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Seattle Public Schools alters its closure plan

Seattle Public Schools recently proposed closing five schools next year instead of the previous 21. Here’s what’s in store.

Dunlap School in Rainier Beach is partially obscured by surrounding trees in the foreground, whose branches cover up the top half of the building. The building, composed of white stone and red brick, features a columned entry and a wide, green grass lawn.

Dunlap School was one of the original schools slated for closure under the previous proposal’s Plan A.

Photo by Joe Mabel

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.

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