FOLLOWUP: Seattle Public Schools officially canceling plan to close four schools including Sanislo Elementary next year

Thanks to those who forwarded this: One night before the Seattle Public Schools Board was scheduled to have a special meeting to authorize superintendent Dr. Brent Jones to withdraw his plan to close four schools, he sent families a message tonight saying he’s doing just that, declaring the district will find other ways to save money – next school year, at least:

As Superintendent, I take seriously the responsibility of ensuring our district’s schools meet the needs of every student while operating sustainably for the future.

Earlier this year, the Seattle School Board directed me to develop a preliminary recommendation for elementary school closures and consolidations to address enrollment declines, budgetary challenges, stabilizing programs and services.

After much deliberation, reflection, and engagement with our community, it is clear there is no longer a pathway for this approach for the 2025-26 school year. I am withdrawing my preliminary recommendation, and we will not pursue school closures and consolidations for the upcoming school year. The Board will vote Tuesday to formally approve this direction.

This decision was not made lightly and reflects the Board and my shared priority: the needs and well-being of our students, families, and community. While our Board recognized the vision for the proposed changes, and many in our community understood the need for stability behind them, this decision allows us to clarify the process, deepen our understanding of the potential impacts, and thoughtfully determine our next steps.

The projected $5.5 million savings from the proposed closures are significant. However, we agree that achieving these savings should not come at the cost of dividing our community.

The discourse surrounding this issue highlighted the need for constructive conversations and collaboration to replace conflict, as meaningful progress for our students requires unity and shared purpose.

Instead, we will focus on addressing our district’s budget shortfall through legislative and levy renewal advocacy, as well as pursuing operational efficiencies aligned with our shared values and priorities. We also remain committed to addressing the underlying issues that drove this initial proposal. These challenges remain critical to ensuring the long-term health of our district, and we will continue to work together to find solutions and ensure any adjustments we make are both equitable and sustainable. …

The closure possibility loomed over months of meetings, discussions, and protests about what the district originally suggested would result in a system of “well-resourced schools” – a concept first introduced a year and a half ago – closing up to 20 of them and offering two possible slates of closures. That was eventually whittled down to four elementaries including Sanislo. Then last week’s emotional board meeting ended with Dr. Jones saying he might withdraw the plan.

P.S. If you want to talk with West Seattle/South Park school-board director Gina Topp about any of this – or any other SPS topic – her community conversation meeting remains on for 6:30 pm tomorrow (Tuesday, November 26) at West Seattle (Admiral) Library (2306 42nd SW), shortly after the board’s one-issue, online-only meeting to officially cancel the closures.

26 Replies to "FOLLOWUP: Seattle Public Schools officially canceling plan to close four schools including Sanislo Elementary next year"

  • Darren November 25, 2024 (9:39 pm)

    So if I read this correctly his solution is to ask for more Money thru levies, can’t live within their budgets, can’t made hard leadership decisions to correct the course and as one strategy to consolidate schools, while difficulty it is the right thing to do, accepts 24 % salary increase. Student outcomes are poor.really pathetic, poor leadership, should be fired, and  do not ask us for more money, so disappointing 

    • Elton November 26, 2024 (8:50 am)

      > while difficulty it is the right thing to do,I assume you mean “while difficult”. What makes it the right thing to do? It’s a drop in the bucket of a massive shortfall. If they had a comprehensive plan that would balance the budget and school closures were a part of it, it could make sense. But closing some schools to over-fill and underfund other schools is nuts. > do not ask us for more money,Salary increase aside, you clearly do not understand the financial situation here. If you add up what it costs to educate a child, multiply that by the number of kids, and add in maintenance costs it simply does not equal the budget. Maybe you don’t care about the education of our children, but I know I’d rather have a well-educated future generation.


      • Darren November 26, 2024 (10:38 am)

        Disagree and we raised kids and educated them to also understand that difficult decisions often need to be made your assumption like so many us to throw money at a situation and hope that solved the problem consolidating schools was just one of the strategies that needs to be implemented the number of kids is dropping, buildings require investment and only makes common sense to achieve efficiencies, will this be the only strategy that needs to happen to pull SPS out of the hole, absolutely notWe all want kiddos that are educated, I just don’t assume that consolidating a school will negate that. Will there be some challenges for families absolutely, but that too can be teaching moments.  All the superintendent did was kick the can down the road, showed zero leadership while taking a huge salary increase( teachers didn’t receive that level)No matter the entity be it a government, non profit, schools must run on some level of business principles, and evaluate why things aren’t working and more importantly pivot when neededfacts are, kids are leaving the district, for other districts, private schools, home schoolingmetrics of performance are terrible, buildings are in poor condition, SPS is not working like it should.  Consolidating makes sense as one of the strategies in their pipelinethis was nothing more than NIMBY in relation to a families individual schoolno more money till there is a rationale plan to fix the distinct 

    • Melissa Westbrook November 27, 2024 (6:06 am)

      So the levies have a cycle and came up again; the budget has nothing to do with it. They desperately need the Operations levy but if you want to make a point, don’t vote for the Capital levy (BEX).His raise was not 24%, it was more like 10%. That said, it sure doesn’t read well in public. Whether you believe closing schools is necessary, this process was a mess and both the Superintendent and Board President are to blame.

  • Steph November 25, 2024 (9:50 pm)

    Good job parents! You worked hard to save your schools!Thanks to the School Board and Superintendent Jones for responding to the needs of families and especially students who have already gone through so much turmoil over the past few years.

    • The King November 26, 2024 (2:00 pm)

      Today’s solutions become tomorrow’s problems. Enrollment in schools is down 4000 students, the state is staring down a four year projected deficit of $10-12 billion. Looking back that $8 billion tax break Inslee gave Boeing might come in handy right now but that’s assuming it wouldn’t have been spent by now. Record high tax revenues yet we’re in the hole. They have a spending problem, not a revenue problem, big cuts need to be made statewide 

  • Anne November 25, 2024 (9:59 pm)

    What a coward. I will vote no on any school levy until every other possible option is visited FIRST. 

  • Tired of the BS November 25, 2024 (11:49 pm)

    I’m going to agree with Darren and Anne that I’ll vote no for any school levy increase.  SPS has lost 4,000 students since 2019 and they don’t want to consolidate schools? Great opportunity to show some real leadership and stewardship to the taxpayers, maybe next year???

  • jj November 26, 2024 (2:19 am)

    Let me guess, more taxes to help pay for these schools? Who are we kidding, of course that is what this will mean. 

  • WS Guy November 26, 2024 (4:06 am)

    Going after us with more tax increases because they are too cowardly to cut.  I’m so not surprised.

  • anonyme November 26, 2024 (5:57 am)

    What a phenomenal and disruptive waste of time, money, and energy.  Either the school closures were necessary or they were not; that decision should have been made before the announcement.  The protests should have been expected, so reversing a decision based on outcry only shows poor leadership.

  • Pauline November 26, 2024 (5:59 am)

    Yay! This makes me happy! Sanislo is here to stay! Great work parents’ 

  • K November 26, 2024 (6:21 am)

    Well, it sounds like the door is open for school closures/consolidations for the 26-27 school year.  Maybe trying again with more time to engage staff will help it actually happen.  Other than that possibility, this is all very disappointing.

  • Sunrise Heights November 26, 2024 (6:22 am)

    School consolidation may have been worth pursuing, but the reactions for and against have seemed to ignore the complexity of the problem. If student numbers grow, and schools have closed, reopening is incredibly expensive as well. The district functions with an average class size that is higher than desirable for educational outcomes, so a lower enrolled school may not meet those averages, but is that a problem with the class size or the funding model? We don’t have an income tax in this state as most states do, which puts more funding pressure on mechanisms like levies. Those feel to voters like extra taxes to pay for what already should be paid for, but they are what policy makers must resort to as a way to address not having a progressive tax system to draw on for basic services like education. We are one of the wealthiest states in the union by average income but struggle to fund robust public services largely because the wealthier classes are generally disinterested in investing in the public good and advocate for public policy that protects personal wealth over public education, safety, infrastructure, etc. I’m torn about the school closure question and am frustrated by Brent Jones’ lack of leadership, which has created a circus around this issue rather than rallying public support and understanding around the need for legislative solutions. 2025 is a biennial budget year in the legislature and the public that is concerned for their schools needs to hold state policy makers accountable for public education and be prepared to support progressive solutions.

    • SPS parent November 26, 2024 (12:48 pm)

      Thank you for this thoughtful comment! The budget is a complex issue with multiple causes and no easy solution, but Jones’ lack of leadership throughout this process has been incredibly disappointing. 

  • Concerned Neighbor November 26, 2024 (7:18 am)

     I agree that I will not vote for any levy going forward unless and until SPS shows their fiscal responsibilities are taken seriously.  An outside audit of the SPS system, including each individual school, needs to be done.  Running to the voters for more money when other means haven’t been exhausted shows they have not been good stewards of the public’s money and expectations.   Having worked in SPS for many years in the past, I know for a fact that monies are wasted on tons of unnecessary things.  Tried to blow a whistle, and was shut down repeatedly.  Headquarters only knows what the principals want them to know, whether its financially or student data.  Its all manipulated.  The District was remiss in not following through with the much needed consolidation.  Now the public knows they can be manipulated and will not take information seriously.

  • Meeee November 26, 2024 (7:23 am)

    Levies from now on are a nope for us.                            The lack of backbone shown by this superintendent and the board to make hard decisions to get their house in order is embarrassing for all of them.                   I expect the head of an organization and its board to be able to live within their means.                          This abxence of the courage necessary to do the hard things shows they aren’t up to the job.

  • Concerned November 26, 2024 (8:41 am)

    So, if I’m tracking this:1) Budget catastrophe! We need to close 21 schools to survive.2) Still a budget catastrophe! But we can close 4 schools to survive.3) Yes, STILL a budget catastrophe! No closures, we’ll spend the same amount – we won’t change our budget substantially.4) Push the budget woes to the community, state, and federal governments, even though we are in a housing crisis, with Boeing layoffs, and an incoming President who wants to eliminate the Department of Education.And all of this with declining enrollment!This is not leadership. I am an educator in another district, a strong supporter of public education, and my child went to public schools in West Seattle, but even to me this looks nuts.

  • Vee November 26, 2024 (8:54 am)

    this is very disappointing, I will not support any levy or taxes for poor management of money and budget. this seems to happen so often with many business that are poorly managed.  who is runnig these boards, seems not doing a very good job and did he back down to keep his job, what a mess

  • Marcus November 26, 2024 (9:34 am)

    It is all about living within a budget. I do not think it has much to do with taxes at this point because Seattle has never voted down a school levy. Seattle politics rarely want to make the difficult decisions and I hope that is changing. All groups need to be heard yet even indecision and deferring to the next years is not a solution. 

  • Bbron November 26, 2024 (10:49 am)

    oh no, not the tax payers 😭 maybe y’all will finally wake up to the fact that regressive tax structures aren’t sustainable. all y’all knew that this is the only way for the state/city to raise funds; why didnt y’all budget or plan accordingly yourselves? you live in a 0 income tax area; don’t bemoan having to pay a fraction of what other states require of their citizens. work towards an income tax, cause I’ll keep on voting for the levies.

  • Jon Wright November 26, 2024 (11:49 am)

    I am NOT an apologist for Seattle Public Schools administration, but I do acknowledge the financial challenges they face. The “need to live within the budget” etc. posters here clearly do not understand the extent to which school funding is hamstrung by the state legislature, the effects the high cost of living here have on running a school district, or the extraordinary social services demands placed on an urban school district.

  • DoneWithLevys November 26, 2024 (1:44 pm)

    Glad the schools are saved but perhaps they examine administrator salaries first. I will 100% vote NO on any levy related to public school funding. I’m tired of it. I don’t have children, I’m tired of paying more money to support programs that could be funded with more judicious examination of money allotment within the district, e.g. administrator salaries/contracts. It’s BS

  • Alki Parent November 26, 2024 (2:45 pm)

    All of these “now I’ll vote ‘no’ on future levies” comments – get real. We all know you were going to vote no regardless. 

  • Frank November 26, 2024 (5:09 pm)

    In this seemingly logical exercise of closing schools to save money they never completed a full financial analysis in amy of the proposals. Sure they told us they’d save us about 1 million per school closure. But they never broached cost increases (longer distance bussing, security issues at closed schools, reopening schools if enrollment increases). We went through closures 15 years and there was one elementary school that cost 10 million to reopen due to copper theft and related damage. With the fentynal and crime issues worsened since then, they probably didn’t want to discuss those realities. Closures would probably not save money. So they simply lied to us and pursued whatever hidden agenda they have. Instead of wasting all the consultant and executive level compensation to walk in circles, the school board could have laid them off a year ago and saved us 10+ million and more distrust.

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