This episode of Seattle Hall Pass focuses on three main stories converging in Seattle Public Schools:

1. The Financial Story
2. The Equity Story
3. The Student Story

... and how these competing priorities create a complex, seemingly impossible situation for the district to resolve satisfactorily.

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Seattle Public School Board President Liza Rankin, Student Outcomes Focused Governance coach AJ Crabill, and public school advocate Robert Cruickshank are interviewed about the governance model used by the SPS School Board. Thanks to Dawson Nichols for producing this episode.

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Note: Seattle Hall Pass features a variety of voices. Each person’s opinions are their own.
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Seattle Public Schools has finally released potential lists of schools to close. We attempt to sort through some of the information.

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Contact us: Send corrections, suggestions, and comments to [email protected]. Send us a voice memo at speak.seattlehallpass.org

Disclaimer: Seattle Hall Pass features a variety of voices. Each person’s opinions are their own. 

We review major topics from the school board meeting on August 28. Topics include: 

• school closures and state funding
• dual-language immersion 
• principals’ union contract
• highly capable services

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Christie, Jasmine, and Jane discuss new safety measures being implemented for the upcoming school year.  The total investment of $14.55 million by the city and school district includes mental health support, violence intervention, and increased police presence around schools.
 
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Christie Robertson and intern Jasmine Pulido look back at Season One of Seattle Hall Pass, which spanned the 2023-24 school year at Seattle Public Schools. They reference Hall Pass episodes on the district’s budget woes, postponed school closures, school board director resignations and appointments, the state legislature, and student outcomes progress monitoring.

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Jane and Christie cover the June 26, 2024 school board meeting with help from our new intern, Jasmine Pulido. Topics include the postponement of releasing a list of schools to be closed in 2025, the 2024-25 budget introduction and hearing, and the reduction in school board meetings scheduled for the 2024-25 school year.

Contact us: Send corrections, suggestions, and comments to [email protected]. 

Disclaimer: Seattle Hall Pass features a variety of voices. Each person’s opinions are their own. 

This is a new segment called "What Do Other Districts Do?" In this episode, we discuss how other districts handle school closures and how often other districts have school board meetings.

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In 2005, Seattle Public Schools was projecting falling enrollment, and over the ensuing years, 11 schools were closed. But it turned out that the projections were wrong, and SPS needed to reopen most of the buildings. New Seattle Hall Pass contributor Dawson Nichols spoke to four people who were there - Kay Smith-Blum, Leslie Harris, Sue Peters, and Dora Taylor. 

Note that these interviews were recorded before the June 10 school board meeting had been moved to June 26.

See our very extensive Show Notes for lots more information.

Disclaimer: Seattle Hall Pass features a variety of voices. Each person’s opinions are their own. 

Contact us: Send corrections, suggestions, and comments to [email protected] or speak.seattlehallpass.org. 

See our Show Notes
Contact us [email protected]

School Closure Community Engagement Meetings, May 28 - June 1. In this episode of the Seattle Hall Pass podcast, Christie Robertson and Jane Tunks Demel discuss the recent community meetings held by Seattle Public Schools regarding the proposed closure of 20 out of 73 elementary schools by the 2025-26 school year. They report on the first meeting at Roosevelt High School, which was poorly received due to lack of information and engagement, and then discuss the subsequent meetings at Garfield and Chief Sealth High Schools, where the district provided more details and answered questions from the community. The hosts share key information from the meetings, including estimated cost savings, enrollment projections, and the district's rationale for the closures, while also highlighting some of the community's concerns and unanswered questions.