Seattle School Board Meeting, December 10, 2025
Update 2:
Elections for Board officers
President - nomination for Topp by Mizrahi and Briggs seconded. No other nominations. Mizrahi said that it's been a busy year and Topp has done an exceptional job, including process for new superintendent. Rankin agreed with Mizrahi and wanted to again state that we have an inexperienced Board as a whole. She said the president doesn't have more power; the power belongs to the entire Board. She would like to see rotating presidents.
Gina Topp is continuing as Seattle School Board President.
Vice-President - nomination for Evan Briggs. I wish there was someone else as Briggs struggles to read anything. Song said looking for significant changes how this Board does business and SOFG isn't working well. Wondering what Briggs plans are for this issue.
Briggs sits mute. Then speaks up, don't have a particular allegance to SOFG. But we need a framework. She says they can't ignore that from several audits and would be happy to use the WSSDA framework.
Song wondering if continue to engage coaching services from SOFG folks. Briggs seems very uncomfortable with that question and said it's a Board discussion. She seems irritated.
Rankin says they are NOT doing SOFG. It's been weaponized and misconstrued. She says they do need change and "can we stop this nonsense and people ran on it and congratulations you won." Rankin is also irritated. Says Shuldiner wants to engage on this issue. "It's gone, it's done and it isn't happening." Well, this is the first time it has been publicly stated. And Rankin knows that.
Song says initial contract was not brought to the Board for voting. She disagrees and says SOFG has been in the district. Staff members at lunch today said they couldn't talk with her because, under SOFG, they would get in trouble.
Evan Briggs is continuing as Seattle School Board Vice President with Song the only no.
Member-at-Large - Joe Mizrahi is nominated for the post (which he already holds). Topp had comments, saying she relies on Mizrahi as a thoughtful and calm presence.
Rankin also said she appreciates Mizrahi's level-headedness and understands that no one director has power, it's a body. She is trying to throw shade at Song but Song just asked a question.
Joe Mizrahi is continuing as Seattle School Board Member-at-Large.
end of update
Update:
I am watching the Board meeting but came in late. I saw that Director Kathleen Smith was not there but apparently she's there virtually. This is not a good sign for a new director. I'll have a separate post on the content of the meeting.
end of update
Tonight's Board meeting looks to be interesting in several ways.
One way is the first appearance of the new Board directors; Jen LaVallee, Kathleen Smith, and Vivian Song. Director Joe Mizrahi retained his seat. I watched The Seattle Times' virtual event this week with those three new directors. More to come on that but I will say that Song and LaVallee looked to be poised and having a depth of knowledge. Smith was more tentative but that may be her personality. She doesn't seem to know as much about SPS as do the other two.
Another way is what we see on the agenda and what the main topic appears to be for public testimony.
The Speaker List has 25 people on it. They all largely want to talk about student safety. This is likely because on the Action list the "Amendment to Board Policy No. 4311, School Safety and Security Services Program." Passage of this amendment will set the stage for new talks about SPD officers in SPS high schools.
Still another way is the election of officers for the Board. As I have mentioned previously, there is only ONE good choice for president and it's Gina Topp. I'm hoping she wants it because it can't go back to Liza Rankin and Evan Briggs is ill-equipped for the work. Mizrahi has way too much on his plate. The only other person would trust is Vivian Song.
Lastly, there is to be a presentation at a Budget Study Session after the main business portion of the meeting. Kids, this presentation is just chockful of info. I direct you to page 7 that lists 14 documents for reference. Another key page is 26, What's Causing the Structural Deficit?
- Costs are increasing faster than revenue sources
- Insufficient State and Federal Funding
- Declining or flat enrollment
- District Choices (and they reference the recent ERS Diagnostic Analysis report)
There are two items on the Consent Agenda that I wish someone on the Board would pull off.
One is just flat out wrong. It's a contract with a consulting firm, Novak, for MTSS work and it's for $1.3M. Why am I against this contract? There is ZERO documentation attached at this late date. Sticking it on the agenda, just hours before the meeting does not cut it. Directors should stop allowing staff to do this.
Two is the John Rogers Elementary Construction Change Order for $1.7M. Change orders do happen but what I see from Capital Building - over and over - are these types of "who knew?" "unforeseen costs:"
- for off-site stormwater draining from NE 109th Street
- unsuitable on-site soils (export of unsuitable soil and import of structural fill)
- outstanding construction change directives, change orders "as identified by project Request for Information, Architects Supplemental Instruction or Construction Change Directive."
Seattle has unstable soil? Drainage issues? I know who knows this and it's the Capital Building staff. It's ridiculous to not budget - upfront - for these issues. And that third one? Nice word salad there for more spending.
After the Budget Study Session, there will be a presentation on Enrollment Planning Updates. I like the simple format of this presentation, very easy to read and understand.
This year's Oct 1 enrollment - 48,957 (-0.58% decrease from prior year)
Comparison to last year: 49,240
Montlake, RBHS and Mercer Middle are all up +10% in enrollment. To note, Montlake and RBHS both have new buildings.
Additionally, they have changed the timeline for enrollment - on-time choice applications will be taken from January 5-January 31, 2026 so parents really have to get it together for that. I do wonder how school tours play into this.
Comments
From the corny DJ on Teams to the lowbrow recycled content that they ripped from YouTube, to the pedestrian questions they asked, The whole thing reminded me of Education 201 at the University--sophomoric.
The best part was that they didn't even read the work that we submitted, and when they did, they offered the most thin platitudes as feedback. A couple times I had to ask them to read my work and let me know their thoughts.
The Novak Group is the biggest waste of money I've ever seen in this business.
The lack of previous notices that the schools were supposed to put on sinks which SPS declared to only be for handwashing and thus not drinking water?
I saw the report that was posted from Washington Middle School, lead was found in the water used by the kitchen; the pot filler..
Allowing SPS to self certify clean water was obviously a mistake.
Tens of millions for a stadium that provides any real value for the district but nothing for making the water in the schools was free of lead. Buildings which have been upgraded to be "green" that have asbestos in the ceiling that drip into the classrooms.
There are new school buildings which sit mostly empty, with more on the way.
Signed discouraged.
LaValle appears promising.
- Watching
Student Outcome Focused Governance was meant to take away a board member's impact...especially when they can't hold back half baked initiatives in committee.
~ Bring Back Committees!
~Wondering
What??