SCHOOL CLOSURES: Superintendent’s initial list would close four schools including Sanislo Elementary, consolidating it with Highland Park

4:04 PM: The list is out. Seattle Public Schools superintendent Dr. Brent Jones is finally out with his promised short list of school closures/consolidations – four in all, including Sanislo Elementary on Puget Ridge, consolidating it into Highland Park Elementary. Here’s his full message:

Dear SPS Families, Staff, and Community,

Thank you for your unwavering dedication to our students and schools. We are incredibly grateful for your ongoing support and commitment to helping us navigate these challenging times.

Balancing our budget is no easy task, especially as we face a significant shortfall. However, our guiding mission remains clear: ensuring that every student receives an excellent education in an environment that fosters learning and growth.

Our Budget Challenge
Like many districts across the state and nation, Seattle Public Schools (SPS) is grappling with a persistent budget shortfall. Declining enrollment—driven by rising housing costs, the ongoing impact of COVID, and a shift towards home-based instruction and private schools—has compounded the issue. Additionally, state funding for public schools continues to fall short.

We find ourselves at a critical financial juncture. Yet despite these challenges, SPS remains a place where excellence thrives. We proudly serve nearly 50,000 students, offering enriching academic experiences, extracurricular activities, and vital special education services. Our goal is to preserve these opportunities and ensure every student, in every school, has access to high-quality education and the support they need to grow.

Our Path Forward
We know many of you have experienced frustration as we’ve worked through these difficult decisions, and we are grateful for your passion and feedback. We face a $94 million shortfall for the 2025-26 school year. To address this, we are pursuing several strategies:

1. School Consolidations: After careful consideration and listening to your concerns, we are moving forward with a smaller plan to merge four schools in the 2025-26 school year.

This consolidation is part of a larger strategy to stabilize our finances. By closing these four under-enrolled schools, we will start to build a stronger, more sustainable school system. This is the best way forward in ensuring our district continues to provide the high-quality education our students deserve.

My preliminary recommendation to the School Board will be the following:

Northwest Region: Closing – North Beach Elementary Consolidating with Viewlands Elementary at Viewlands
Northeast Region: Closing – Sacajawea Elementary Consolidating with John Rogers Elementary at John Rogers
Central Region: Closing – Stevens Elementary Consolidating with Montlake Elementary at Montlake
Southwest Region: Closing – Sanislo Elementary Consolidating with Highland Park Elementary at Highland Park
We understand this change is difficult. We chose these schools based on factors like building condition, space, and the goal of minimizing disruption to students and families. A dedicated transition team will be working with the impacted communities to ensure a smooth and supportive process for everyone involved.

We recognize the deep connection that our community has with its schools, and we are committed to a thoughtful and transparent process. Starting next week, we will hold engagement sessions at impacted schools, offering in-person support weekly through November 23. Additionally, a districtwide information session will take place on Thursday, Nov. 14, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

2. Advocating for Legislative Support: We are actively seeking full support from the state legislature to help cover our budget shortfall, particularly in areas like special education, transportation, and operational costs. In addition, we are advocating for an extension of our interfund loan and seeking to fully utilize our levy authority.

3. Central Office Reductions: To keep cuts away from classrooms, we are identifying operational reductions within our central office, including staff reorganizations and adjustments.

4. Changing School Bell Times: We will transition to a three-tier bell schedule, which will allow us to reduce transportation costs by running more bus routes with fewer buses.

5. Renewing Levies: In February 2025, we will ask voters to renew two critical levies—the Educational Programs & Operations (EP&O) Levy and the Building Excellence (BEX VI) Levy—which provide vital funding for school operations and maintenance.

Efforts to Increase Enrollment
To attract more families back to SPS, we are conducting an enrollment study. This study, expected to be completed by December, will guide our efforts in recruitment and retention, helping us build a stronger, more vibrant school community.

Building a Sustainable Future
Seattle Public Schools has been in existence for more than 150 years. While this may be a difficult moment in time, we must continue to seek viable solutions. This will require our community’s ongoing partnership and support.

This approach will begin to help us stabilize the budget for next year. I am committed to continuing this conversation with families, staff, and the School Board as we work toward sustainable fiscal solutions. Together, we will create a future where every student in Seattle Public Schools can thrive.

More info to come. And remember that West Seattle/South Park School Board Director Gina Topp has set her next community-conversation meeting for this Sunday, 11 am-noon in person at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond).

ADDED 6:21 PM: The anti-closure community coalition All Together For Seattle Schools reacted:

We are disappointed that Seattle Public Schools is moving forward with closing four public schools. They are proceeding despite evidence their justification for closures is flawed, evidence that closures harm students, and overwhelming public opposition. We strongly oppose this proposal and will rally the community to oppose it and any other closure plans. … Rather than make closures that harm students and won’t come close to addressing our budget gap, SPS should join us in asking the legislature to close the entire budget deficit for districts across Washington State.

Alki resident October 24, 2024 (4:11 pm)

I’m happy to see more people waking up and homeschooling and private schooling their child.

J October 24, 2024 (4:49 pm)

Homeschooling is no panacea.
It can be viable but requires a high degree of commitment and time of parents, too much for me!

The recent massacre in Issaquah makes the point that not even home schooling is free of the tragedy of firearm violence.
- Alki resident October 24, 2024 (6:43 pm)
  
  A child killed his family over a misunderstanding. That had absolutely nothing to do with homeschooling. He and his family were upstanding citizens in their community. A boys brain doesn’t fully develop until he’s 27, so try not to judge that kid. Not sure why you’d even bring that up. There are millions of children being homeschooled. This is my first time ever hearing something like this. Stay on topic. What’s nice about homeschooling is that you’re flexible. You’re not stuck to a desk and your lessons can take you anywhere you want to be. They have tons of friends from other homeschoolers, to other types of schools, they tend to have more skills and definitely kinder. Yes there’s dedication but that’s what parenting is already and it certainly pays off in the end.
  - Alki Parent October 24, 2024 (10:03 pm)
    
    Not every parent can afford to home school or send their child to private school.
  - Sunrise Heights October 25, 2024 (6:35 am)
    
    Alki resident, there are millions of amazing, committed parents who don’t home school. Your choice can be a good one for you and your family without suggesting that those who don’t make that choice or who don’t have access to it are somehow less committed to or less engaged in parenthood than you are. I choose to model civic and public engagement for my kids. They could be in private schools, but I don’t want them growing up in protected pockets of white privilege. Public schools have their challenges, but they are also one of the most critical public goods we have and need both the protection and engagement of those who can give it. None of that is to say that you are not making a valid choice or are not publicly engaged. I don’t know you and wouldn’t suggest that. We can make different parenting choices for different reasons, public or private, and both be making sound choices. The topic of this article is the announcement about school closures for budget reasons. Why are you using to tell everyone they should homeschool like you?
    - Alki resident October 25, 2024 (8:39 am)
      
      I don’t homeschool. My children are adults. Maybe reread my comment. You kind of went to left field. Seattle public Schools have failed children since the 70’s with their decisions. You’re likely newer to the area so are unaware. There’s way too much shuffling of children, closing schools and making poor decisions hence my comment about being happy more and more parents are choosing to homeschool for more stability in the kids life. This has nothing to do with being white privileged. And the family members being homeschooled are actually Mexican and black in case you’re doing research.
  - Melissa Westbrook October 25, 2024 (7:11 am)
    
    First, the topic here is not homeschooling. You might follow your own advice.Second, while it’s true boys’ brains develop later, he picked up a gun and shot 5 people dead. I’m not gonna put this all on his brain’s development.
    - Alki resident October 25, 2024 (8:46 am)
      
      “ Our Budget Challenge “ tells you everything you need to know why I mentioned homeschooling. It literally says more people are leaving public school for homeschooling and private schools, which is the reason schools are consolidating in the first place. Hence closing schools to save money.
  - Pinto October 25, 2024 (11:30 am)
    
    Homeschooling may be great if you are privileged enough to be able to stay home and educate your children. However that is not the reality for most
CarDriver October 24, 2024 (4:51 pm)

Alki resident. So that’s a cheaper/easier way to go? So that’s a documented better educated child than a public school education?
- Alki resident October 24, 2024 (6:34 pm)
  
  Car driver it can be cheaper but you have more freedom to get your child unlimited activities and sports in their life. Not to mention having a more focused, uninterrupted and committed child who isn’t being constantly sidelined by kids that want to act up instead of learn. My family members school year round, have above average reading levels and don’t witness lockdowns and chaotic scenes that others do in a school building. The amount of people including teachers that have quit their jobs to homeschool is impressive.
  - K October 25, 2024 (10:17 am)
    
    Not unlimited. Those activities are always limited by finances, and for many families their kids have more access to those activities through public schools for that reason. None of the things you listed will look that way if you have a child with a disability either. I’m happy that homeschooling has worked for your family, but please understand that you are speaking from a place of privilege.
    - Alki resident October 25, 2024 (11:29 am)
      
      Yes unlimited, meaning there’s endless daytime activities children can do. My grandchildren have disabilities and that doesn’t stop them from swimming lessons, horseback lessons or many other activities. Scholarships can also be given for these activities. Once again, privilege has nothing to do with it.
    - K October 25, 2024 (2:26 pm)
      
      Ok, I no longer believe you actually know these characters you’re citing here. This answer is so disconnected from reality. The point of view you’re trying to present is definitely one of privilege, and maybe if you were talking about the real experiences of real people you really knew, you would better understand why that is.
Zoe October 25, 2024 (9:25 am)

I hear a lot of holier than though and superiority homeschooler. One issue with the push for all families who can to embark on the idillyic homeschool or private school setting is that kids will eventually have to do deal with the greater society that is shaped by the health of all kids. When there are people committed to public schools for whatever reason they are investing in the community that they will inevitably be living in. Homeschool or private is a great choice and option for some but for others the community good of public schools is a reward in and of itself and as “good” as the alternatives.

Melissa Westbrook October 24, 2024 (4:22 pm)

My sympathies to those schools named. Some thoughts:- the district appears to be wasting no time in having the legally required hearing for each school named – those start next week.- I note that there are no SE or QueenAnne/Magnolia schools named. So the schools are in the NE, NW, Central and SW.- The district is going back to 3-tiers of buses which will change a lot for many students, whether their school is closing or not. – I don’t know how much schools might push back but North Beach parents say they will.

Kyle October 24, 2024 (4:42 pm)

I’m no math whiz, but prepare for overcrowding at Highland Park.

Anne October 24, 2024 (5:14 pm)

Closing just 4 schools – can this even begin to touch the “significant budget shortfall “?I believe this is just the beginning- to make it more palatable- but expect more closures in the future.

Admiral Mom October 24, 2024 (5:41 pm)

Sadly, all this disruption will not make any impact to improve student incomes. None of this will result in students having academic success. But right-sizing the district is necessary. There are districts around the country with similar number of students with half the amount of school buildings. This is unsustainable.

Kara October 24, 2024 (8:34 pm)

I’d be interested in seeing what the three tier bell schedule looks like since that will impact almost every sps family and many after school programs as well

K October 24, 2024 (8:45 pm)

I feel for the Sanislo families that will need to uproot and integrate into a new school, but that one felt pretty inevitable. That school is NOT in good shape and the district does not have money to rebuild, nor does the enrollment level there justify a rebuild. Students deserve community, but they also deserve well-maintained buildings that are safe and sanitary.

Melissa Westbrook October 25, 2024 (7:15 am)

Keep in mind that no school is responsible for its upkeep. And there are many schools that appear underenrolled because the district would not move their waitlists. The districts should not wholesale off property. They did that to Queen Anne High and we feel the ramifications to this day. Once sold, that property is gone and the district can’t easily buy property.

PastSanisloParent October 25, 2024 (12:21 am)

What happens with the closed school buildings and play yards. (My son attended Sanislo Elementary 30 years ago for grades K – 3. He loved the large play area – especially the meadow and small woods.) SPS says the building is beyond upgrading.Then I say the entire property needs to be sold. I think the plot is perfect for a huge multi-building housing complex. Sale proceeds should be used to offset the district budget deficit. Likewise, sell all other closed facilities and the respective play grounds.

3cents October 25, 2024 (7:45 am)

It was mentioned at School Board Meetings that the school district would not sell any of the properties or land. I find it odd since the primary reason for closing Sanislo is it’s not in great shape. It seems like the wrong choice for the district to keep it in their portfolio if they don’t have the funds to fix/rebuild it. Not to mention the property has drainage and flooding issues. Why keep it when another party can buy it from the district and make it usable for the community?

Pauline October 25, 2024 (6:27 am)

Former Sanislo student. It was inevitable. Then again it was great as a smaller school for learning. I can’t even do well in university lecture halls. Has this what comes down too…:/

Melissa Westbrook October 25, 2024 (7:17 am)

Again, it would be folly for the district to sell any school land. They have other properties they can sell first.The district says they will have a plan for each building closed. Stay tuned,