SEATTLE — Seattle Public Schools is considering school mergers as the district deals with declining enrollment and differences in learning conditions across its schools.
In a letter to families, Superintendent Ben Shuldiner said the district enrolled more than 94,000 students in 1964. Today, enrollment is below 50,000.
Shuldiner acknowledged several factors have contributed to the decline, including some problems within the district itself.
“Some of the decline was out of the district’s control, but some was self-inflicted,” Shuldiner wrote, pointing to changes in leadership, programs and policies over the years.
Shuldiner also described visiting a K-8 school with fewer than 50 students where multi-grade classes are common, as well as a K-5 school with fewer than 120 students.
No specific schools have been named for potential mergers, and the district says the process will include months of community engagement. Staff and family meetings are expected to continue through February, with possible School Board action in early March.
In the letter, Shuldiner added, “I know the fear of closing a school, your school, creates unease and uncertainty. And of course, this further exacerbates the move toward private, charter, or other districts’ schools.”
Shuldiner said the larger goal is to create more equitable learning conditions for students across the district, rather than having a child’s opportunities depend on which school they attend.
Not everyone is on board.
The parent-run group Save Seattle Schools is pushing back against another round of closures following the district’s 2024 closure debate.
“We believe heavy-handed closures would be a colossal mistake just as optimism about the district was starting to build,” the group said in a letter. The organization argues closures could create more uncertainty for families and drive additional students away from the district.
Families will have another opportunity to weigh in Tuesday, Oct. 27, during a Superintendent Community Engagement Meeting from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Robert Eagle Staff Middle School. Leaders say the meeting will give students, families, staff, and community members an opportunity to provide feedback.
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