After announcing two potential plans for school closures in September, Seattle Public Schools (SPS) is pivoting with a new, scaled-back proposal.
Instead of the suggested 21 or 17 school shutdowns, SPS is now planning to consolidate five schools next year in an attempt to address its $91.5 million budget gap.
The school district has yet to select the five schools, but a final vote on the matter is slated for January. When considering which schools to consolidate, criteria will include building conditions, student capacity, and enrollment.
Superintendent Brent Jones also announced that K-8 and option schools — which include specialized deaf + hard of hearing and language immersion programs — will no longer be considered for consolidation.
SPS hopes to close only one school per region, according to Jones. The consolidation will account for ~$7.5 million in savings, leaving a hefty remainder of the multi-million deficit still to be addressed.
