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Seattle Public Schools: A history lesson
Seattle Public School (SPS) Superintendent Raj Manhas came on board with the district in October 2003. The district was facing a multitude of problems including; financing, low graduation rates and high drop out numbers. In 2005, Manhas set into motion a plan to get the district out of the red and keep students in the classroom and learning.
It was a lesson plan that included closing 10 schools that were older and had low enrollment numbers, eliminating an alternative program but also included building two middle schools. Parents and community members were upset that their schools were being shut down without a chance to weigh in on the issue. Facing a strong public backlash, Manhas recalled his proposal and created the opportunity for community and parent involvement to help find the answer to the difficult questions facing the district.
In July 2005, Manhas created the Community Advisory Committee on Investing in Educational Excellence made up of 14 civic and business leaders charged with the task of coming up with ideas to help develop the district into a strong, successful, urban school district. After months of public meetings, surveys, comments and questions, the committee released their report in early February 2006. The Community Advisory Committee for Investing in Educational Excellence Report is a 60 page document of statistics, their recommendations and how the district, state, students and parents can make their schools stronger.
The group broke their recommendations down into three categories:
- Leadership
- Academics
- Fiscal viability
Leadership:
Members of the committee believe a stronger voice and guidance from Manhas and a cohesive, decisive voice from School Board members will help the district gain clear direction and rebuild public confidence that has waned over the years.
Top three goals for leadership are:
- Strengthen leadership by improving governance and leadership capacity throughout the system.
- Ensure academic priorities drive dollars spent through the development of a rigorous, system-wide strategic planning and budgeting process.
- Establish clear lines of accountability throughout the system, based on the concept of earned autonomy.
Academics:
The district is facing an academic crisis consisting of low enrollment and high drop out rates. Currently, nearly 47,000 kids attend schools in the district. The district has a graduation rate of 59% and a drop out rate of 22%. Something all involved agree needs improvement.
The top three goals for academics are:
- Place a major focus on teacher hiring, development and retention.
- Establish system-wide curriculum consistency and rigor, focused on math, science, reading and writing, with added emphasis on music and language.
- Invest in target class size reductions/improved student-teacher ratios.
Fiscal viability:
The SPS District has a $437 million budget. Committee members discovered that over the next five years, the district is projected to have cumulative deficits ranging from $15 million to $44 million. The report states structural deficits are due to district policy choices in transportation, facilities, salary clauses in the 2004 teacher contracts and limitations of the state-funding model.
The top three recommendations to balance the budget include:
- Close schools to eliminate wasteful spending on buildings that are not full due to huge enrollment declines over the last 30 years through a process guided by a consideration for demographic trends, academic out comes and building conditions.
- Maximize the revenue potential of the district's surplus real estate.
- Reduce the gap between transportation services provided by the district and transportation funding allocated by the state by charging reasonable fees for some options.
Information from Community Advisory Committee for Investing in Educational Excellence.
The latest news:
New Superintendent named
Charleston County Superintendent to take over Seattle Schools
Seattle School Board Members voted unanimously to name Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson as the new Superintendent. Goodloe-Johnson is currently the Superintendent for Charleston County Schools in South Carolina.
Within 48 hours of being named to the position, Goodloe-Johnson had released a four-page plan outlining her goals for her first six months on the job. Some top priorities include taking a ride along with the police chief, riding a bus route, getting to know city and state leaders and listening to community members. She cites her listening skills and being able to work as a team player for the children as strong assets she brings to the job.
"I can get pretty excited about the right stuff and I think the right stuff is the stuff we do for public education," she told community members at a Seattle meeting.
Board Members conducted their national search for current Superintendent Raj Manhas's replacement much more privately than the last search four years ago. Only the two final candidates were named this time around.
Goodloe-Johnson and the other finalist, Dr. Gregory Thornton, from Philadelphia, both came to Seattle in early April to tour schools, meet district leaders and take part in a question and answer forum with community members.
Board Members acted quickly, conducting site visits to each final candidate's home districts. Their original plan had them naming a new superintendent by the end of April, but they said competition from other districts searching for leaders prompted them to push up their timeline. Goodloe-Johnson will begin work in July.
Watch Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson's community meeting. 
Watch Dr. Gregory Thornton's community meeting.
Previous updates
Voters appear to have given the go-ahead to school funding
While the final numbers may not be in for a few more days, it appears Seattle voters approved two school measures that could give the district nearly $900 million. Both measures needed at least 60 percent to pass.
The ballot consisted of a six-year $490 million Capitol Bond that will fund renovations and replace deteriorating schools and facilities in the city. It also includes money for air and water quality improvements as well as new safety features throughout the district.
Voters were also asked to approve a $397 million Operation Levy. The three-year measure funds basic classroom needs such as teachers, counselors, after school programs and more. This levy makes up nearly 25 percent of the district's day to day budget.
This bond and levy will replace measures voters approved several years ago. Final numbers are expected in a few days after absentee ballots are counted.
Seattle residents to vote on two school measures
Seattle voters will head to the polls on February 6 for two measures concerning the Seattle school district. At nearly $900-million the proposals would help aging infrastructure and fund basic classroom needs.
Proposition One is a six-year $490 million Capitol Bond that would fund renovations and replace deteriorating schools and facilities in the city. It also includes money for air and water quality improvements as well as new safety features throughout the district. If Proposition One passes, it would cost about $264 a year for the homeowner of a $400-thousand dollar house.
Opponents to Proposition One say the schools slated for major renovations aren't some of the worst ones in the district. They want district officials to create a more comprehensive list of schools that would affect more students for a bond vote next year.
Proposition Two is a $397 million Operation Levy. The three-year measure would fund basic classroom needs such as teachers, counselors, after school programs and more. This levy makes up nearly 25 percent of the district's day to day budget. If approved, it would cost a $400-thousand dollar homeowner about $468 a year.
Opponents to the measures feel the district needs to deal with some of the turmoil that has surrounded Board Members and Superintendent Raj Manhas' resignation before more money is entrusted to the district. The district is currently conducting a nationwide search for Manhas' replacement. They are also facing a lawsuit over their controversial decision to consolidate and close several elementary schools.
If these measures pass, they will renew existing measures approved by Seattle voters a few years ago. Those paid for new technology programs and services as well as construction projects at several schools.
Watch the City Inside/Out episode on this topic.
Public provides ideal qualities for next Superintendent
The Seattle School Board came out with a Superintendent profile based on public opinions, outlining the qualities and qualifications for the district's next leader.
Based on the profile, the next superintendent should have successful experience in education, leadership, teamwork, and fiscal management. The candidate should also be able to reduce academic achievement gap, inspire trust and confidence, and keep effective working relationship with public education stakeholders. It's also preferred that the candidate have experience in kindergarten-through-12th-grade education.
Over the past few weeks, the Board held several community meetings looking for public input on the selection criteria for the next superintendent. More than 150 individuals attended the meetings and more than 100 written comments were received.
Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Raj Manhas announced his resignation in October last year shortly after the second round of highly controversial school closures he proposed was by Board. Manhas will retire at the end of the current school year. The School Board has launched a national search for his replacement.
Mayor suggests interim Superintendent
Seattle School Board members have announced plans to begin their national search for a new Superintendent. Raj Manhas announced his resignation in October shortly after the second round of school closures he proposed was met with strong resistance from parents and rejected by school board members.
Mayor Greg Nickels has tossed another idea into mix: hire former Mayor Norm Rice as the interim Superintendent.
"I think the scenario of having former Mayor Rice come in provides stability for a year or two or three," Nickels said on the recent episode of Seattle Channel's "Ask the Mayor." Nickels' hopes Rice would help unify the board, raise community's confidence about the district and move forward with the difficult issues, such as school closures.
Some have suggested the idea of having school board members appointed by the Mayor and run as a city department. Several urban areas such as New York City, Los Angeles and Boston run their schools through the Mayor's office.
While he says the idea is worth a debate, it's not an issue he's strongly fighting for, Nickels said.
"The success of our schools is really critical to the success of everything else we're doing," he added. "We can't afford to let that system continue to drift."
The school board is expected to spend up to $175,000 in the national search to replace Manhas, whose contract ends in August. Board officials have set up an email address to receive input from community members about the superintended search: Superintendentsearch@seattleschools.org.
Watch the Ask the Mayor episode when host C.R. Douglas talks to the Mayor about Seattle Schools.
Phase 1 of school closures to go as planned
School Board members announced the first phase of school closures is moving ahead as planned. The announcement comes on the heels of School Superintendent Raj Manhas' resignation on October 23.
Manhas' resignation came just days after a highly contentious School Board meeting where several crowd members yelled racial slurs at Manhas and a School Board member. At the same meeting, the board tabled the second round of Manhas' school closure recommendation - a round the board had specifically requested.
Manhas' said his resignation wasn't related to the failed vote, but rather a personal decision. He is currently serving the final year of his three-year term as Superintendent. He'll retire at the end of the school year.
About 10 schools are slated to be closed and consolidated beginning in the fall of 2007. Several school board members say they'll have to go back to the issue of school closures at some point. School officials estimate they will save more than $4 million dollars a year with the closures.
The Seattle School District is facing a multitude of problems including decreasing enrollment, budget issues and drop-out rates.
School Superintendent steps down
Seattle Schools Superintendent Raj Manhas announced his resignation, Monday, October 23, amidst his controversial plan to close schools.
The Superintendent's resignation came just days after the School Board rejected his second round of closure options. At that same meeting several members of the crowd became loud and unruly at times as they protested against the closures.
In his resignation letter, Manhas said, "I believe I have fulfilled my responsibilities as Superintendent and have accomplished much during my tenure thanks to the dedication and skill of our staff, families and community partners."
Manhas' school closure plan was met with controversy when first proposed in 2005. He quickly withdrew the plan and created a citizen committee to review other cost-cutting options.
That board, the "Community Advisory Committee on Investing in Educational Excellence," came back with the same plan: close schools to cut costs. Officials estimated by closing about 10 schools, the district could save about $4.8 million annually.
The first round of proposed closures were approved this spring despite the outcry of parents. Seven schools are slated to close and combine with others next fall.
Manhas is currently serving the third and final year as his term of Superintendent. He said today that he will remain in his post until the end of the school year.
Watch the Seattle School Board meetings.
School closures approved
In a highly contentious and debated vote, the Seattle Public School Board voted 5-2 to approve Manhas' final recommendation on school closures at their July 26 meeting. The vote comes after months of committee research and dozens of public hearings.
Schools set to close and merge are:
All proposed closures would take effect in time for the 2007-2008 school year except the mergers of M.L. King Elementary and T.T. Minor Elementary. That merger - which was generated by community support - will take place next fall for the 2006-2007 school year.
More school closures are expected to come later this year. During the meeting the school board also directed Manhas to identify more consolidations and closures in the North, Central and West sections of the district. Those closures are expected to be named by mid-September with a school board vote on November 1.
For more information on the closures, visit the district's Web site.
The closures are estimated to save the district about $4.8 million annually. The SPS hasn't closed a school since 1989.
School leaders are also in an experimental phase of eliminating the yellow school buses for high school students and giving them Metro bus passes. The district gets $13.4 million from the state for transportation, but it isn't enough. The district pays and additional $11.7 million to cover their transportation costs. Ballard and Franklin high schools are involved in the test run of students using the Metro buses. School leaders say one advantage of bussing students on public transportation instead of school busses is it gives schools the opportunity for a later start and that can improve students' productivity.
What's next for this issue?
- July 2007 - Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson takes over as Superintendent
- Aug. 2007 - Raj Manhas steps down
Additional resources:
Share your thoughts:
What are your thoughts about the future of the Seattle Public Schools? Share your thoughts using the links below, and be sure to check back soon with us at Seattle Channel to read more about the status of the district. Use the links below to share your thoughts with:
If you have any questions or comments on this article, or if you have an In-Depth story idea, contact Megan Erb at megan.erb@seattle.gov.
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