Seattle Public Schools previews 2025–26 budget, cites $100M structural gap and new state levy authority

At a May 21 special meeting, the Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors heard a staff preview of the district’s proposed 2025–26 budget and options to close an estimated $100 million structural shortfall.

Chief Operating Officer Fred Podesta and Assistant Superintendent for Finance Dr. Kurt Buttleman told the board the district projects a deficit ‘‘in the ballpark of $100 to $104 million’’ for 2025–26 and is proposing a package of one‑time and on‑going adjustments to balance next year’s books while limiting changes to school programs.

The staff presentation said the Legislature passed ESHB 2049, which increases local levy collection authority by $500 per student; Buttleman said that change adds about $13 million to the 2025–26 budget and will yield roughly an additional $23–24 million once collections are fully phased in. Staff also said the Legislature extended the payback period for interfund loans from two years to four years, a change the district plans to use in its proposal to delay some capital‑fund repayments.

Why it matters: Seattle Public Schools faces a multi‑year structural funding gap driven primarily by staffing costs and enrollment declines. Staff said the 2025–26 proposal aims to preserve current program offerings and avoid district‑wide school closures or large, immediate staffing…