Reviewing Seattle School Board Meeting, 3/1/2026
As one can see from the YouTube recording, this meeting was over four hours (and there's a good reason for that). Sadly, something went amiss this afternoon (when I was reporting on the second half of the meeting) and it all disappeared. So I'm going to try to recall and just do highlights.
All the directors were present as was Superintendent Schuldiner. Agenda.
There was a recognition of the Rainier Beach High School basketball team winning their division in the state for the second year in a row. The Roosevelt High School girls basketball team came in third in the state and were honored as well. President Gina Topp noted the benefits of athletes including time management. The Board took a recess to meet the athletes of both teams.
Schuldiner also commended both teams. He explained how deeply he feels about student athletes and what they get from pursuing a sport. He also said that athletes have to be "eligible" and talked about GPAs. (Interesting side note: the camera pulls back and you see the entire dais. Only Director Liza Rankin seemed in engaged with all other directors looking down. It's not a crime or anything but notable considering how early on we are in Superintendent Schuldiner's tenure.)
I also want to state that while electeds and senior staff give lip service to the arts, I never see any of them truly standing up for the arts in the same way they do for sports. And, after class size and a safe building, that is the number one item I hear parents say they want for their student - the arts.
Schuldiner recognized the size of the audience and thanked them for coming out and bringing signs and students. He mentioned that staff has "mitigation meetings" after Board meetings so they can figure out "what is best for students" given the $100M deficit. He said it "wasn't standing room only" but said he thought it might be someday at a Board meeting.
He also mentioned his community meetings have been standing room only.
He also mentioned a first run of the Purple Budget Book.
The Board took a recess to congratulate the athletes.
After the recess, Topp threw the mic to student representatives. Student Rep. Sabi Yoon mentioned a meeting about AI in SPS and its policies. I'm interested to learn more. She said there is no AI detection tool that are approved by the district for educators to use. It was also noted they are still working on a student website and social media.
Topp noted that the Board is going to ask the student reps for their thoughts via a vote of yes, no, or no position BEFORE the Board takes a vote. She noted the agenda was packed and that there was a policy that new materials needed to be on agenda three days before and she wants to try to stick to that. She stated that late inclusion makes the meetings run longer. She gave three reasons to stick to that policy:
- for her as board president so she can be prepared to run the meeting
- for board officers who also need to try to figure out how much time for each item as well as the entire Board being able to have read through everything
- and, since public testimony starts being taken on the Monday before the meeting, if there are late items, members of the public may miss an opportunity to give input
Board and Liaison Comments
Director Rankin - spoke of agenda item about the Council of Great City Schools (calling it "a mystery boogie man" when it has existed for decades. Then she read a blurb about the CGCS. )The district pays $50,000 a year to be a member. She said she was going to a CGCS conference in Washington, D. C.
I'd bet I knew about the Council of Great City Schools before she did. They are NOT the same organization as they were decades ago. They have taken a sharp turn towards conferencing and helping districts run via tools like SOFG and looks to me that they have taken a more visible money-making stance. Her remarks felt very much like trying to soften the edges around SOFG.
Director Jen LaVallee mentioned that she is attending the BEX/BTA meetings.
Director Vivian Song, as Board liaison to the Legislature, stated that the next day was the last day of the Legislature and will provide an update next meeting. (Update: here is The Seattle Times wrap-up of education this legislative session.)
Notable Public Testimony
One parent is against amendment to raise Board approval of grants to SPS from $250,000 to $500,000. She thinks it should be lower where $10,000. Both north-end dual language schools get $250,000 for their program via parent fundraising. She noted that half of the grants the district takes are from parents and asked why parents are subsidizing basic programs. Other speakers agreed.
The speaker stated that monies raised in the south-end are far lower. However, those south-end dual language schools are Title One and can use those funds to buy IAs. Hence the big fundraising in the north-end. This doesn't negate the equity issues in the district around fundraising but, in this case, provides some context.
Cascade Parent Partnership had a big turnout because of cuts to their program. I consider this a vital program and I am sad to see this happening. You need schools where those students who are not a good fit for other schools find a home and their own tribe.
Interagency had a big turnout for that safety net school. Speaker Kate Erison, a teacher there, spoke movingly about the importance of the school/program. She stated that her principal had waived mitigation help. They say they are losing 17 FTE which, yes, is quite a lot.
Sebrena Burr had a lot to say. She decried the ability for some schools to buy staff, she mentioned a SE child being chased by someone with a gun, and stated that Marni Campbell needs to not be in their community.
The Board took a break after public testimony.
Consent Agenda
No concerns were raised and the Consent Agenda passed.
Action Items
Student Transition Plan
Director La Vallee had "huge concerns" about the plan, simply created a plan and then forcing the Board to vote on it after it has already been enacted. She said she had asked multiple questions multiple times without receiving answers. And she used one of my favorite phrases around Board work "a more timely manner." How staff expects the Board to do their duty when time after time they present work late and then say "we gotta get it done" and expecting the Board to vote yes every single time. Good for LaVallee.
Director Song also had the same issues that LaVallee expressed. She said she understood the desire by parents to expand the HC programs but is not happy with the rush.
Director Joe Mizrahi said it has been unclear to him from the start about the Board's role. He would like better clarity in the future.
Director Rankin said the only reason the Board is involved in this particular work is "because we have acted on it before." She then went into SOFG lecture mode. She said that staff considers if they can get four votes from the Board "so we can do our jobs." That's quite a statement.
She asked Shuldiner "if we take no action, what would that say to you?"
Shuldiner said (jokingly), "Yes, please give me all the power." He said if that happened, he would need to consult Legal simply because, yes in the past, the Board voted on this type of item before.
Rankin then asked the rest of the Board what they thought of his answer.
Briggs said she would support that non-action. "We can't keep doing this." "I would take sections of the proposal out and then vote on individual pieces of it." Meaning, voting for new HC sites and then reconsider the rest.
Shuldiner said "One could say the Board could make a motion that could be affirmative that this is the Superintendent's purview." He referenced Thomas More which is quite the reach. (Sir Thomas More was the lawyer and former Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain who Henry the VIII executed after More refused an oath to recognize the King as the Head of the Church of England.)
Topp jumped in to ask what options the Board has.
What was fascinating about this discussion (and one more to come) is that it was REAL Board interaction, both with each other AND the Superintendent. We haven't heard this kind of sussing out in a very long time because of SOFG. But, as was mentioned, some of this needs to be a committee discussion and now that the Board has reenacted committees (including the new Policy Committee), then this kind of work can get done there.
Topp decided they needed to skip around on the agenda to get things done that might be easier and then see where they are.
The next Action item was adopting a policy for Performance-Based Pathway for High School Graduation. Both Caleb Perkins, Executive Director of College and Career Readiness and the principal of Intergency High, Sharonda Willingham, came forward. It sounds like a plausible idea, given Interagency's population where many students are in their 5th or 6th year of high school. But Director Rankin thought it sounded "fake." I have to praise Principal Willingham because she came prepared and laid out the plan well.
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