Seattle superintendent makes final picks for closure
SEATTLE -- Seattle school district superintendent Maria Goodloe-Johnson has released a list of schools and programs for closure and relocation in her final recommendation to the School Board in an attempt to help close a $37 million budget gap.
"It still could change, but these are the final recommendations that I am making," Goodloe-Johnson said.
The buildings now slated for closing are: Genesee Hill, Mann, T.T. Minor, Van Asselt and Old Hay, which may only be temporarily closed depending on enrollment. Pinehurst and Montlake are no longer on the list.
The latest list does not feature an "options" category under which Aki Kurose was previously cited for possible closure.
Eight programs are named for relocation. Half of Lowell APP would move to Thurgood Marshall, and half of Washington APP would shift to to Hamilton.
Pathfinder K-8 would move to to Cooper, T.T. Minor Montessori to Leschi, Van Asselt to AAA, NOVA to Meany, and Thurgood Marshall EBOC to Dunlap and Hawthorne.
Summit K-8 is no longer slated to move to Meany, and SBOC is to move to Meany instead of to Hawthorne.
The plan also proposes a new K-8 program at Jane Addams.
The superintendent's final recommendation effectively discontinues six programs. They are: African American, Academy, Cooper, Meany, T.T. Minor and Summit K-12.
It does not mention the Center School, which was being previously being floated under the "options" category.
Goodloe-Johnson also made several recommendations that affect special education students.
Participants of the autism self-contained primary program at Summit K-12 will remain at Jane Addams and become a part of the new K-8 while students who belong to the generic self-contained high school program will be reassigned based on where they live.
The IDP secondary program will move from Summit K-12 to Meany as a part of NOVA, and the autism self-contained program at meany will move to the Mercer building.
Meany's low grouping program and medically fragile program will move to Washington MS, while low incidence A programs will move to Washington MS and Hamilton MS. Students of Meany's behavior intervention program will be reassigned based on their addresses.
Students of the T.T. Minor special education program will be reassigned based on where they live, and those of the Van Asselt program will relocate to the African American Academy building to remain part of the existing continuum.
On Tuesday Goodloe-Johnson defended her final recommendation, stating there is not a positive solution to saving district money.
"If you don't close schools, you start devastating programs, and you don't have the effective resources or teachers to go across the system, and that's not fair to kids," she said.
Despite the outcries from parents and students at public hearings, Goodloe-Johnson also stood by the process through which she reached her decision.
"Very clear, very collaborative, and very open and transparent about the process. We chose to be collaborative as opposed to top-down, behind closed doors, then announcing it," she said.
Last November, the district announced its preliminary plan to close several buildings and relocate hundreds of students in order to balance the budget.
In a statement addressed to staff, families and community members, Goodloe-Johnson cited a $24-million funding gap in next year's budget, as well as the district's excess capacity, general economic challenges and a geographic imbalance between school capacity and where school-age children live as the reasons behind her recommendations.
Goodloe-Johnson said the plan would save about $16.2 million over five years in operating money, and the capital costs would decrease by a net $33.1 million.
The School Board is expected to vote on Jan. 29. In the meantime, there are opportunities to provide comments on the closures, the next of which takes place on Jan. 20 at 6:30 p.m. You can find more information at seattleschools.org.
"It still could change, but these are the final recommendations that I am making," Goodloe-Johnson said.
The buildings now slated for closing are: Genesee Hill, Mann, T.T. Minor, Van Asselt and Old Hay, which may only be temporarily closed depending on enrollment. Pinehurst and Montlake are no longer on the list.
The latest list does not feature an "options" category under which Aki Kurose was previously cited for possible closure.
Eight programs are named for relocation. Half of Lowell APP would move to Thurgood Marshall, and half of Washington APP would shift to to Hamilton.
Pathfinder K-8 would move to to Cooper, T.T. Minor Montessori to Leschi, Van Asselt to AAA, NOVA to Meany, and Thurgood Marshall EBOC to Dunlap and Hawthorne.
Summit K-8 is no longer slated to move to Meany, and SBOC is to move to Meany instead of to Hawthorne.
The plan also proposes a new K-8 program at Jane Addams.
The superintendent's final recommendation effectively discontinues six programs. They are: African American, Academy, Cooper, Meany, T.T. Minor and Summit K-12.
It does not mention the Center School, which was being previously being floated under the "options" category.
Goodloe-Johnson also made several recommendations that affect special education students.
Participants of the autism self-contained primary program at Summit K-12 will remain at Jane Addams and become a part of the new K-8 while students who belong to the generic self-contained high school program will be reassigned based on where they live.
The IDP secondary program will move from Summit K-12 to Meany as a part of NOVA, and the autism self-contained program at meany will move to the Mercer building.
Meany's low grouping program and medically fragile program will move to Washington MS, while low incidence A programs will move to Washington MS and Hamilton MS. Students of Meany's behavior intervention program will be reassigned based on their addresses.
Students of the T.T. Minor special education program will be reassigned based on where they live, and those of the Van Asselt program will relocate to the African American Academy building to remain part of the existing continuum.
On Tuesday Goodloe-Johnson defended her final recommendation, stating there is not a positive solution to saving district money.
"If you don't close schools, you start devastating programs, and you don't have the effective resources or teachers to go across the system, and that's not fair to kids," she said.
Despite the outcries from parents and students at public hearings, Goodloe-Johnson also stood by the process through which she reached her decision.
"Very clear, very collaborative, and very open and transparent about the process. We chose to be collaborative as opposed to top-down, behind closed doors, then announcing it," she said.
Last November, the district announced its preliminary plan to close several buildings and relocate hundreds of students in order to balance the budget.
In a statement addressed to staff, families and community members, Goodloe-Johnson cited a $24-million funding gap in next year's budget, as well as the district's excess capacity, general economic challenges and a geographic imbalance between school capacity and where school-age children live as the reasons behind her recommendations.
Goodloe-Johnson said the plan would save about $16.2 million over five years in operating money, and the capital costs would decrease by a net $33.1 million.
The School Board is expected to vote on Jan. 29. In the meantime, there are opportunities to provide comments on the closures, the next of which takes place on Jan. 20 at 6:30 p.m. You can find more information at seattleschools.org.