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Seattle Public Schools, Washington, elections
| Seattle Public Schools |
|---|
 |
| District details |
| School board members: 7 |
| Next election: November 4, 2025 |
| Students: 51,238 (2022-2023) |
| Schools: 109 (2022-2023) |
| Website: Link |
Seattle Public Schools is a school district in Washington (King County). During the 2023 school year, 51,238 students attended one of the district's 109 schools.
This page provides information regarding school board members, election rules, finances, academics, policies, and more details about the district.
Elections
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Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 2
General election
The general election will occur on November 4, 2025.
Special general election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 2
Incumbent Sarah Clark and Kathleen Smith are running in the special general election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 2 on November 4, 2025.
Candidate | ||
 | Sarah Clark (Nonpartisan) | |
 | Kathleen Smith (Nonpartisan) | |
| ||||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 4
General election
The general election will occur on November 4, 2025.
General election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 4
Incumbent Joe Mizrahi and Laura Marie Rivera are running in the general election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 4 on November 4, 2025.
Candidate | ||
 | Joe Mizrahi (Nonpartisan) | |
 | Laura Marie Rivera (Nonpartisan) | |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 5
General election
The general election will occur on November 4, 2025.
General election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 5
Vivian Song and Janis White are running in the general election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 5 on November 4, 2025.
Candidate | ||
 | Vivian Song (Nonpartisan) | |
| Janis White (Nonpartisan) | ||
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 7
General election
The general election will occur on November 4, 2025.
General election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 7
Jen LaVallee and Carol Rava are running in the general election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 7 on November 4, 2025.
Candidate | ||
| Jen LaVallee (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Carol Rava (Nonpartisan) | ||
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 1
General election
General election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 1
Incumbent Liza Rankin defeated Debbie Carlsen in the general election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 1 on November 7, 2023.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Liza Rankin (Nonpartisan) | 62.8 | 122,139 |
 | Debbie Carlsen (Nonpartisan) | 36.8 | 71,554 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.5 | 940 | ||
| Total votes: 194,633 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 2
General election
General election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 2
Incumbent Lisa Rivera Smith defeated Christina Posten in the general election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 2 on November 7, 2023.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Lisa Rivera Smith (Nonpartisan) | 71.2 | 139,128 |
 | Christina Posten (Nonpartisan) | 28.5 | 55,695 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.3 | 527 | ||
| Total votes: 195,350 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 3
General election
General election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 3
Evan Briggs defeated Ben Gitenstein in the general election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 3 on November 7, 2023.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Evan Briggs (Nonpartisan) | 55.7 | 108,849 |
 | Ben Gitenstein (Nonpartisan) | 44.0 | 85,941 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.3 | 619 | ||
| Total votes: 195,409 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 6
General election
General election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 6
Gina Topp defeated Maryanne Wood in the general election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 6 on November 7, 2023.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Gina Topp (Nonpartisan) | 88.6 | 173,596 |
 | Maryanne Wood (Nonpartisan) | 11.1 | 21,796 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.3 | 588 | ||
| Total votes: 195,980 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 4
General election
General election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 4
Vivian Song defeated Laura Marie Rivera in the general election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 4 on November 2, 2021.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Vivian Song (Nonpartisan) | 72.0 | 170,364 |
| Laura Marie Rivera (Nonpartisan) | 27.7 | 65,469 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.4 | 851 | ||
| Total votes: 236,684 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 5
General election
General election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 5
Michelle Sarju defeated Dan Harder in the general election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 5 on November 2, 2021.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Michelle Sarju (Nonpartisan) | 85.1 | 203,591 |
| Dan Harder (Nonpartisan) | 14.6 | 34,961 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.2 | 557 | ||
| Total votes: 239,109 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 7
General election
General election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 7
Incumbent Brandon Hersey defeated Genesis Williamson in the general election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 7 on November 2, 2021.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Brandon Hersey (Nonpartisan) | 92.7 | 213,782 |
| Genesis Williamson (Nonpartisan) | 6.6 | 15,293 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.7 | 1,520 | ||
| Total votes: 230,595 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 1
General election
General election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 1
Liza Rankin defeated Eric Blumhagen in the general election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 1 on November 5, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Liza Rankin (Nonpartisan) | 55.4 | 121,660 |
 | Eric Blumhagen (Nonpartisan) | 44.2 | 97,161 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.4 | 863 | ||
| Total votes: 219,684 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 2
General election
General election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 2
Lisa Rivera Smith won election in the general election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 2 on November 5, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Lisa Rivera Smith (Nonpartisan) | 98.6 | 153,014 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 1.4 | 2,173 | ||
| Total votes: 155,187 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 3
General election
General election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 3
Chandra Hampson defeated Rebeca Muniz in the general election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 3 on November 5, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Chandra Hampson (Nonpartisan) | 66.2 | 143,856 |
 | Rebeca Muniz (Nonpartisan) | 33.3 | 72,471 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.5 | 1,034 | ||
| Total votes: 217,361 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 6
General election
General election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 6
Incumbent Leslie Harris defeated Molly Mitchell in the general election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 6 on November 5, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Leslie Harris (Nonpartisan) | 65.8 | 142,214 |
| Molly Mitchell (Nonpartisan) | 33.7 | 72,805 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.5 | 1,040 | ||
| Total votes: 216,059 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 4
General election
General election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 4
Incumbent Eden Mack won election in the general election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 4 on November 7, 2017.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ |  | Eden Mack (Nonpartisan) |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 5
General election
General election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 5
Incumbent Zachary DeWolf won election in the general election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 5 on November 7, 2017.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ |  | Zachary DeWolf (Nonpartisan) |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 7
General election
General election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 7
Incumbent Betty Patu won election in the general election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 7 on November 7, 2017.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ |  | Betty Patu (Nonpartisan) |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 1
General election
General election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 1
Incumbent Scott Pinkham won election in the general election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 1 on November 3, 2015.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ |  | Scott Pinkham (Nonpartisan) |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 2
General election
General election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 2
Incumbent Rick Burke won election in the general election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 2 on November 3, 2015.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ |  | Rick Burke (Nonpartisan) |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 3
General election
General election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 3
Incumbent Jill Geary won election in the general election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 3 on November 3, 2015.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ |  | Jill Geary (Nonpartisan) |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 6
General election
General election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 6
Incumbent Leslie Harris and incumbent Marty McLaren won election in the general election for Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors District 6 on November 3, 2015.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Leslie Harris (Nonpartisan) |
| ✔ |  | Marty McLaren (Nonpartisan) |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Election rules
Election dates and frequency
School board nonpartisan primary elections in Washington are held on the first Tuesday in August every two years in odd-numbered years. School board primary elections are only held if more than two candidates file to run for a school board member seat. If only two candidates run, the primary is canceled and both candidates advance to the general election.
School board general elections in Washington are held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November every two years in odd-numbered years.
See law: Washington Statute RCW 29A.52.220 and RCW 29A.04.311 and Washington Statute RCW 29A.04.330
Below are the recent/upcoming dates for all public school districts in the state. There may be exceptions to these dates for specific districts because of local charters and district-specific exceptions and carve-outs.
- Filing deadline date: May 16, 2025
- Primary election date: August 5, 2025
- General election date: November 4, 2025
Election system
School board members in Washington are elected through a system of a nonpartisan primary election and a nonpartisan general election. School board primary elections are only held if more than two candidates file to run for a school board member seat. If only two candidates run, the primary is canceled and both candidates advance to the general election.
See law: Washington Statute RCW 29A.52.220 and RCW 29A.52.210
Party labels on the ballot
School board elections in Washington are nonpartisan, which means party labels do not appear on the ballot for school board candidates. Washington statute specifies partisan and nonpartisan offices. Washington has a top-two primary system, which means all candidates appear on the same primary ballot regardless of party affiliation. The top-two candidates advance to the general. For partisan races, candidates can but do not have to express a preference for a political party. If they do, the ballot specifies their party preference. For nonpartisan races, candidates cannot express a party preference. RCW 28A.343.330 states that, "the positions of school directors and the candidates therefor shall appear separately on the nonpartisan ballot."
See law: Washington Statute RCW 29A.52.210 and RCW 28A.343.330
Winning an election
The school board candidate that receives the largest number of votes in the general election is elected to office.
The top two school board candidates with the most votes in the nonpartisan primary advance to the general election. If only two candidates file for the primary election, the primary will be canceled and they will automatically advance to the general election. School board primary elections are only held if more than two candidates file to run for a school board member seat.
See law: Washington Statute RCW 28A.343.010 and Washington Statute RCW 29A.04.127
Term length and staggering
Elected school board members in Washington have four-year terms, except for school districts classified as first-class school districts containing a city of the first-class in a county with a population of two hundred ten thousand or more, can have their board of directors serving six-year terms. As of 2022, only Spokane, Tacoma, and Everett School Districts serve 6-year terms.
See law: Washington Statute RCW 28A.343.300 and RCW 29A.04.340
Washington school districts have staggered elections based on the rule that not more than a majority of board members can be elected at any election. This means that for all districts with four-year board member terms, as close to half of board members as possible are elected every two years. Four years is the default board member term length. As of 2022, Spokane, Tacoma, and Everett school district board members serve six-year terms with as close to one-third of board members up for election every two years.
See law: Washington Statute RCW 28A.343.300 and 28A.343.600
Representation: at large vs. by sub-district
School board members are elected at large, by district, or through a combination of the two, depending on the classification of the school district. Any school district in the state that has a student enrollment in its public schools of two thousand pupils or more is a school district of the first class. Any other school district is a school district of the second class.
Most school districts classified as First Class Districts can elect their school board members either entirely at large or entirely by sub-districts.
School districts classified as Second Class Districts must elect their school board members either at large or by director districts (sub-district). Districts opting for a combination of board members elected by sub-district and at large generally must have three members elected from sub-districts and two members elected at large.
See law: Washington Statute 28A.343.020, 28A.343.680, and 28A.300.065 and Washington Statute 28A.343.020 and 28A.343.680 and Washington Statute 28A.343.680
Filing deadlines and swearing-in dates
The school board candidate filing deadline is on the Friday following the Monday that is two weeks before Memorial Day. This means the filing deadline is 74 days before the August primary and 172 days before the November general election.
See law: Washington Statute RCW 29A.24.050
School board candidates cannot submit declarations of candidacy until the filling window opens on Monday two weeks before Memorial Day. This means the filing window opens 78 days before the August primary and 176 days before the November general election.
See law: Washington Statute RCW 29A.24.050
Newly elected school board members officially take office at the first board of directors meeting taking place after the results of the election have been certified.
See law: Washington Statute RCW 28A.343.360
Recall elections
- See also: States that allow school board recalls
Recall procedures
| State | Specific grounds required? | Signature requirement | Petition circulation time | When recalls can start |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | Yes: "acts of malfeasance or misfeasance while in office or violation of oath of office"[1] | 25% of votes cast for the office at the last election[2] | 180 days | Recalls can start at any time |
Recall efforts
2024
An effort to recall Liza Rankin, District 1 representative on the Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors in Washington, did not go to a vote in 2024. King County Superior Court Judge Michael Scott ruled that the recall petitions could not be circulated as the charges listed on the petition did not meet the state's required grounds for recall.[3]
The recall effort began in November 2024.[4] Recall supporters listed the board's school closure process as a reason for the recall effort. Rankin said the board had not yet voted on any school closures. The board reviewed multiple proposals to close schools in the district due to a decrease in student enrollment, a decrease in federal funding, and a $100 million budget gap.[5]
At the time the petition was filed, Rankin was serving as president of the board.[4] Rankin was first elected to the seven-member board on November 5, 2019, with 55% of the vote against one opponent in the general election. She won re-election to a four-year term on the board on November 7, 2023, defeating one opponent in the general election with 63% of the vote.
2021
An effort to recall six of the seven members of the Seattle Public Schools school board in Washington did not go to a vote in 2021. A King County Superior Court judge dismissed the recall petition on April 19, 2021.[3]
The recall charges were filed against Liza Rankin, Lisa Rivera Smith, Chandra Hampson, Zachary DeWolf, Leslie Harris, and Brandon Hersey in March 2021. District IV representative Erin Dury was not included in the recall effort as she was not a member of the board at the time charges were filed. She was appointed to the position on March 24, 2021.[6][7]
Recall supporters said the board had failed to transition to in-person instruction in a timely manner. Seattle Public Schools started out the 2020-2021 school year in remote learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[4][8] The board voted on March 24, 2021, to move Pre-K through fifth-grade students into in-person instruction starting in April 2021.[6] When dismissing the petition, Judge Mafé Rajul said the decision to close schools was a “discretionary act and members of a school board cannot be recalled unless they arbitrarily or unreasonably exercised such discretion.” She said the school board members had not acted arbitrarily or unreasonably when they voted to close the schools.[3]
About the district
School board
Seattle Public Schools consists of seven members serving four-year terms. To find information about school board meetings, click here.
| Name | Seat | Year assumed office | Year term ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evan Briggs | District 3 | 2023 | 2027 |
| Gina Topp | District 6 | 2023 | 2027 |
| Liza Rankin | District 1 | 2019 | 2027 |
| Sarah Clark | District 2 | 2024 | 2025 |
| Joe Mizrahi | District 4 | 2024 | 2025 |
| Michelle Sarju | District 5 | 2021 | 2025 |
| Brandon Hersey | District 7 | 2019 | 2025 |
Join the conversation about school board politics
District map
Overlapping state house districts
The table was limited to the lower chamber because it provides the most granularity. State house districts tend to be more numerous and therefore smaller than state senate or U.S. House districts. This provides an impression of the partisan affiliations in the area.
Budget
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[9]
| SOURCE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal: | $112,105,000 | $2,077 | 9% |
| Local: | $527,761,000 | $9,778 | 40% |
| State: | $663,112,000 | $12,286 | 51% |
| Total: | $1,302,978,000 | $24,141 |
| TYPE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Expenditures: | $1,114,357,000 | $20,646 | |
| Total Current Expenditures: | $970,715,000 | $17,985 | |
| Instructional Expenditures: | $590,995,000 | $10,949 | 53% |
| Student and Staff Support: | $149,088,000 | $2,762 | 13% |
| Administration: | $114,721,000 | $2,125 | 10% |
| Operations, Food Service, Other: | $115,911,000 | $2,147 | 10% |
| Total Capital Outlay: | $141,802,000 | $2,627 | |
| Construction: | $137,630,000 | $2,549 | |
| Total Non El-Sec Education & Other: | $1,557,000 | $28 | |
| Interest on Debt: | $232,000 | $4 |
Academic performance
Each year, state and local education agencies use tests and other standards to assess student proficiency. Although the data below was published by the U.S. Department of Education, proficiency measurements are established by the states. As a result, proficiency levels are not comparable between different states and year-over-year proficiency levels within a district may not be comparable because states may change their proficiency measurements. To protect student privacy, percentages are reported as ranges for groups of 300 students or fewer. If five or fewer students were included in a data set, the data will display as "PS."[10]
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-2019 | 64 | 70 | 30 | 41 | 35-39 | 68 | 78 |
| 2017-2018 | 65 | 72 | 31 | 42 | 35-39 | 69 | 79 |
| 2016-2017 | 65 | 72 | 31 | 44 | 30-34 | 67 | 79 |
| 2015-2016 | 65 | 73 | 31 | 44 | 35-39 | 68 | 79 |
| 2014-2015 | 62 | 69 | 29 | 40 | 30-34 | 66 | 78 |
| 2013-2014 | 73 | 82 | 44 | 57 | 45-49 | 76 | 86 |
| 2012-2013 | 72 | 81 | 43 | 54 | 45-49 | 74 | 85 |
| 2011-2012 | 69 | 78 | 40 | 51 | 40-44 | 71 | 83 |
| 2010-2011 | 65 | 73 | 35 | 47 | 41 | 69 | 82 |
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-2019 | 72 | 73 | 40 | 51 | 45-49 | 75 | 86 |
| 2017-2018 | 72 | 73 | 38 | 51 | 40-44 | 75 | 86 |
| 2016-2017 | 71 | 72 | 37 | 51 | 45-49 | 73 | 85 |
| 2015-2016 | 71 | 74 | 40 | 52 | 40-44 | 74 | 85 |
| 2014-2015 | 65 | 67 | 32 | 45 | 30-34 | 70 | 83 |
| 2013-2014 | 77 | 80 | 52 | 63 | 50-54 | 80 | 90 |
| 2012-2013 | 77 | 79 | 53 | 63 | 50-54 | 80 | 90 |
| 2011-2012 | 74 | 76 | 49 | 58 | 50-54 | 78 | 88 |
| 2010-2011 | 72 | 75 | 49 | 56 | 53 | 79 | 86 |
The following table shows the graduation rate of district students each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-2020 | 84 | 85 | 79 | 72 | >=80 | 88 | 90 |
| 2018-2019 | 83 | 85 | 77 | 69 | 60-79 | 80-84 | 89 |
| 2017-2018 | 86 | 89 | 78 | 77 | >=80 | 85-89 | 91 |
| 2016-2017 | 79 | 83 | 71 | 64 | 50-59 | 80-84 | 86 |
| 2015-2016 | 77 | 80 | 70 | 63 | 50-59 | 75-79 | 84 |
| 2014-2015 | 77 | 83 | 66 | 58 | 50-59 | 70-74 | 85 |
| 2013-2014 | 76 | 82 | 62 | 61 | 50-59 | 80-84 | 84 |
| 2012-2013 | 73 | 76 | 61 | 56 | 40-49 | 70-74 | 82 |
| 2011-2012 | 75 | 76 | 63 | 61 | 60-69 | 85-89 | 85 |
| 2010-2011 | 76 | 77 | 63 | 65 | 50-59 | >=50 | 85 |
Students
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[11]
| Year | Enrollment | Year-to-year change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2022-2023 | 51,238 | -0.4 |
| 2021-2022 | 51,443 | -4.9 |
| 2020-2021 | 53,973 | -3.7 |
| 2019-2020 | 55,986 | 1.3 |
| 2018-2019 | 55,271 | 1.3 |
| 2017-2018 | 54,573 | 0.7 |
| 2016-2017 | 54,215 | 1.7 |
| 2015-2016 | 53,317 | 0.9 |
| 2014-2015 | 52,834 | 4.4 |
| 2013-2014 | 50,509 | -0.3 |
| 2012-2013 | 50,655 | 2.7 |
| 2011-2012 | 49,269 | 3.1 |
| 2010-2011 | 47,735 | 2.5 |
| 2009-2010 | 46,522 | 1.2 |
| 2008-2009 | 45,968 | 0.8 |
| 2007-2008 | 45,581 | -1.2 |
| 2006-2007 | 46,113 | 0.1 |
| 2005-2006 | 46,085 | -1.4 |
| 2004-2005 | 46,746 | -1.8 |
| 2003-2004 | 47,588 | -0.6 |
| 2002-2003 | 47,853 | 0.8 |
| 2001-2002 | 47,449 | -0.3 |
| 2000-2001 | 47,575 | -0.9 |
| 1999-2000 | 47,989 | 0.0 |
| RACE | Seattle Public Schools (%) | Washington K-12 STUDENTS (%) |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 0.4 | 1.1 |
| Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander | 12.3 | 8.7 |
| Black | 14.5 | 4.8 |
| Hispanic | 13.8 | 25.6 |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 0.5 | 1.4 |
| Two or More Races | 12.6 | 8.8 |
| White | 44.8 | 49.1 |
Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Staff
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[12]
As of the 2022-2023 school year, Seattle Public Schools had 3,165.52 full-time classroom teachers. The student-teacher ratio was 16.19.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF TEACHERS |
|---|---|
| Prekindergarten: | 50.30 |
| Kindergarten: | 296.37 |
| Elementary: | 1,482.52 |
| Secondary: | 1,336.33 |
| Total: | 3,165.52 |
Seattle Public Schools employed 43.00 district administrators and 202.11 school administrators as of the 2022-2023 school year.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS |
|---|---|
| District Administrators: | 43.00 |
| District Administrative Support: | 80.81 |
| School Administrators: | 202.11 |
| School Administrative Support: | 208.34 |
| TYPE | NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF |
|---|---|
| Instructional Aides: | 764.60 |
| Instruc. Coordinators & Supervisors: | 287.05 |
| Total Guidance Counselors: | 118.99 |
| Elementary Guidance Counselors: | 48.75 |
| Secondary Guidance Counselors: | 70.24 |
| Librarians/Media Specialists: | 68.21 |
| Library/Media Support: | 0.00 |
| Student Support Services: | 311.30 |
| Other Support Services: | 1,074.20 |
Schools
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[13]
About school boards
Education legislation in Washington
Bills are monitored by BillTrack50 and sorted by action history.
See also
| School Boards | Education Policy | Local Politics | Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Recall of Local Officials," accessed July 27, 2021
- ↑ Washington Constitution, "Article I, Section 34," accessed February 10, 2023
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 KOMO News, "King County judge blocks recall petition against school board leader," December 2, 2024 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "novote" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 The Seattle Times, "Parents file recall petition against Seattle School Board president," November 13, 2024 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "began" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedbackground - ↑ 6.0 6.1 Seattle Times, "Seattle School Board chooses new board member, approves plan to return to classrooms," March 24, 2021
- ↑ Seattle Public Schools, "Board of Directors," accessed March 29, 2021
- ↑ Seattle Public Schools, "Timeline: Return to In-Person Learning Timeline," accessed March 29, 2021
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed June 17, 2024
- ↑ U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC: EDFacts, "State Assessments in Reading/Language Arts and Mathematics- School Year 2018-19 EDFacts Data Documentation," accessed February 25, 2021
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed June 17, 2024
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed June 17, 2024
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed June 17, 2024
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