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Teachers and families say Bridges special‑education move left students without needed supports
Summary
Multiple Bridges program staff, parents and union representatives told the board that a September relocation from the Roxhill Annex left students and staff short of nurse coverage, accessible bathrooms, gym and community access; witnesses asked the district for immediate remedial steps.
Teachers, parents and representatives of the Bridges transition program — which serves students with high support needs ages 18–21 — told the Seattle School District board in public testimony that a recent relocation disrupted services and left students without essential supports.
Multiple speakers described the move from the Roxhill Annex (also described in testimony as a prior site serving Southwest programs) to locations at Rainier Beach and other campuses as rushed and insufficiently resourced. Bridges teachers and staff said the new spaces lacked accessible toilets, nearby water and hand‑washing facilities, sensory and quiet rooms required by some IEPs, gym space, sufficient nurse coverage and adequate staffing for students with medical and mobility needs.
A Bridges teacher at Southwest, Alicia Winger, said the relocation “removed important necessary resources and isolated those students from independence and community‑based instruction.” Sophie Nelson, another Bridges teacher, told the board the program arrived to Rainier Beach with empty rooms, missing equipment and unfilled staff positions and that, on some days, a single staff member was the only adult for multiple high‑support students.
Paraprofessionals and SEIU members described insufficient nursing coverage; union testimony read by Divina Diaz said a single nurse is available to Bridges programs only one day a week and that staff have been told the program is “not part of” the host building, complicating access to school facilities.
Speakers asked the district for immediate steps that would fix what they characterized as basic safety and instructional deficits: ADA‑compliant bathroom access, on‑site nurse coverage, secure storage for adaptive equipment, reliable transportation, and sufficient staff to meet IEP‑mandated 1:1 staffing where required. Family members and advocates said the relocation had increased commute times for students who previously were within walking distance of Roxhill and had reduced opportunities for community‑based instruction.
District staff did not record any formal board vote on Bridges during the meeting. Several speakers asked the board and superintendent to “listen and act,” asking for prompt, tangible corrections. The board’s public materials did not include an immediate remedial plan on the record at the meeting; speakers said they will continue to press for repairs and for district follow‑up.
Why it matters: Bridges is a federally required transition program that focuses on job and independent living skills for students with high support needs; witnesses said the move has directly affected students’ ability to receive those services and, in some cases, their health and safety.
What’s next: Bridges staff and families asked district leaders for immediate remedial measures and for prioritized staffing and nursing support. The board did not record a formal vote at the meeting; families plan to continue engagement with district staff.
