District 5: Tell Michelle Sarju To Stop School Closures

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Email Subject:

Dear [Your Elected Official],

I am a concerned parent with students in SPS. I am writing to urge you to stop plans to close 20 elementary schools throughout Seattle in the 2024-2025 school year.
I understand that Seattle Public Schools faces the dual challenge of $100 million dollar annual deficits and declining enrollment. I also know that you are seeking to work towards a sustainable funding model for the school district that will provide quality education to every child. But, I believe your proposed “well-resourced school plan” is misguided.
Closing schools won’t bring stability and sustainability to Seattle Public Schools for three specific reasons:
<ol>
<li>Closing schools will not close the budget shortfall: Analysis of major school closures in other cities like Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Washington DC showed that other schools that closed around 20 schools only saved an average of $17.5 million per year (in 2024 dollars). This does not begin to close the budget shortfall. </li>
<li>Closing schools will drive declining student outcomes: Closing big city schools has only been linked to worsened student learning outcomes, especially in the short term. After Seattle kids have just emerged from an extremely disruptive COVID-19 pandemic this is another major disruption that our children cannot afford. Their future depends on positive progress in their outcomes each and every year. </li>
<li>The current plan for a “well-resourced school” is not well-defined and overlooks the necessary staffing reductions needed to balance the SPS budget deficit. Before any changes are implemented, a detailed and concrete plan outlining the specific services and educational provisions must be presented to ensure our children receive the support they need. Parents of middle and high school students also deserve to know the impact of these reductions on their children, as focusing solely on elementary school students distracts from the inevitable district-wide effects.</li>
</ol>
Because of all of this, I’m writing to demand that the school board and SPS leadership:
<ol>
<li>Provide transparency: We demand that district leadership provide a transparent plan that explains in a clear way the finances, student outcomes, process, ultimate shape of a well-resourced school, and decision-making. If SPS leadership is unwilling to engage with the parents on this issue, we demand that our elected school board identify new leadership that is willing to engage with and collaborate in a meaningful way.</li>
<li>Explore OSPI Financial Oversight: As parents, we urge the School Board to publicly discuss OSPI financial oversight. SPS is responsible for governing a $1 billion enterprise, and failed to manage District funds effectively or make data-informed decisions to ensure long-term sustainability. SPS is likely to have a deficit general fund balance within three years and unable to prepare a satisfactory financial plan:</li>
<ol>
<li>A projected $100 million deficit for the 2024-2025 school year.</li>
<li>A $27.5 million loan without a clear repayment mechanism.</li>
<li>Unclear calculations on the financial benefits of proposed school closures.</li>
<li>A lack of a finance and audit committee to deeply understand and guide fiscal decision-making.</li>
</ol>
<li>Lobby the State to Fully Fund Education: We know that much of this is a crisis that isn’t of your making. You daily face the reality that our state chronically under funds education. Our children shouldn’t pay the price for this. I urge you to work with the governor and the legislature to secure that funding rather than mass school closures that negatively impact students.</li>
</ol>
Our District is in crisis and the lack of accountability and financial oversight to address the entire budget deficit by the administration and the School Board is unacceptable. Our children deserve a stable, transparent, well-resourced and safe educational environment.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

[Your Address]

[Your City & State]

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Summary

Seattle Public Schools projects that it will face deficits at or around $100 million dollars in each of the next four years. They also project declining elementary school enrollment in the coming years. As a result they are proposing that 28% of the elementary schools in our district will be closed, impacting every student. Unfortunately closing schools won’t bring stability and sustainability to Seattle Public Schools for three specific reasons: <ol> <li>Closing schools will not close the budget shortfall - at best it will save $30 million annually</li> <li>Closing schools will not solve low enrollment</li> <li>Closing schools will drive declining student outcomes</li> </ol> Fill out this letter to urge District 5 School Board Director Michelle Sarju to stop plans to close 20 elementary schools throughout Seattle in the 2024-2025 school year and instead develop a different plan to achieve fiscal stability. Please note that the name of your school board director will not populate when you enter your information. It will be added after you click "Send email."

Who will receive your email?

Michelle Sarju Director