District projects roughly 49,080 students and establishes CODA assignment path to TOPS and Roosevelt

District staff reported enrollment projections, school-choice application results and an operational update that the district has implemented a pathway for children of deaf adults to request assignment to schools with DHH programming.

Enrollment projection and trend

Enrollment staff said Seattle Public Schools has experienced a decline of roughly 3,200 students (about 6 percent) since 2020 and projects enrollment of about 49,080 students for 2025–26. "We are anticipating a projection of 49,080 students," the enrollment presenter said. Staff noted the decline is concentrated in kindergarten cohorts and that overall enrollment trends are stabilizing for grades 6–12.

Summer attrition and assignment vs. enrollment

Staff described a recurring pattern in the annual enrollment cycle: projected assignment totals peak in summer but fall back as families reconcile plans before school starts. Presenters noted there can be a "cliff" between August assignment and final enrollment, with up to about 1,000 reconciled drops on average year over year as families withdraw or choose other options.

School choice results and operational notes

Staff reported 4,055 school-choice applications this year and said the district assigned roughly 2,600 students to their first choice—a notably higher first-choice assignment rate than in prior years. The district plans to open enrollment earlier in January 2026 for the 2026–27 school year and aims to expand first-choice placement where space allows.

Children of Deaf Adults (CODA) pathway

Staff announced that, as of Sept. 1, the district's systems are updated to accept CODA registrations and to code and prioritize qualified students for assignment. Families who request the CODA pathway will be able to request guaranteed assignment to TOPS (K–8) and Roosevelt (9–12) where DHH programming is available; families may also stay at their attendance-area school if they prefer. Staff said the district will coordinate CODA screening with special education and multilingual teams and continue parallel work to ensure supports are available in other schools.

Board discussion: equity, policy and next steps

Directors praised the CODA pathway as an overdue fix for a language and cultural need. Director Rankin called the CODA assignment "the right thing to do" and said a dual-language ASL option at TOPS could provide additional benefits.

Directors also debated the policy implications of choice and wait lists. Several said assignment and choice policies should align with the district's equity and strategic goals rather than evolve incrementally. Director Rankin and others urged development of clearer board-level policy or strategy to define the purpose and resourcing of neighborhood schools, option programs and wait-list management.

Ending

Staff will use the enrollment projections in operational planning and the budget process and said they will return with more data and proposals as the strategic plan and staffing decisions proceed.