Seattle schools chief: 'We have a lot of work to do' this year

SEATTLE -- Seattle Public Schools Interim Superintendent Larry Nyland laid out his priorities for the 2014-2015 school year Tuesday and said he  wants to focus on the district’s strategic plan, which outlines several goals including strengthening schools and closing the opportunity gap for students.

"We have a lot of work to do this year," said Nyland.

The district will transition from the Measurements of Student Progress (MSP) tests in grades 3 through 8 to the Smarter Balanced tests as part of the implementation of the Common Core Standards. There will also be a new math curriculum for elementary school students.

“Seattle continues to outperform the majority of the state, test scores are up, and more schools are off the state watch list,” said Nyland. “I look forward to the hard work of our teachers, principals, and staff in 2014-15 as we work to continue this positive trend.”

At a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Jane Addams Middle School, Nyland also discussed plans to add schools to accommodate more students. The district estimates there will be over 52,000 students this year. By 2020, that number could be at 60,000.

Jane Addams Middle and Fairmount Park Elementary open this year.

Several other school construction projects are under way.

In July, Nyland replaced Superintendent Jose Banda, who left for a job in California.