Designing a System of Well-Resourced Schools
How did we get here? What is informing this proposal?
We have reached a crossroads for our district.
Our aim is for all our schools to reflect community values and provide a complete education that prepares students for success throughout their lives.
The alternative being presented to the Seattle School Board is that our district takes on the challenging but rewarding work to develop a system of Well-Resourced Schools.
Enrollment and Number of School Buildings in Operation
Student enrollment has declined while student support needs have increased – especially in these years following the pandemic. Enrollment is expected to continue to decline over the next few years.
Despite these population changes in our city, it has been many years since we have closed school buildings in SPS.
SPS operates more than 70 schools serving students in preschool through 5th grade.
This new model would mean, SPS would have fewer school buildings that serve students in preschool through 5th grade, but the building capacity would be better aligned with student enrollment.
By comparison, none of our neighboring school districts (Bellevue, Renton, Lake Washington, Shoreline, and Highline) have an elementary school with less than 300 students.
Our goal is to provide more stability. The well-resourced schools initiative provides:
- Stable Funding:
- fiscal stabilization by eliminating the district’s structural deficit
- multi-year budgeting process so we can look ahead confidently
- Stable Staffing:
- predictable school allocations;
- new Weighted Staffing Standards (WSS)
- Stable Programs and Services in our schools, including special education services; English language services; expansion of Highly Capable access
- Stable Operations with increased transportation efficiency
In the long run, everyone — students, staff, and families — will benefit from having enough resources in our school buildings. Teachers will collaborate better, and families will feel confident that their children are safe and learning effectively.
What is a well-resourced school?
A Well-Resourced School:
- includes access to high-quality educators and modern classroom resources, textbooks, and technology
- offers curriculum that is inclusive and representative of diverse cultures, backgrounds, and abilities
- prioritizes safety through proactive security measures
- fosters a supportive environment where students feel valued and supported socially and emotionally
Guiding the SPS Well-resourced Schools Vision
SPS well-resourced school conversations will be guided by Board Policy 0010, Instructional Philosophy, Board Policy 0030, Ensuring Educational and Racial Equity, and Board Policy 2200: Equitable Access to Programs and Services.
These policies demonstrate the Seattle Public Schools commitment that students will be supported and affirmed in their learning, with multiple pathways to success, in school environments where they feel seen, heard, and welcomed in all spaces.
Seattle Public Schools has made eight commitments to the success of every student in each of our schools.
Read SPS Policy 0030Balancing the Budget and Fiscal Considerations
We are using a balanced and equitable budgeting process.
Moving to a system of well-resourced schools provides many benefits for students, families, and staff. These include more staffing resources and fewer staffing adjustments due to budget.
Like many school districts across the state, SPS is facing a significant budget deficit. The district has been working hard to respond to this challenge.
We are working to stabilize our financial future to be sure our schools can provide resources our community consistently priorities.
We aim to stabilize the SPS budget over time while creating better, stronger well-resourced schools. This new model would mean SPS would have fewer school buildings that serve students in preschool through 5th grade, but the building capacity would be better aligned with student enrollment.
Update to Community on Seattle Public Schools Budget: Supporting Students Together
Every spring, school principals develop their building’s budget for the next school year. Budgets guide us as we work to prioritize inclusive and high-quality education for our students.
To achieve a balanced budget, we know we must make changes. We are approaching these decisions in a thoughtful way to ensure we minimize negative impacts on student learning.
Read the full March budget updateWell-Resourced Schools Community Engagement
The community vision will provide a foundation to frame challenges and opportunities for SPS in the coming years and help guide future strategic planning and resource allocation decisions, including funding for Well-Resourced Schools, SPS Funding Our Future planning, renewal of the Seattle Excellence Strategic Plan, and the BEX VI Levy. Read more about community engagement.
Recent News and Announcements
SPS Student Devices
Seattle Public Schools provides student devices during the school year to support classroom instruction.