From McGilvra Advocacy Committee
Dear Greater Capitol Hill Community:
On September 11th, Seattle Public Schools released its proposals for school closures; a list which includes closing Stevens Elementary, TOPS K-8 (in one of two proposals), and McGilvra Elementary (among others). This proposal divides communities, zoning neighborhoods into different schools and dividing classmates, families, and friends, including the deaf and hard-of-hearing community at TOPS.
To be clear, the proposals are not yet final. People need to take action today, ahead of the School Board meeting on October 9. The district’s plan is not in the best interest of the city, the district, our schools, or our children. We know this because every major US school district that has executed on a mass closure plan has experienced fallout with student and teacher attrition, disruption that harmed student outcomes, and cost savings that were far less than projected. (See page 6 of this Pew Report for examples.) We have enough wealth in Washington to solve the public school budget crisis. We just need the political will.
If you oppose mass closures, you can take action in the following ways:
1) Take 30-seconds and sign the latest All Together for Seattle Schools form letter that urges SPS to design a student-centered school system full of diverse, high-quality schools, not attempt to solve a budget crisis at the expense of our students. You can also sign up to receive email updates from All Together for Seattle Schools
2) Take 1-hour and join All Together for Seattle Schools and rally before the upcoming school board meeting on September 18. The group will gather at 3:45 p.m. on the south lawn in front of the John Stanford Center. Bring your kids if needed and show your support for your school and every SPS school.
3) Share your concerns with The Seattle Times via this link. The Seattle Times is already publishing op-eds criticizing the proposal and is looking for feedback from the community.
4) Forward this article and talk with neighbors, friends, and local businesses to gain their support and advocacy. Mass engagement and action is our best shot at success.
5) Email Michelle Sarju, District 5 School Board Director, asking her to stop the school closures.
6) Reach out to [email protected] if you have any contacts in the mayor’s office, the state legislature, the SPS central office, media, or the governor’s office or have any creative, out-of-the-box ideas to keep our schools open.
Now is the time to speak out so every child can learn and thrive in Seattle Public Schools. Let’s keep our schools open and our communities together.
Thank you.
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We need an income tax. The way we fund schools is archaic and completely out of touch with community needs.
Three honest questions for you
There is a lot to not like about the proposals. The Westneat article laid out a few of the reasons and in general uprooting kids and families by closing schools is bad but at the same time this mantra of throwing money at the problem is not going to solve any of the issues at the root of the problem. SPS is going to continue to bleed students until they create a product that provides the education parents are seeking for their kids.
btw the state has plenty of money without resorting to an income tax (which is never going to happen either) so its really just a matter of adjusting the formula.
SPS is not the only district struggling right now. Most districts in the state are in rough shape. Marysville’s situation is so dire that the entire district is at risk of going under.
Also, let’s not blame the teachers union for this. We live in a high cost of living area, and teachers deserve to make enough to live here.
The state needs to do its job and properly fund schools.
Ok but what does it mean to “properly” fund schools? My questions above still remains. At what point in enrollment does a school no longer become viable? If there are 150 kids in a school should taxpayers be obligated to continue operating it? This is an enrollment issue and given the trends it’s not going to change anytime soon. The school district, the state or both should have a student-school ratio and let that guide these decisions or we are going to continue to have these conversations.
How about Licton Springs?
A brand new 52,500 square feet of building for 74 students.
That seems like a bit too much.
Who is paying for that? Other people’s children.
Let’s agree that we should close or consolidate at least this one.
It should have never been built. Thank all the developers who continue to make money off of children.
Next year there is a new Middle School opening that was designed for 1000 students, do you think that the schools that are listed are the only ones they are planning to be shut?
Wait… more are coming… in the spring.
1 so what is the cause of declining enrollment? Shaun Scott had a long piece in the Stranger this weekend and pointed out that bussing and integration caused a big drop in the 70s that SPS has never recovered from. in the early 70s SPS had something like 100,000 students: now with a larger population, it’s half that. Is it simple demographics, families having fewer kids? Childless adults/couples who move out of Seattle before starting a family? Just like the missing middle in housing, I think we are going to see a missing middle in population: young singles in high wage jobs and service workers getting by and then high wealth types who made it here or moved here once they could afford it. The young families will be gone, perhaps never to return. Why would they, if they have built a life elsewhere?
2 SPS knew the state of their finances, knew the enrollment figures and projections when they were at the bargaining table. They knew COVID relief was not going to last forever. There are schools with enrollment capacity well under 50%: why are they still open and not consolidated with nearby schools? At the same time some are over-enrolled, like many of the choice schools. So the teachers and their union seem to be offering a good value. As with the old saying about Seattle, as a major league city with minor league management, so with SPS. Westneat’s piece on that says more on that than I can.
3 Will increased funding improve student outcomes? Not every dollar goes into teacher paychecks. Books and materials are not free. Counseling services and psych assessments are not free. Nursing services (1-2 days a week) and enrichment like music and art all come with costs as well. The state is still not picking up its share of the cost. Seattle voters are very generous with their levy support but they should not have to be. How much is SPS spending an admin and IT contracts? How many consultants? How much in legal settlements to families who have sued and won?
4 What;’s the administrator to teacher ratio and how has it shrunk or grown over the last 20 years?
I don’t know. The 70’s was 50 years ago now (I can’t believe that) so saying that is the cause of today’s issue seems a stretch. I think Covid and school closures are the biggest culprit at this point. Demographics are definitely changing but there are going to be families and kids in the city always. As noted above the school district needs to do a much better job of communicating the school-student ratio and then create a program that parents want to enroll their kids in.
Just one thing I would add is that the schools with low enrollment and high capacity were recently remodeled to absorb the small neighborhood schools. SPS has been planning this a while. I learned this from the podcast Seattle Hall Pass.
Of all the things that could be defunded, public schools? Really? That’s what goes? Time to rally!
Not to support SPS here, who has done themselves no favors with communication, but there is a deficit and the State is not going to cover it. I can appreciate the parents of this school don’t want it closed, but the district clearly laid out why elementary schools with 400-500 kids make more sense right now, and what financial resource they think this saves. Closing schools has occured before. As a parent of kids enrolled in SPS, I don’t find the plea from above by the McGilvra parents helpful as it’s without actual other solutions. And also, is the sky falling if you have to send your kids to Montlake or Madrona?
McGilvra’s reading and math proficiency average is 77%. Madrona’s is 44%. Sky’s not falling but that’s a big enough difference to make me choose moving over sending my kids there. Spent years to find a small townhouse on the edge of the McGilvra district specifically to send our kids here. Could have saved a fortune moving to a different district. Having been laid off this year makes this situation especially difficult. Not sure if there’s a solution but part of it should include keeping open schools that perform well by measure of math and reading proficiency. Apologies if that comes off snippy… just a tough time.
Perhaps if you send your children (and teachers) to Madrona the average will come up there. McGilvra was never meant as an AP school, but a lot of parents sure seem to treat it that way. At the end of the day, very old buildings like McGilvra are harder to maintain and run, which I believe is a large part of the bottom line as to which schools are being closed.
Erik, I’m on the McGilvra PTA, I’m sorry you’re going through this; I’m finding it difficult, too. I do want to say that I have talked to Madrona families who love the school for its caring community and its teachers and principal who are focused on academic outcomes for all. Academic outcomes at nearly every school in SPS are unfortunately divided by race, which demonstrate persistent systemic racism. I would happily follow the district’s vision if their plan made sense. It doesn’t. It also doesn’t address enrollment and instead cuts the most popular programs. If just 24 students unenrolled from each elementary school due to dissatisfaction, the district will see no savings from closing schools. SPS has experienced greater enrollment losses than that recently and people deeply dislike this latest plan. Bottom line, the district’s plan threatens public education in this city. It does not make sense that McGilvra, a thriving school that attracts families from across the city, should close. McGilvra is an asset, not a liability. We would love to talk to you. The district’s proposal is not final. Please join us, you can participate as much or as little as you like. advocacy@ mcgilvrapta.org
I’ve been happy with McGilvra, especially under the leadership of our new principal, and want it to stay open.
However, I have had a positive experience with Madrona Elementary and this would be my choice should McGilvra close. My son went there for preschool, as presently do his younger siblings. The principal is outside in the morning greeting every student by name. The K-5 families I know there speak highly of the teachers.
Thank you for sharing this, and prompting me to remember my ancient CHS login. My oldest kid goes to McGilvra and I was planning to send my younger two children there as well.
This is the second elementary school Madison Valley has lost in recent memory. Our old neighborhood school, M.L. King, closed around 2006. The kids were sent to TT Minor, which also closed. Then SPS sold the property to the lowest bidder.
I know Madison Valley has a new generation of kids and families, but I hate that this neighborhood is losing a second elementary school. Madrona & Montlake Elementary are great schools too, but overall closing public schools is shortsighted and not fully addressing the budget deficit. Last time, SPS had to reopen several of the closed schools when enrollment rebounded, and that cost more than what closing schools had saved.
Right but as a flow of funds issue, if there is not money to pay the bill right now, how is that short sighted? Closing schools doesn’t fully solve the budget gap, but if it closes an estimated 20-30% of the gap, with not much else on the table but to eliminate teachers and staff, how is that not a reasonable option?
Eliminate teachers, administrators, and many central office positions, not necessarily in that order. After that, consider well thought out school closures focused on achieving excellence and retaining students in the system. If employees represents the vast majority of SPS costs, and they do, make the savings happen there.
Please join the PTA in working toward a better solution. [email protected]
Lack of funding is not the problem. Wasteful spending is. Even a cursory look at the per-pupil spending confirms this. Petitions demanding mutually exclusive outcomes like “diverse” and “high quality” will not change the real problem, which is that SPS drove away so many families and no longer had enough students to justify keeping all the current locations open.