‘We are at the tipping point’: Seattle Schools may consolidate due to $131M budget deficit

(The Center Square) – Seattle Public Schools is facing a deficit of $131 million that could cause the district to consolidate some of its schools.

Student enrollment at Seattle schools has dropped consistently from 53,627 in the 2019-2020 school year to 50,187 in the 2021-22 school year. School officials expect enrollment to continue to decline as well. However, staffing at the district has trended upwards from 5,609 staff members in 2014 to 7,273 last school year.

“We are at the tipping point,” Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Brent Jones said at a budget work session. “Our structural deficit has grown to approximately $131 million . . . that is a lot.”

The current school year’s budget is based on $82 million of one-time spending that was used to plug gaps in the budget last year, according to Jones. The next steps school officials are considering include creating $36 million in savings in the district’s central office for the 2023-24 school year and $18 million in 2024-25.

The district is expecting to have $11.2 million in school-based reductions for next year as well. This includes reducing the number of assistant principals, combining school programs and cutting $1.9 million from school discretionary funds, according to the district’s presentation.

Seattle Public Schools will begin processing options for the future in the fall. The district will consider developing a system of schools with sufficient enrollment by consolidating. Any changes are anticipated to be implemented in the 2024-25 school year.

Across Lake Washington, the Bellevue School District is considering closing three elementary schools for the 2023-24 school year in the wake of its declining enrollment, as previously reported by The Center Square.

In the last three years, the Bellevue School District has lost 1,886 students throughout its schools. This could have resulted in a $20 million drop in revenue if it were not for state and federal funds the district has been receiving.

Seattle Public Schools is holding another work session on Feb. 15 to further discuss options.