The superintendent of Seattle Public Schools is set to update families about a school closure proposal for Fall 2025.
FILE – A student holds a sign that reads “Don’t Close Schools!” at a gathering to protest possible closures in the Seattle Public Schools district as part of a proposed consolidation plan.
Four elementary schools are on the chopping block, and concerned families planned to protest ahead of Tuesday's school board meeting, urging the school board to keep the lights on at their neighborhood campuses next year. Superintendent Dr. Brent Jones identified four schools that could close next fall based on low enrollment and their aging buildings. They are Sanislo, Stevens, North Beach, and Sacajawea elementary schools. That would force hundreds of students, like the Carrillos, to transfer outside the Sanislo neighborhood."Is it what’s best for the kids?" asked parent Rachelle Carrillo.
This comes amid the nearly $100 million budget deficit, and Jones estimates these closures could save about $5 million in operating costs. SPS parent Rebekah Binns added she's angry with what she calls a lack of transparency from the school board through the planning process. "It’s really disheartening. It’s really disappointing that the community is speaking so loudly, and yet it doesn’t matter," Binns stated. While Binns' two elementary-age students will not be impacted by the proposed closures next fall, she’s concerned about this becoming a multi-year cycle with impacts on school programs and services.
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