SPS Superintendent recommends no school closures amid low enrollment

SPS reveals plan to address budget deficit

Parents and staff in Seattle can breathe easy for at least one more school year. Seattle Public Schools has unveiled its latest plan to address a $100 million budget deficit.

SEATTLE - Seattle Public School Superintendent Dr. Brent Jones is recommending there be no school closures or consolidations in the next school year.

"No schools will be closed during the 2024-25 school year," Dr. Jones said.

However, consolidation of schools could begin for the 2025-26 school year.

"Decisions about any future consolidations will only happen after collaborative consultation with the community," Dr. Jones said.

According to SPS, the district faces projected deficits of $105 million for fiscal year 2024-25, $129 million for 2025-26, and $153 million for 2026-27.

One of the major issues for those numbers includes declining student enrollment. Other factors include:

District decisions regarding programming/operations in support of students
Depletion of one-time funding services
Gaps in state education funding

Declining enrollment has been a factor affecting budgets in school districts across Washington and the United States. SPS said it is working to right-size the number of schools to accommodate lower student enrollment.

To balance the budget for the 2024-25 school year, the district intends to seek the implementation of loan tools the Washington State Legislature provided along with restructuring some programs.

Parents and school advocates at Wednesday's School Board Meeting applauded the decision.

"I think that’s huge. I really appreciate the honest and direct and transparent communication," said Alex Wakemen Rouse. "I think it’s excellent news that it’s not going to happen next school year."

While some parents told the board this allows for more time for school communities to prepare for potential future changes, more work still needs to be done.

"While it's great news that you have changed course on closing schools for next school year, knowing that this is very much a focus in the following year puts a lot of stress on our families," said parent Erin MacDougall.

The school board is expected to vote in the official stabilization policy on Dec. 13, with the superintendent making a full presentation of his plan on May 8.