The Seattle School Board held a public hearing on the 2024-25 Recommended Budget on June 26, 2024. View the full agenda for the June 26 meeting. The School Board voted to approve the 2024-25 Budget during the July 2, 2024 board meeting.

Superintendent Budget Book Introduction

Dr. Jones’ introduction letter for the 2024-25 Recommended Budget Book

Dear Seattle Public Schools Community,

Thank you for your support of Seattle Public Schools and for your dedication to helping us carry our commitment to eliminating opportunity gaps to ensure access and provide excellence in education for every student. It is truly an honor and a privilege to serve as your superintendent.

The last few years have presented Seattle Public Schools and many other school districts across the country with unprecedented challenges related to the pandemic, enrollment losses, and continued underfunding. All of these together have resulted in a significant structural deficit that we have been working hard to resolve.

The district has made significant reductions in our budget to move towards a position of long-term financial sustainability. This has been accomplished with targeted reductions in areas furthest away from students and through a series of one-time internal borrowing strategies. Conservative fiscal practices and on-going reductions of $61.8 million in FY 2023-24 and $29 million proposed for FY 2024-25 have helped reduce the projected on-going deficit for 2025-26 to approximately $94 million (from $131 million in 2023-24).

In this document, we are presenting a balanced budget for FY 2024-25. However, we are now out of significant one-time options and will need to make more systemic changes to stabilize the system going forward. Stabilizing our budget will allow us to provide a more consistent and predictable experience for our students and families. Additionally, establishing a stable foundation will allow us to make future strategic investments until all schools are well-resourced and able to effectively meet the needs of all students.

We currently serve 23,000 K-5 students at more than 70 sites across the district, with an average enrollment of 317 students per site. Twenty-nine of our schools have fewer than 300 students. Given that the State funding model is based on the cost to run a 400-student elementary school, elementary schools this small are simply not sustainable and dilute resources throughout the system.

Many have asked if we could just increase enrollment or sell some of our properties to solve our financial problems. While we are looking at options to increase enrollment, increasing enrollment alone will not solve the on-going structural deficit issues. The sale or lease of properties are also being explored, but those proceeds would only benefit the capital program and cannot fund district operations.

The district can go in one of two directions – we can make further cuts to services, staff, and supports in all schools, or we can maintain and plan to enhance student services and supports with a reduction in the number of elementary schools to match elementary school enrollment. We must consider which is the greater priority – the location of the school building or the services and educational opportunities available to students when they are at school.

Whether Seattle Public Schools will need to make additional reductions on top of school consolidations and a change in bell times will depend in large part on the outcome of the 2025 Legislative session. We are working with our legislative representatives to communicate our needs in Olympia and appreciate their support.

Thank you for your dedication to Seattle Public Schools and to our kids. In the coming months, we will continue to engage with our communities around well-resourced schools and our strategic planning efforts. I encourage robust participation in these engagements as we work together to provide excellence in learning for the students of Seattle Public Schools.

Sincerely,
Dr. Brent Jones
Superintendent

2025-26 Adopted Budget

The Board voted to adopt the 2025-26 Budget at the July 2 Regular Board Meeting. No changes were made to the Recommended Budget.

Read the 2025-26 Adopted Budget

Budget Highlights

Balanced Budget

• Seattle Public Schools’ General Fund Operating Budget for 2025-26 is $1.35 billion.
• This budget eliminates the projected $104 million deficit for 2025-26.
• Over 70% of the General Fund is allocated for Teaching and Teaching Support activities.
• All schools will remain open for the 2025-26 school year.
• No reductions are made to current class sizes, programs, assistant principals, librarians, or school discretionary funding. However, some schools may see fluctuations in their staffing due to enrollment changes.
• An additional $2.3 million is invested in safety and security.
• This budget was developed through seven public study and engagements sessions with the Board.

Closes the Budget Gap for 2025-26 by:​

• Extending a portion of the Interfund Loan for at least one more year (repaying up to $17.6 million as part of the 2025-26 budget proposal)​
• Using the 2023-24 unrestricted fund balance
• Deferring repayment to the Economic Stabilization Account (“Rainy Day Fund”)
• Increasing State and local revenue
• Reducing Central Office budgets further

Capital Budget

• Allocates over $530 million for facility improvements and development of state-of-the-art spaces for student learning.
• Alki Elementary School, Rainier Beach High School’s Performing Arts Center, and Ingraham High School’s Construction Trades Skills Center are scheduled to open by Fall 2026.
• Work will also continue at Aki Kurose Middle School, Rainier Beach Athletic Fields, and the Memorial Stadium replacement project.
• Preservation of existing buildings remains a district priority as postponing needed repairs impacts our students’ learning environment.

Looking Ahead

The District anticipates an on-going resource gap and is working to stabilize the system through structural changes and increased resources. Collaboration with the community task force on the Strategic Plan and Resource and Strategy will continue to inform long-term budget planning.

Operating Budget Development Documents

• August 29, 2024: Budget Study Session
• September 18, 2024: Budget Study Session
• December 18, 2024: Board adopts Educational Program Resolution per Board Policy No. 0060
• January 22, 2025: Budget Study Session
• February 26, 2025: Board Engagement
• May 21, 2025: Budget Study Session
• June 4, 2025: Introduce Recommended Budget for 2025-26 & Public Hearing
• July 2, 2025: Action on 2025-26 Recommended Budget

Schools’ Budget Development Documents

• School Budget Development Instructions 2025-26 (“Gold Book”)
• 2025-26 School Allocations (“Purple Book”)

Weighted Staffing Standards (“WSS”) Workgroup

Per district policy, the Weighted Staffing Standards “WSS” workgroup meets each year and makes recommendations to the Superintendent about potential changes for the following year’s direct school funding.

WSS Meeting Minutes

• WSS Meeting Minutes – October 29, 2024
• WSS Meeting Minutes – November 21, 2024
• WSS Meeting Minutes – December 4, 2024
• WSS Meeting Minutes – December 17, 2024