SEATTLE — Seattle Public Schools proposed closing approximately 20 elementary schools at a board meeting Wednesday.
The school board voted to advance the plan, which is expected to be discussed at the June meeting before further steps are taken.
Superintendent Brent Jones asked the board for permission to come up with a school closure plan that could impact thousands of students.
According to SPS, the elementary schools are only at 65% capacity. The new plan would increase the school utilization to 85%, which is closer to the usage of middle and high schools in the district.
At the meeting Wednesday, Jones said the proposal is part of the "well-resourced schools" vision. Essentially, students would be moved into larger schools where they'd have more resources.
There are close to 23,000 elementary students in the district. Under the proposal, they would be divided between approximately 50 schools rather than the nearly 70 that are currently open.
According to SPS, 29 schools have fewer than 300 students.
This proposal comes months after SPS said it would not announce any school closures for the 2024-25 school year. No schools have been identified for closure.
However, the thought alone had parents speaking up at the meeting.
"You can't just impose something on us, especially a radical, extreme and frankly unacceptable plan," one parent said during public comment.
"I understand that parents are a little bit concerned, maybe a lot concerned, about what's going to happen to their child. But I believe that we are forthright and we are honest about trying to have more services," Jones said.
Jones said in November of 2023 that the district was navigating a budget shortfall of over $100 million.
Other districts in western Washington have taken the step of consolidating schools in recent years due to similarly declining enrollment and strapped budgets.
Bellevue School District, faced with a $31 million budget shortfall, consolidated two elementary schools and is considering additional measures.
SPS announced it will be holding multiple public informational meetings starting later this month.
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