Seattle School Board Meeting, May 14, 2025

Meeting starts 4:18 pm, all directors present but not the Superintendent. Dr. Jones is on health/medical leave and may come back before September. Fred Podesta, COO, came to the mic for his remarks which were general ones.

What the heck happened at the Executive Committee meeting just before this Board meeting? Very suspicious. 

Student members asks for future student board directors to have a handbook. They will work on this with regular directors. It was pointed out that they have had two student directors per Board meeting this school year. 

Board Comments

Topp - glad for audience tonight as well at the public engagement sessions. Said they will use public input to improve district and thanked all who attended. She offered a public apology for last week's engagement session and D/HH parents could not participate. She mentioned the meeting last night around the superintendent search (a post to follow - I listened in). 

One more work session on budget before next Board meeting. 

She and Rankin met with mental health counselors from all grade levels to talk with them.

In June, intro of budget and vote. There will also be a Board retreat. 

Clark - As liaison for City education efforts, the levy oversight committee met and had a presentation on the early learning program (preschool). It appears that students in that program are doing well. 

Rankin talked about legislative issues and various meetings she attended. A very lengthy report by her as usual. The camera angle is such that you can see Director Mizrahi checking his phone. I can't blame him. I lost my place and suddenly she is talking about maintaining the Board policy manual and how they can be part of what the superintendent and staff do. She has now gone into lecture mode and I'd bet this is about Superintendent Jones being gone. "Policy is the law and we are there to write it and enforce it." You can hear an off-camera comment "thanks" which I believe was Sarju. 

Guardrail 1: Engagement discussion

Rocky Torres Morales is going over results. It looks like they have made little progress or are unsure how much progress there is. 

Sarju asked about what community perceives ("people in my ear") that there has been a failure to engagement. She says they don't know "what engagement is re: staff vs board." She says they are disappointed and frustrated because of that.  "That shows up in public testimony." She says community needs to be "educated" as to what they are doing. "How do we get to that?" 

Man, fine time after nearly 4 years on the Board to be speaking up. But she says she doesn't have the answers. That's sure helpful. She won't commit to do this work herself. She said at yesterday's superintendent search meeting, in introducing herself, how many hours she still has on the Board. I wish she would walk away now. It's so sad to hear someone in this role just talking without helping.

Rankin talked about some audit. Camera angle shows a less-than-full audience. If public testimony is mostly operational, she says, this is because they are not getting what they need. (It feels to me like she's laying the groundwork for why Jones is out without mentioning him.) Torres Morales says there are to be meetings for people to share their concerns and issues, starting with HCC. A lot of back and forth on engagement.

Rankin says every concern does not have to come before the Board.

Public Testimony

Chris Jackins - Not for the warehouse purchase. Does not like Memorial Stadium plans especially around advertising including alcohol and drugs. He stresses that SPS owns Memorial Stadium. I agree that it gets lost in all the planning.

Alice Rivera - Laura Marie Rivera - running for school board. Has 4 SPS students and is an educator. She agrees with Sarju that current public engagement is not working. Spoke for support staff at schools including music and arts. For moving kids off waitlists. 

Knox Taylor - Nick Taylor is father. Knox is a first grader at Pathfinder who likes his principals. 

Kailin Winterstein - resident of Seattle and attended SPS. Works with D/HH children and is school psychologist at TOPS. Appreciates the Board apology about May 7th meeting. But they need an ADA coordinator. 

Chi Krneta - ceded to Marta Santiago. Lack of access to HC in West Seattle. 

Tricia DeVille - 25th year teaching and now in SPS. Stands with many newcomer teachers behind her. She doesn't believe in excellence for all in SPS, just for some. She says student newcomers are just put into large regular classrooms, being overwhelmed. She says it's inequitable. She then says they need to give as much attention to newcomers as HC. 

SPS doesn't even have the outline of a plan. She is wrong on that point. 

Hem Nalini Morzaria-Luna - dual language parent and former JSCEE staffer. Says waitlist at JSIS is not being moved and policies not followed. Feels this works for JSCEE staff and not students.

Joanna Arreaza-Taylor - Pathfinder parent and safety is better than last year and they are very happy with the changes. Built a bridge of trust with parents and school. Hoping to look past JSCEE plans and they are losing one assistant principal and believe they need one. 

Patrick Conway - D/HH parent. Don't listen to people who make excuses but those who say, yes, we can. Design an effective system for all to benefit from. Look forward to continue working with you.

Elsa Jones - Deaf/blind SPS grad. SPS has ableism problem.  Equity must extend to disabled families. Nothing about us without us. 

Manuela Slye - not enough help for dual language parents. No interpreters at World School before she was SCPTSA president. Invited on surface but we don't show up. Not very good interpreters, give you half of what is actually being said by parents. 

Sawyer Wells - Former SPS student and speaking out for Ms Peace, a public teacher in SPS for 34 years. Disappeared from Concord International seven months ago without explanation and families are concerned. She is one of the few black staffers at the school. She creates a culture of respect and builds trust. 

Kay Lo - ceded to Erin MacDougall - spoke on waitlist issues. Closing schools was a disaster and now this. "You are pushing families out of the district." Lost $12M when 400 families left SPS. 

Samantha Fogg - SCPTSA co-president. Talked about engagement. "We need to do better." Be honest what you are doing, what you can do, and what you cannot do. "Can change happen or not?" Seemed to say that leadership are the ones holding back true engagement.

Susannah Balestracci - statements from deaf community. Work with D/HH. Laura Gramer - thank you for public apology but we have been offered many over a decade. Maybe we need a Taskforce to meet a couple of times a year. Establish an ASL program at TOPS. Called out ableism and says some staff who does that get promotions. "Less talking and more action." "You do need to do this as well for Native American students as well."

She read a second statement from a D/HH parent. I'd like to get a copy of this as it was very well written. "We are an afterthought." "A system designed without us will fail us. You cannot fix this with an apology." 

James Hunt - Retired teacher asking for Ms. Peace at Concord International. He believes she is being falsely accused of something but it is unclear. 

Uyjien Ung - Franklin alumni. Neighborhood schools are support HCC without resources or help. Hard for teachers to differentiate across spectrum. No HC services in West Seattle. 

Tobias Cullins - 6th grade parent as TOPS. Is certified ASL interpreter and coordinated many of them. But SPS makes mistake after mistake on this issue. Could be easily fixed and he cites how using the last Board meeting as an example. Machine subtitles are not an answer. "You are failing the D/HH community in Seattle." 

Matt Burtness - ceded to a BOC parent. This testimony was around student newcomers. (I did not know SPS wants to move BOC. Hmm) She also slammed HC just as the other speaker did. 

Melisa Barbera - ceded to Sarah Fellows - parent of a student at JSIS and the waitlists at those schools. SPS doesn't open these lists for grades 2-5 especially for Japanese language. JSIS has lost staff because of this and enrollment is just below where it should be to qualify for an assistant principal. 

Will Roach - Board staffer is reading his testimony. He is a D/HH parent. Glad for apology but it's all been words and "we need change and action." Want interpreters at all public meetings, not just Board meetings. 

Sam Gutierrez - Talked about waitlist and what Marni Campbell stated at last Board meeting about on-time choice application. Many parents do NOT get their questions answered even as staff said questions would be answered. 

Liz Barry- Talked about dual language as well as support for Ms Peace at Concord.

June Nho Evers - did not appear

Sebrena Burr - There are SPS guiding principles for community engagement and says the district are not following them. Board has not held anyone accountable in SPS. "We are not letting you fail our black kids any more." She referenced SOFG but I did not understand her meaning. 

Some kind of computer issue. 

Jana Parker - president of Special Education PTSA. She says that the current balancing enrollment via waitlist is "unauthorized." She also mentioned that mechanical subtitles are small and not light balanced. She says to move every child off the waitlist where there is room. Replicate what is working well, "don't starve them." 

end of Public Testimony

Back to Progress Monitoring (I am taking a break here.) 

Consent Agenda

Nothing taken off, they take a vote. (Directors, I'll record this for future use in any lawsuits.)

Briggs comes in late and doesn't know where they are. She NEVER can figure anything out. I hope she is never voted in a Board president. 

Action Item

Buying a warehouse (and intro/action on the same night).  It's two blocks from JSCEE. Appraised price is same as sale price (that's convenient). Claims that $1m a year savings. Staff always makes these claims that are never proven later. This is from Richard Best, head of capital projects. 

Clark asked if there were any other building considered. They claim half-dozen sites. 

Modifications will be "simple" but an additional cost. That will likely be around $200K (and Best failed to mention camera costs). 

Voted in.

Intro Items

Memorial Stadium project; there are two items. The second is to amend Board policy on advertising drug and/or alcohol at Memorial Stadium. 

Fred Podesta came to the mic. He says, "We're excited." Actual wall has been landmarked by the City. They are showing a downtown view from the stadium (after the rebuild) that I find doubtful. 

"We will own this facility as we do now." I hope that IS the understanding. "We are primary user and owner." 

Sale of alcohol for NON-DISTRICT events only. Advertising as well. All net revenues will maintain the facility and support for student services. (I'll want all the documentation on this.) 

Rankin asked to confirm that the agreement of site management is still to come. Podesta said this is for construction only and negotiations go on.  Rankin went off on a tale of how great the Northgate facility for the Kraken is. She worries about managing venue events. Podesta did not answer her question directly. 

And of course Rankin has more questions. Concern if other group takes over and students have less access. She mentions Board approval of calendar of events. Podesta approves staff negotiations. She asks about revenue and where if the money goes to General Fund to cover student athletic fees. Podesta throws out the renaming issue. 

Enrollment Planning update (this will be the last section of the agenda I will cover)

Marni Campbell explains agenda. Dr. Manu, director of Enrollment, said she listened to testimony tonight. 

Rocky Torres Morales talked about D/HH parents and their asks. A team has been organized and those students will be admitted to TOPS K-8 but are still looking for a system improvement. 

Campbell says practices have been consistent over last 10 years but that doesn't mean change isn't necessary. 

And after 3+ hours I need to sign off. 

end of live blogging

I may try to live-blog the meeting but in the meantime, there are few items to point out. Agenda

The speakers list is full at 25 with most of the topics around engagement. The waitlist is 24 people with most wanting to talk about enrollment. 

I also note that the presentation on Enrollment changed from the one previously attached to the agenda on Monday. I don't know if it's because of feedback they received from the Board's public engagement meetings and/or public comments at The Seattle Times story on enrollment and waitlists.

School Choice Assignments for 2025-2026

As of today:

- 4100 total applications received

- 1700 students have been assigned to their first-choice school

- Waitlist review will continue through August 31st (75% of families accept offers from the waitlist)

Of that 1700, how many are for Option Schools and how many are at a neighborhood school which is not the assigned one for the applicant? They do say later on that it's about 50/50 applications split between option and attendance area schools. Again, that must be for neighborhood schools elsewhere from where the applicant lives.

They question whether more flexibility can be provided, how does choice align with strategic goals and guardrails, what are impacts to students and staff in assigned and choice schools, and how can SPS ensure that the benefits of school choice are equitably accessible? 

One, I'd have to go back and look at those goals and guardrails because that seems to be a reach for me to get there on this topic. 

Two, I think they already have a good idea of the impacts of fewer students at some neighborhood schools and choice schools. Things will shift. 

Three, the district already has Option Schools in every quadrant of the city so there is access for all. Now if the district put in busing for Options Schools primarily in the south end, then it would be more equitable but it would also be costly. 

What throws a monkey wrench into all this is the decisions made more than a decade ago. That would be that the Capital building department was told they were going to build bigger elementaries (500-650) and that somewhere down the line, schools near those would close. SPS has already built several and they need to be filled so they will be closing some neighborhood schools. 

So the district well knows that all this - "it will hurt neighborhood schools to fill Option Schools"-  is a bit disingenuous. 

But that decision was made years ago, in secret, without explanation, and now they need to fill those buildings.