Budget Deficit Will Force School Closures

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By By KOMO Staff & News Services

Summary

Seattle Public Schools will close some elementary schools to save money and help the district recover from a multimillion-dollar budget deficit, the school board announced Wednesday.

Story Published: Jan 25, 2006 at 8:43 PM PDT

Story Updated: Aug 31, 2006 at 2:11 AM PDT

SEATTLE - Seattle Public Schools will close some elementary schools to save money and help the district recover from a multimillion-dollar budget deficit, the school board announced Wednesday.

A consultant will be hired to figure out which schools could be closed or consolidated. A community advisory committee will discuss the proposed closures for the 2007-2008 school year, then public comment will be taken at several community meetings in the spring.

Superintendent Raj Manhas proposed closing a handful of the district's 100 schools last spring to save money, but widespread public outrage killed the proposal.

Manhas then appointed 14 people to a committee to explore solutions to the district's financial problems. Last month, the group released its preliminary proposals, which included closing some underused schools.