SEATTLE — Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Brent C. Jones announced a new school consolidation plan following pushback from parents, students and community members.
Under the new proposal, five schools would be closed. It also spares the closure of schools with specialized service models, such as Deaf and Hard of Hearing and Dual Language Immersion.
The district initially released two options that would have saved $31.5 million and $25.5 million, respectively. It was intended to close an approximate $94 million budget gap spurred by decreasing student enrollment and less federal funding.
According to SPS, enrollment has dropped by 4,000 students and officials don't expect it to rebound any time soon. One of the initial plans would have closed 17 schools and the other would have shut down 21.
The new consolidation proposal is expected to be in effect for the 2025-26 school year. Jones did not release which five schools are set to be closed, but that announcement is expected by the end of October.
In the statement to SPS students, families and community members, district staff and a third-party expert will analyze the options based on physical building condition, learning environments, enrollment-to-capacity ratio, access to specialized service models and what would minimize disruption for students and staff.
"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," Jones wrote.
District families are urged to submit their input to the SPS Let's Talk form. The district will schedule in-person informational meetings as well.