[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6371941,"mediaKeyId","2148663-6d8c85894b561bdf9d717567c1a3424b","parentId",2148663,"title","Seattle Public Schools proclaims Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action, Feb. 3–7, 2025","audioSeconds",245,"startMs",553000,"endMs",798000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2148663-6d8c85894b561bdf9d717567c1a3424b&start=553&end=798","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2148663-6d8c85894b561bdf9d717567c1a3424b/thumbnail_553000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6371941/Washington/Seattle-Public-Schools-proclaims-Black-Lives-Matter-at-School-Week-of-Action-Feb-37-2025","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6371941-8f8f0a6ea560ec744352846dd6fe9201/orig.mp4?Expires=1771093972&Signature=HUo7QUDSaNSKwrBKw76HbRPmd-stFalwhfXq2K3I9PaeZYeYlJw5UK~6YRE0yuhVRVP3LrtQbZIpKr~xho-U7bSPxU0Wy4nxItVSUPZ4CaH7usiLjhoGcoiA-Cn7H~CzcB5lzjhz8J0IkhXyG25u00h9ycqxFnNDWBesz8TtzAF29hcVx88Nvau336gWQl1fozYVReOAwIfreLI5behjDzSEHVKlfjU68M68QUhu0px1vr~kJ8xyp3kfwqwWGvzCwvdZNvl9FNG1g~XYUVSLpElADy9koazGpJp2gtsPEIUaFa5SbTXHVRRZyzeCHWtG6RaN58W1cEnxlY4abZXj7Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Seattle School District No. 1, Washington","date","2025-01-23T05:59:33Z","article","Student board members read a proclamation into the record at the Jan. 22 Seattle School District No. 1 board meeting declaring Feb. 3–7, 2025, as Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action and affirming the district’s commitment to educational and racial equity.

The proclamation notes the local origins of the Black Lives Matter at School movement and references board policy 0030 (ensuring educational and racial equity). It includes findings that historical and structural racism contribute to racial disparities in education and reaffirms the district’s obligation to support the success and dignity of Black students.

Superintendent Dr. Brent Jones echoed the proclamation and said staff are reviewing district policies to ensure clarity for students, families and staff about protections (including limits on immigration enforcement consistent with federal and state law). Student board members and several community speakers asked the district to follow the proclamation with concrete steps — including prioritizing ethnic studies, antiracist professional learning and supports for Black students.

The reading cited the district’s prior resolution affirming its commitment to Black student safety; the proclamation encourages district‑wide participation and classroom discussion during the Week of Action and the 2024–25 “year of purpose.” The board did not record a separate roll call vote to adopt the proclamation; it was read into the record during superintendent comments and the public meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Seattle Schools Board Meeting Jan. 22, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Student board members read a district proclamation declaring Feb. 3–7, 2025, Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action and reaffirming the district’s commitment to racial equity and protecting student groups in line with board policy.","taxTitle","Seattle School District No. 1, School Districts, Washington","taxId",14626,"location","Washington","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6371946,"Seattle school board postpones vote on new district goals and guardrails; special meeting set for Jan. 29",3186,6841000,10027000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2148663-6d8c85894b561bdf9d717567c1a3424b&start=6841&end=10027","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2148663-6d8c85894b561bdf9d717567c1a3424b/thumbnail_6841000.jpg","/articles/6371946/Washington/Seattle-school-board-postpones-vote-on-new-district-goals-and-guardrails-special-meeting-set-for-Jan-29","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6371946-b7a55c757d0771a89265e714fee704f9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771093972&Signature=GXE2hrh-apxOTsJcoIk6JYQbtX~eyI0FuhtTbCT7hDWm5w3oj1ccDG-rGLp6imV2Ny3~KLx6SkoFias229OsxFXEWwULdUR6L7Smuj3wIzY1Zy94qGtbXrHWuHnWzps3fju-0U6lYxFqTVZ-ssClQBAoQ8wbGANmq4w4v03wLU3KH71s1oaQcuOR8soDJUkfxl1aQIRK86WkR63ty4UMCrLhZmWvuLVSoUNkdzDUswegp4eB~sU3hRx~GT2FoEFhfv9erT1cR25D6eUPMgRia4t1LnuRGdV9mNavQaFwRAsOwqQVnL6M17oiQBlctfI3STYG~-nHsfNhZWi7a~OrcA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Seattle School District No. 1 Board of Directors on Jan. 22 debated proposed new district goals and five guardrails before voting unanimously to postpone final action to a special board meeting scheduled for Jan. 29, 2025.

Director Rankin, who led the board’s community engagement on the goals, framed the debate around whether the 5‑year numerical targets were ambitious enough to drive change. She proposed raising some targets (for example, an early literacy target) from a 10‑percentage‑point increase to 15 percentage points to push larger system changes. Other directors pushed back that larger targets carry higher costs and require clearer trade‑off decisions in the district budget.

The discussion touched on several substantive design choices: whether top‑line goals should be supplemented with differentiated subgroup targets (for example, larger gains for students furthest from educational justice), where to anchor a math goal (fourth grade versus seventh grade), and how to measure “college and career readiness.” On readiness, staff proposed combining the district’s High School and Beyond Plan with an implementation step such as completion of one of: a dual‑credit course, a formal work‑based learning experience, or submission of a FAFSA/WASFA or post‑secondary application.

Board members also reviewed waiver use in recent graduating cohorts. Senior staff explained that some waivers used during and after the COVID period were phased out for the class of 2024; district officials said reduced waiver use partly explains a slight decline in on‑time graduation rates but that restoring rigorous course opportunities is the preferred path to readiness.

Budget context came up repeatedly. Staff presented two budget scenarios for 2025–26: a no‑new‑state‑funding scenario that would require further school‑level staffing reductions, and a scenario in which the district receives $30–60 million in additional funding (from the legislature and/or local levy adjustments), which would avoid reductions to school staffing. Staff and board members agreed the final goals and guardrails should align to funding choices and interim metrics at the school level. The district has levies on the Feb. 11 ballot that fund operations and capital projects; staff warned that final budget decisions will depend on levy results and the 2025 legislative session.

Rather than vote to adopt the proposed policies on Jan. 22, the board unanimously approved a motion to postpone action and reconvene Jan. 29 with revised language informed by the evening’s discussion and additional staff detail on tradeoffs.

Votes at a glance

- Consent agenda: Moved by Vice President Briggs; seconded by Director Mizrahi; board reported the motion passed by voice vote (unanimous).
- Motion to postpone action on adoption of board policies 0020 (goals) and 0025 (guardrails) and the amendment to policy 1010: Moved by Vice President Briggs; seconded by Director Mizrahi; roll call vote recorded as unanimous (Aye: Director Ms. Rahi; Director Rankin; Director Sarju; Vice President Briggs; Director Clark; Director Hersey; President Toph). The motion passed unanimously.

The board directed staff to return to a special meeting on Jan. 29 with proposed refinements to numeric targets and clearer interim metrics that will permit the board to judge progress (including subgroup targets), and with more detail on budget tradeoffs tied to adopting more ambitious targets. No final policy language or numeric targets were adopted on Jan. 22.","After extended debate about numeric targets and measurement details, the Seattle School District No. 1 Board of Directors voted unanimously Jan. 22 to postpone adoption of proposed goals and guardrails and to reconvene Jan. 29 to finalize the wording and targets.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6371950,"Students, teachers and librarians urge Seattle district not to cut school libraries",3623,921000,4544000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2148663-6d8c85894b561bdf9d717567c1a3424b&start=921&end=4544","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2148663-6d8c85894b561bdf9d717567c1a3424b/thumbnail_921000.jpg","/articles/6371950/Washington/Students-teachers-and-librarians-urge-Seattle-district-not-to-cut-school-libraries","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6371950-f9c17be2d132c70f44047192ac0117dc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771093972&Signature=jOf-vvqGEmjPh9p2VTFYIzlgNnjWmFXTv3W1yoZxrzCdWOvDwJW2cauOBtqPd~xZ4sAUecZQ~sKiVrxAvPiBs1zKvlsHkUGnhaxqUtBNFyITrVwLRCrjJJSkJlLue8lTqZiB4mBz~d6kaJg-rTh3YRwD3FL6vZPL~DU1Pqa-YdUoWWoChTeQvvH6MrWlG6csF-qzieYtz8H34auuFcNMZxkh4hvMyhMjHhek6xMZnu8wcnfDKrrYsbp9Od502LD-dRyogi00PFTAOZssftRtn2mqHELBgpK7Df~QrD4dMwtP2gBhtlGNbSORywarpa208m6jjZlMylCiiiUTSLDZoA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dozens of students, parents, teachers and school librarians told the Seattle School District No. 1 Board of Directors on Jan. 22 that proposed staffing changes threaten daily library services that many students rely on.

Speakers described libraries as daily academic and social supports and urged the board to preserve librarian positions and library hours during the budget process. They delivered petitions, school-by-school counts and first-person accounts of how libraries function as safe spaces and academic hubs.

Several students said reduced hours would remove essential supports. Rowan Harper, a junior at Ballard High School, brought a school petition and told the board, “If you cut our librarian’s hours in half, you’re basically taking these opportunities straight out of the hands of your students right in front of them.” Ryan Sander, a Ballard student who helped gather signatures, said simply, “Our libraries matter.”

Librarians and teachers described services that would be lost or reduced if positions are cut. Stacia Bell, librarian at Madison Middle School, said the Madison library serves as a daily refuge for students and that “150 students choose to start their school day in our Madison library.” David Furman, a special education teacher at Ballard High School, told the board that librarians make possible programs such as a queer pride book club and help students with intellectual disabilities practice community participation: “Our libraries offer that. And they only offer that if they’re open.”

Speakers cited specific evidence of community concern: Donna Sabo Hutchinson, representing West Seattle High School students, said more than 200 people signed a petition to restore library funding at her school. Ballard students reported collecting signatures from over half of a 1,600‑student school. Several speakers referenced a district slide deck from Aug. 28 showing reducing secondary librarians to halftime as a budget option.

Board members did not take action on library staffing at the meeting; the district’s budget study session that followed focused on multiple scenarios for 2025–26. Several parents and community groups asked the board to publish clearer staffing reduction scenarios and to commit to preserving full‑time secondary librarians in any budget choice.

The board acknowledged the testimony and said staff will include community feedback as the district refines budget proposals. Speakers asked the board to publish the prioritized cut list and staffing scenarios before decisions are finalized so families and school communities can evaluate tradeoffs.

The public comment block on libraries was part of a larger testimony period that also included remarks on ethnic studies, dual language programs, special education and other topics. Several library speakers asked the board to formalize a written commitment to keep libraries and librarians as part of the district’s prioritized services.

Looking ahead, district staff and the board said further budget proposals will be presented at upcoming study sessions; ballot return for the district’s February levies is Feb. 11, 2025, and the board will consider final budget votes later in the spring.","Dozens of students, teachers and librarians testified at the Jan. 22 Seattle School District board meeting urging the board not to reduce library hours or librarian positions as the district crafts its 2025–26 budget and considers staffing changes.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Seattle Public Schools proclaims Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action, Feb. 3–7, 2025

Seattle school board postpones vote on new district goals and guardrails; special meeting set for Jan. 29

Students, teachers and librarians urge Seattle district not to cut school libraries