen:

… While the rescheduled [board] meeting will occur on June 26, this Regular School Board Meeting will not include a proposed “school closure list.”

Instead, the presentation will focus on the criteria guiding our decisions, such as budget and enrollment data, building condition assessments, program considerations, and community input.

We’ve heard from our community. Families and staff want to understand our planning process and react to proposals. The end of the school year and summer is not an ideal time for community engagement. Over the summer, my team will work hard to evaluate and consider the feedback we have heard and refine the plan that will be presented to our board.

Reports will resume with our School Board and community in September. Our board will be voting on the well-resourced schools plan before winter break in December 2024.

We have received strong participation and valuable feedback during our community meetings. Our community cares deeply about our schools.

It is crucial to ensure any steps we take are in the best interest of our students and families. Therefore, we will take more time this summer to thoroughly consider your input before announcing school consolidations.

You can read the full update here (it follows an update on school-security concerns).

DemandCurve June 25, 2024 (11:24 am)

It’s a fait accompli, closures will be announced at the last possible minute, and the “Process” will prevent the School Board from addressing any issues in response to any criticism. “Our Process must be followed and will be followed and we’ll let you know the outcome of the Process and so please send complaints to the Process and we will direct your complaints to the Process which is strangely unresponsive these days. Our hands are clean.”

Frog June 25, 2024 (1:44 pm)

I could save them a ton of time. Whatever school you want to close, the community is strongly opposed. So forget about it. Your job is done. Now go enjoy the beach.

JTM June 25, 2024 (3:12 pm)

No doubt they are kicking the can as to not compromise 24/25 enrollment numbers.

Alki Parent June 25, 2024 (4:25 pm)

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Agree. They need to rip off the band-aid. No information should lead everyone to presume the worst and act accordingly.

Melissa Westbrook June 25, 2024 (4:47 pm)

My guess is that they are now worried about trying to close too many schools and want to pare it back to maybe 10. – Glad the presentation will be about criteria because that will let
us know if they are going to do this strictly on equal assessment or
bring in their “value” assessment for “those students furthest from
educational justice.” – The end of the school year/summer not a good time you say?- Savings over time, you say? Could that be the counterargument to “closing schools won’t close the budget gap.” –
If the final list vote is in December, they will have to get to those
legally required public meetings for each named school before that time. It’s going to be a rushed process. – “External experts? Are they paying for consultants now? Lordy.

Mike June 25, 2024 (5:09 pm)

So glad we pulled both our kids out of the SPS dumpster fire.

Problem w/ Private Schools June 25, 2024 (6:15 pm)

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What an insightful comment, Mike! So glad you have the privilege to pull your kids out of the public school system, unlike the vast majority of SPS families! So glad you feel like it’s a good idea to share with everyone too, Mike. I wonder how much of SPS’ challenges are due to families like yours divesting in public education, and instead pooling their resources in private schools (i.e. historically white and already wealthy communities)? If you choose not to invest in public schools, Mike, you should probably know that (with the exception of families who have neurodiverse children, those with learning disabilities, etc.) most people regard parents like you as part of the problem, and definitely not part of the solution. They just don’t say anything to you, because well, it’s Seattle. But they know.. especially when you post tone deaf comments like the one you just posted. Anyway, so glad you feel so good about your own privilege, Mike! Keep on sharing about how relieved you are to not be supporting the fight for equitable and accessible education… it’s very insightful. 👍🏽
- Deb June 25, 2024 (9:06 pm)
  
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  While I also have kids in SPS…and mostly agree with you… you’re assuming Mike’s kids go to a private school when they could have moved to White Center or Burien etc. I understand your frustration though.
- flimflam June 26, 2024 (9:40 am)
  
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  Not sure why such a snarky, scolding tone. If a family decides that SPS is not serving their child’s needs and decide to send them elsewhere that’s their decision – it’s certainly not their responsibility to suck it up to make someone like you happy.
- positives w/private schools June 26, 2024 (3:07 pm)
  
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  I feel very fortunate to be able to have my kids in private school (catholic). It takes a whole lot of sacrifice but I believe it’s worth it. We work VERY hard to be able to afford it, and do without a lot of other things because of the choice. I’ll say, it’s not just wealthy white families, there are lots of regular average (and plenty of non-white!) families who do the same. I feel confident that my kids are safe at school during the day and able to focus on learning. And if “most” people think I’m part of the problem, well I’m fine living with that. My kids are learning to be good responsible human beings. And the Catholic schools have a high commitment to service so the kids are learning how important that is as well. And yes I know all the problems with the Catholic church – but our family’s experience with the education process has been amazing. They’ve been doing it for years and do it well.
- KinesthesiaAmnesia June 27, 2024 (2:06 pm)
  
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  As fun as it is to be “supporting the fight” for all students’ “equitable and accessible education,” parents & guardians will do what they think is best for their own real kids they are raising. Nobody should be made to feel embarrassed for wanting their kids in a safe learning environment that works best for them. Like my kids are not here to solve Seattle public school’s worst systematic issues or prop up its successes either. They are here to live their own best lives within our family’s means. Like any other loving parent we do whatever we can to make that happen!I think if anyone disinvested in Seattle’s public education systems it’s not individuals that never had kids or people who pulled their kids out. Because if people like Mike and me put their kids in private school, or never had kids at all, it’s not like we opted to disinvest in public schools. We never stopped paying any of the property (unless Mike moved?) or sales taxes (or buying Lotto tickets!) that supposedly go towards funding our schools. The problem is the whole entire state is not adequately funding or “supporting the fight” for kids currently enrolled in SPS. Also for other districts in WA, like even in the capitol city of Olympia. Olympia public schools have been in the news for similar issues with underfunding and campus closures, and I’m not sure what Mike ever did to that place.

THOMAS LAXTON June 25, 2024 (5:55 pm)

stop closing schools start hiring better teachers every time you close down a school you end up reopening them and waste cleaning them up better teachers,administrators and financial people is the answers and if more money tax the hell out of weed and alcohol

Admiral Mom June 25, 2024 (7:27 pm)

It’s impossible to make everyone happy. Had they presented a plan tomorrow, it would have been “not enough engagement, not enough time to have conducted a thorough analysis, not enough opportunity to weight in “. But now that there is more time for further involvement and consideration, we don’t like that either. So this is my expert opinion: closures are imminent. Schools are unsustainable. Save your energy to advocate for remaining schools to be truly well resourced for all kids, not just yours

Alki Parent June 25, 2024 (9:07 pm)

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The engagement people want is to understand what the proposed closure plan is, and then be able to respond to it with feedback. Right now any feedback is just yelling in the dark.