Seattle Public Schools, Washington
Seattle Public Schools |
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Seattle, Washington |
District details |
Superintendent: Brent Jones |
# of school board members: 7 |
Website: Link |
Seattle Public Schools is a school district in Washington.
Click on the links below to learn more about the school district's...
- Superintendent
- School board
- Elections
- Budget
- Teacher salaries
- Academic performance
- Students
- Staff
- Schools
- Contact information
Superintendent
This information is updated as we become aware of changes. Please contact us with any updates. |
Brent Jones is the superintendent of Seattle Public Schools. Jones began serving in an interim capacity on May 1, 2021, following Superintendent Denise Juneau's resignation. The school board appointed Jones permanent superintendent on March 11, 2022.[1] Jones' previous career experience includes serving as Seattle Public Schools' chief officer of equity, partnerships, and engagement and assistant general manager of strategy and partnerships for King County Metro.[2]
Past superintendents
- Denise Juneau was the superintendent of Seattle Public Schools from 2018 to 2021. Juneau's previous career experience included working as an instructional coach and as the Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction.[3]
- Larry Nyland was the superintendent of Seattle Public Schools from 2014 to 2018. Nyland's previous career experience included working as the superintendent of the Marysville School District and as the chief academic officer and human resources director of Highline Public Schools.[4][5]
- Jose Banda was the superintendent of Seattle Public Schools from 2012 to 2014. Banda's previous career experience included working as the superintendent of the Anaheim City School District in California.[6]
School board
The Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors consists of seven members elected to four-year terms. Members are elected to specific geographic districts.[7] Members run within their districts during primaries and citywide during general elections.[8]
Office | Name | Date assumed office |
---|---|---|
Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 1 | Liza Rankin | December 2, 2019 |
Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 2 | Sarah Clark | April 4, 2024 |
Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 3 | Evan Briggs | November 29, 2023 |
Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 4 | Joe Mizrahi | April 4, 2024 |
Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 5 | Michelle Sarju | November 30, 2021 |
Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 6 | Gina Topp | November 29, 2023 |
Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 7 | Brandon Hersey | September 18, 2019 |
This officeholder information was last updated on January 31, 2025. Please contact us with any updates. |
Elections
Elections for the Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors are held in November of odd-numbered years with primaries in August. Elections are staggered so that three or four seats are up for election each cycle.
Four seats on the board are up for general election on November 4, 2025. A primary is scheduled for August 5, 2025. The filing deadline for this election is May 9, 2025.
Join the conversation about school board politics
Public participation in board meetings
The Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors maintains the following policy on public testimony during board meetings:[9][10]
District map
Budget
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[11]
SOURCE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
---|---|---|---|
Federal: | $112,105,000 | $2,077 | 9% |
Local: | $527,761,000 | $9,778 | 40% |
State: | $663,112,000 | $12,286 | 51% |
Total: | $1,302,978,000 | $24,141 |
TYPE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
---|---|---|---|
Total Expenditures: | $1,114,357,000 | $20,646 | |
Total Current Expenditures: | $970,715,000 | $17,985 | |
Instructional Expenditures: | $590,995,000 | $10,949 | 53% |
Student and Staff Support: | $149,088,000 | $2,762 | 13% |
Administration: | $114,721,000 | $2,125 | 10% |
Operations, Food Service, Other: | $115,911,000 | $2,147 | 10% |
Total Capital Outlay: | $141,802,000 | $2,627 | |
Construction: | $137,630,000 | $2,549 | |
Total Non El-Sec Education & Other: | $1,557,000 | $28 | |
Interest on Debt: | $232,000 | $4 |
Teacher salaries
The following salary information was pulled from the district's teacher salary schedule. A salary schedule is a list of expected compensations based on variables such as position, years employed, and education level. It may not reflect actual teacher salaries in the district.
Year | Minimum | Maximum |
---|---|---|
2022-2023[12] | $67,603 | $132,151 |
2020-2021[13] | $51,310 | $118,757 |
Academic performance
Each year, state and local education agencies use tests and other standards to assess student proficiency. Although the data below was published by the U.S. Department of Education, proficiency measurements are established by the states. As a result, proficiency levels are not comparable between different states and year-over-year proficiency levels within a district may not be comparable because states may change their proficiency measurements.[14]
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:
School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2018-2019 | 64 | 70 | 30 | 41 | 35-39 | 68 | 78 |
2017-2018 | 65 | 72 | 31 | 42 | 35-39 | 69 | 79 |
2016-2017 | 65 | 72 | 31 | 44 | 30-34 | 67 | 79 |
2015-2016 | 65 | 73 | 31 | 44 | 35-39 | 68 | 79 |
2014-2015 | 62 | 69 | 29 | 40 | 30-34 | 66 | 78 |
2013-2014 | 73 | 82 | 44 | 57 | 45-49 | 76 | 86 |
2012-2013 | 72 | 81 | 43 | 54 | 45-49 | 74 | 85 |
2011-2012 | 69 | 78 | 40 | 51 | 40-44 | 71 | 83 |
2010-2011 | 65 | 73 | 35 | 47 | 41 | 69 | 82 |
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:
School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2018-2019 | 72 | 73 | 40 | 51 | 45-49 | 75 | 86 |
2017-2018 | 72 | 73 | 38 | 51 | 40-44 | 75 | 86 |
2016-2017 | 71 | 72 | 37 | 51 | 45-49 | 73 | 85 |
2015-2016 | 71 | 74 | 40 | 52 | 40-44 | 74 | 85 |
2014-2015 | 65 | 67 | 32 | 45 | 30-34 | 70 | 83 |
2013-2014 | 77 | 80 | 52 | 63 | 50-54 | 80 | 90 |
2012-2013 | 77 | 79 | 53 | 63 | 50-54 | 80 | 90 |
2011-2012 | 74 | 76 | 49 | 58 | 50-54 | 78 | 88 |
2010-2011 | 72 | 75 | 49 | 56 | 53 | 79 | 86 |
The following table shows the graduation rate of district students each school year:
School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2019-2020 | 84 | 85 | 79 | 72 | >=80 | 88 | 90 |
2018-2019 | 83 | 85 | 77 | 69 | 60-79 | 80-84 | 89 |
2017-2018 | 86 | 89 | 78 | 77 | >=80 | 85-89 | 91 |
2016-2017 | 79 | 83 | 71 | 64 | 50-59 | 80-84 | 86 |
2015-2016 | 77 | 80 | 70 | 63 | 50-59 | 75-79 | 84 |
2014-2015 | 77 | 83 | 66 | 58 | 50-59 | 70-74 | 85 |
2013-2014 | 76 | 82 | 62 | 61 | 50-59 | 80-84 | 84 |
2012-2013 | 73 | 76 | 61 | 56 | 40-49 | 70-74 | 82 |
2011-2012 | 75 | 76 | 63 | 61 | 60-69 | 85-89 | 85 |
2010-2011 | 76 | 77 | 63 | 65 | 50-59 | >=50 | 85 |
Students
Year | Enrollment | Year-to-year change (%) |
---|---|---|
2022-2023 | 51,238 | -0.4 |
2021-2022 | 51,443 | -4.9 |
2020-2021 | 53,973 | -3.7 |
2019-2020 | 55,986 | 1.3 |
2018-2019 | 55,271 | 1.3 |
2017-2018 | 54,573 | 0.7 |
2016-2017 | 54,215 | 1.7 |
2015-2016 | 53,317 | 0.9 |
2014-2015 | 52,834 | 4.4 |
2013-2014 | 50,509 | -0.3 |
2012-2013 | 50,655 | 2.7 |
2011-2012 | 49,269 | 3.1 |
2010-2011 | 47,735 | 2.5 |
2009-2010 | 46,522 | 1.2 |
2008-2009 | 45,968 | 0.8 |
2007-2008 | 45,581 | -1.2 |
2006-2007 | 46,113 | 0.1 |
2005-2006 | 46,085 | -1.4 |
2004-2005 | 46,746 | -1.8 |
2003-2004 | 47,588 | -0.6 |
2002-2003 | 47,853 | 0.8 |
2001-2002 | 47,449 | -0.3 |
2000-2001 | 47,575 | -0.9 |
1999-2000 | 47,989 | 0.0 |
RACE | Seattle Public Schools (%) | Washington K-12 STUDENTS (%) |
---|---|---|
American Indian/Alaska Native | 0.4 | 1.1 |
Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander | 12.3 | 8.7 |
Black | 14.5 | 4.8 |
Hispanic | 13.8 | 25.6 |
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 0.5 | 1.4 |
Two or More Races | 12.6 | 8.8 |
White | 44.8 | 49.1 |
Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Staff
As of the 2022-2023 school year, Seattle Public Schools had 3,165.52 full-time classroom teachers. The student-teacher ratio was 16.19.
TYPE | NUMBER OF TEACHERS |
---|---|
Prekindergarten: | 50.30 |
Kindergarten: | 296.37 |
Elementary: | 1,482.52 |
Secondary: | 1,336.33 |
Total: | 3,165.52 |
Seattle Public Schools employed 43.00 district administrators and 202.11 school administrators as of the 2022-2023 school year.
TYPE | NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS |
---|---|
District Administrators: | 43.00 |
District Administrative Support: | 80.81 |
School Administrators: | 202.11 |
School Administrative Support: | 208.34 |
TYPE | NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF |
---|---|
Instructional Aides: | 764.60 |
Instruc. Coordinators & Supervisors: | 287.05 |
Total Guidance Counselors: | 118.99 |
Elementary Guidance Counselors: | 48.75 |
Secondary Guidance Counselors: | 70.24 |
Librarians/Media Specialists: | 68.21 |
Library/Media Support: | 0.00 |
Student Support Services: | 311.30 |
Other Support Services: | 1,074.20 |
Schools
Noteworthy events
2024: Recall effort
An effort to recall Liza Rankin, District 1 representative on the Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors in Washington, did not go to a vote in 2024. King County Superior Court Judge Michael Scott ruled that the recall petitions could not be circulated as the charges listed on the petition did not meet the state's required grounds for recall.[15]
The recall effort began in November 2024.[16] Recall supporters listed the board's school closure process as a reason for the recall effort. Rankin said the board had not yet voted on any school closures. The board reviewed multiple proposals to close schools in the district due to a decrease in student enrollment, a decrease in federal funding, and a $100 million budget gap.[17]
At the time the petition was filed, Rankin was serving as president of the board.[16] Rankin was first elected to the seven-member board on November 5, 2019, with 55% of the vote against one opponent in the general election. She won re-election to a four-year term on the board on November 7, 2023, defeating one opponent in the general election with 63% of the vote.
2021: Recall effort
An effort to recall six of the seven members of the Seattle Public Schools school board in Washington did not go to a vote in 2021. A King County Superior Court judge dismissed the recall petition on April 19, 2021.[15]
The recall charges were filed against Liza Rankin, Lisa Rivera Smith, Chandra Hampson, Zachary DeWolf, Leslie Harris, and Brandon Hersey in March 2021. District IV representative Erin Dury was not included in the recall effort as she was not a member of the board at the time charges were filed. She was appointed to the position on March 24, 2021.[18][19]
Recall supporters said the board had failed to transition to in-person instruction in a timely manner. Seattle Public Schools started out the 2020-2021 school year in remote learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[16][20] The board voted on March 24, 2021, to move Pre-K through fifth-grade students into in-person instruction starting in April 2021.[18] When dismissing the petition, Judge Mafé Rajul said the decision to close schools was a “discretionary act and members of a school board cannot be recalled unless they arbitrarily or unreasonably exercised such discretion.” She said the school board members had not acted arbitrarily or unreasonably when they voted to close the schools.[15]
2013: Contract negotiations
Members of the Seattle Education Association (SEA) rejected a contract offer from the district during a meeting on August 26, 2013. Teachers said they were concerned about limited salary growth, crowded classrooms, and new evaluation methods in the new contract.[21] District officials and the SEA avoided a potential strike on September 3, 2013, as teachers voted to approve a new two-year contract that increased pay by 2% and included test scores in teacher evaluations.[22]
2013: Growing classroom sizes
In August 2013, district officials and the Seattle Board of Directors proposed increasing the maximum number of students per classroom in response to anticipated continued growth in enrollment. The proposal suggested increasing enrollment limits by two students per middle school teacher and 10 students per high school teacher. The Seattle Education Association (SEA) criticized the proposal, saying it was problematic for the student experience.[23] On August 22, 2013, the Board of Directors voted to remove the proposal from negotiations with the SEA.[24]
Contact information
Seattle School District
2445 3rd Ave. S
Seattle, WA 98134
Phone: 206-252-0000
About school boards
Education legislation in Washington
Bills are monitored by BillTrack50 and sorted by action history.
See also
Washington | School Board Elections | News and Analysis |
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External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- Seattle Public Schools
- Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
- Washington State School Directors' Association
Footnotes
- ↑ The Seattle Times, "Interim Superintendent Brent Jones will be Seattle Schools’ next permanent leader," March 11, 2022
- ↑ King 5, "Seattle superintendent Denise Juneau to resign earlier than planned," March 20, 2021
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Denise Juneau, JD," accessed May 11, 2021
- ↑ Seattle Public Schools, "Superintendent," accessed July 28, 2016
- ↑ Seattle Times, "Seattle School Board opens search for new superintendent," accessed October 16, 2017
- ↑ Seattle Public Schools, "Jose L. Banda," accessed August 1, 2013
- ↑ Seattle Public Schools, "Board of Directors," accessed July 22, 2021
- ↑ Seattle Public Schools, "Board Member Compensation & Expenses," June 1, 2011
- ↑ Seattle Public Schools, "1430 Audience Participation," accessed January 9, 2024
- ↑ Seattle Public Schools, "1430BP Audience Participation," accessed January 9, 2024
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed June 17, 2024
- ↑ Seattle Public Schools, " 2022-23 Certificated Instructional Staff Salary Schedule," accessed February 6, 2024
- ↑ Seattle Public Schools, "2020-21 Certificated Instructional Staff Salary Schedule," accessed July 23, 2021
- ↑ U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC: EDFacts, "State Assessments in Reading/Language Arts and Mathematics- School Year 2018-19 EDFacts Data Documentation," accessed February 25, 2021
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 KOMO News, "King County judge blocks recall petition against school board leader," December 2, 2024 Cite error: Invalid
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- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Seattle Times, "Seattle School Board chooses new board member, approves plan to return to classrooms," March 24, 2021
- ↑ Seattle Public Schools, "Board of Directors," accessed March 29, 2021
- ↑ Seattle Public Schools, "Timeline: Return to In-Person Learning Timeline," accessed March 29, 2021
- ↑ KOMO News, "Seattle, South Kitsap school districts vote to reject contracts," August 26, 2013
- ↑ Capitol Hill Seattle Blog, "Teachers ratify contract, Seattle Public Schools start new year Wednesday," September 3, 2013
- ↑ KPLU, "Teachers Slam Seattle Schools' Proposal to Increase Class Size," August 14, 2013
- ↑ The Seattle Times, " Seattle schools drop proposal to increase class sizes," August 22, 2013
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