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Public schools. Public promise.

SAVE SEATTLESCHOOLS.

Our position

  • Keep great public schools open. Schools anchor communities. Families need stability to plan years ahead. Closure threats weaken trust and push families away.
  • Closures won’t fix the budget. Other districts have lost students and funding to large-scale closures. Promised efficiencies haven’t fixed their budgets.
  • Make public schools work for everyone. Maintain academic excellence and support every learner. Keep families from every socioeconomic background invested.

A school worth knowing

Green Lake
Elementary.

Generations of learning beside the lake.

Green Lake’s school community reaches back to 1890, when classes began in a neighborhood house. Families helped it grow into a lasting local institution—a place where Seattle children have learned for more than a century. [1]

Get to know this school
Green Lake Elementary, photographed circa 1975Green Lake, Seattle
Green Lake Elementary, circa 1975. Photo: SPS Archives · Cropped
Green LakeK–5Seattle Public SchoolsResearch updated October 9, 2026
School community established [1]
1890
Students · September 2026 [2]
306
Capital budget · 2026–27 [24]
$3M

01Community consent

Don’t close Green Lake without community consent.

SPS included Green Lake in both September 2024 closure alternatives. It was not among the final four schools recommended that October. The board withdrew that proposal in November 2024. [4][5][6]

The leadership has changed since then. The 2025 election brought Kathleen Smith and Jen LaVallee onto the board, alongside returning directors Vivian Song and Joe Mizrahi. [27] Brent Jones resigned in 2025. After Fred Podesta served as interim superintendent, Ben Shuldiner took over in February 2026. [28][29]

Plan for more students, not fewer schools. Rebuild trust, maintain academic excellence and help families discover what their local school offers. Give this community the stability and support to grow enrollment—and a direct say in its future.

The years after the proposals

  1. 367October 2024
  2. 329October 2025
  3. 306September 2026

SPS student headcounts [2]

02Nearby schools

Longer commutes. More crossings.

Closing a neighborhood school can mean longer school runs, time away from work and more busy streets for children to cross. Apparent savings to SPS are paid for in families’ time. Moving costs off the district’s books does not make them disappear.

Compare the 3 nearest SPS elementary or K–8 campuses to Green Lake Elementary, ranked by driving distance. [3][18]

Four schools. Four neighborhood communities.

Walking routes from Green Lake and available neighborhood attendance areas.

Green LakeMcDonald InternationalDaniel BagleyJohn Stanford International
Green LakeNearby schoolsAttendance areasWalking routesArterial crossings

© SPS 2025–26 GIS [20] · 2026–27 attendance map [21] · © SDOT / King County [22] · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Route data (ODbL)

Travel time for families.

Campus to campus · Driving: round trip per drop-off or pickup · Walking & distances: one way

SchoolParent driving Round tripChild walking One wayArterial crossings On foot

McDonald International

8 min0.6 mi
15 min0.7 mi2 mapped crossings: NE 56TH ST · NE 65TH ST

Daniel Bagley

10 min1.3 mi
26 min1.2 mi3 mapped crossings: EAST GREEN LAKE WAY N · WEST GREEN LAKE DR N · WOODLAWN AVE N

John Stanford International

12 min1.6 mi
31 min1.5 mi5 mapped crossings: LATONA AVE NE · NE 45TH ST · NE 50TH ST · NE 56TH ST · NE 65TH ST

Driving: 2× one-way estimate, without traffic · Walking routes [18][19]

03Enrollment

More kids in Seattle. Fewer in public schools.

Enrollment & the city

2010–2024 · Each line uses its own color-matched scale.

  • Green Lake students
    3672024

    Left scale

  • Seattle children under 18
    109,5192024

    Right scale

  • Private K–12 share
    25.8%2024

    Right scale

Green Lake enrollment, Seattle children and private-school share, 2010–2024Three lines share one timeline. Green Lake students use the left scale, 0 to 500. The right-hand axis pairs blue labels for Seattle residents under 18, 0 to 150,000, with red labels for private K–12 share, 0 to 30 percent. All scales start at zero. Dashed segments and hollow points show linear interpolation for the missing 2020 city data. Exact values, survey margins and definitions are in Data & sources.012525037550000%50k10%100k20%150k30%Green Lake students, 2010: 288Green Lake students, 2011: 267Green Lake students, 2012: 261Green Lake students, 2013: 258Green Lake students, 2014: 301Green Lake students, 2015: 337Green Lake students, 2016: 427Green Lake students, 2017: 437Green Lake students, 2018: 447Green Lake students, 2019: 430Green Lake students, 2020: 352Green Lake students, 2021: 308Green Lake students, 2022: 328Green Lake students, 2023: 322Green Lake students, 2024: 367Seattle children under 18, 2010: 95,293; 90% margin ±5,001Seattle children under 18, 2011: 98,585; 90% margin ±3,957Seattle children under 18, 2012: 97,199; 90% margin ±4,372Seattle children under 18, 2013: 100,535; 90% margin ±5,296Seattle children under 18, 2014: 99,837; 90% margin ±4,811Seattle children under 18, 2015: 99,795; 90% margin ±4,654Seattle children under 18, 2016: 105,996; 90% margin ±5,142Seattle children under 18, 2017: 114,411; 90% margin ±5,315Seattle children under 18, 2018: 111,713; 90% margin ±5,986Seattle children under 18, 2019: 110,672; 90% margin ±5,207Seattle children under 18, 2020: 104,893; linearly interpolated between neighboring yearsSeattle children under 18, 2021: 99,114; 90% margin ±5,548Seattle children under 18, 2022: 100,014; 90% margin ±5,563Seattle children under 18, 2023: 109,297; 90% margin ±5,966Seattle children under 18, 2024: 109,519; 90% margin ±6,349Private K–12 share, 2010: 19.4%; 90% margin ±2.7 percentage points (approx.)Private K–12 share, 2011: 20.7%; 90% margin ±2.2 percentage points (approx.)Private K–12 share, 2012: 22.1%; 90% margin ±2.8 percentage points (approx.)Private K–12 share, 2013: 23.2%; 90% margin ±2.6 percentage points (approx.)Private K–12 share, 2014: 19.9%; 90% margin ±2.3 percentage points (approx.)Private K–12 share, 2015: 21.1%; 90% margin ±2.7 percentage points (approx.)Private K–12 share, 2016: 21.2%; 90% margin ±2.7 percentage points (approx.)Private K–12 share, 2017: 18.3%; 90% margin ±2.5 percentage points (approx.)Private K–12 share, 2018: 21.7%; 90% margin ±2.2 percentage points (approx.)Private K–12 share, 2019: 21.8%; 90% margin ±2.4 percentage points (approx.)Private K–12 share, 2020: 23.3%; linearly interpolated between neighboring yearsPrivate K–12 share, 2021: 24.9%; 90% margin ±3.5 percentage points (approx.)Private K–12 share, 2022: 17.3%; 90% margin ±2.2 percentage points (approx.)Private K–12 share, 2023: 25.1%; 90% margin ±2.6 percentage points (approx.)Private K–12 share, 2024: 25.8%; 90% margin ±3.4 percentage points (approx.)2010201520202024Green Lake enrollment, Seattle children and private-school share, 2010–2024Three lines share one timeline. Green Lake students use the left scale, 0 to 500. The right-hand axis pairs blue labels for Seattle residents under 18, 0 to 150,000, with red labels for private K–12 share, 0 to 30 percent. All scales start at zero. Dashed segments and hollow points show linear interpolation for the missing 2020 city data. Exact values, survey margins and definitions are in Data & sources.012525037550000%50k10%100k20%150k30%Green Lake students, 2010: 288Green Lake students, 2011: 267Green Lake students, 2012: 261Green Lake students, 2013: 258Green Lake students, 2014: 301Green Lake students, 2015: 337Green Lake students, 2016: 427Green Lake students, 2017: 437Green Lake students, 2018: 447Green Lake students, 2019: 430Green Lake students, 2020: 352Green Lake students, 2021: 308Green Lake students, 2022: 328Green Lake students, 2023: 322Green Lake students, 2024: 367Seattle children under 18, 2010: 95,293; 90% margin ±5,001Seattle children under 18, 2011: 98,585; 90% margin ±3,957Seattle children under 18, 2012: 97,199; 90% margin ±4,372Seattle children under 18, 2013: 100,535; 90% margin ±5,296Seattle children under 18, 2014: 99,837; 90% margin ±4,811Seattle children under 18, 2015: 99,795; 90% margin ±4,654Seattle children under 18, 2016: 105,996; 90% margin ±5,142Seattle children under 18, 2017: 114,411; 90% margin ±5,315Seattle children under 18, 2018: 111,713; 90% margin ±5,986Seattle children under 18, 2019: 110,672; 90% margin ±5,207Seattle children under 18, 2020: 104,893; linearly interpolated between neighboring yearsSeattle children under 18, 2021: 99,114; 90% margin ±5,548Seattle children under 18, 2022: 100,014; 90% margin ±5,563Seattle children under 18, 2023: 109,297; 90% margin ±5,966Seattle children under 18, 2024: 109,519; 90% margin ±6,349Private K–12 share, 2010: 19.4%; 90% margin ±2.7 percentage points (approx.)Private K–12 share, 2011: 20.7%; 90% margin ±2.2 percentage points (approx.)Private K–12 share, 2012: 22.1%; 90% margin ±2.8 percentage points (approx.)Private K–12 share, 2013: 23.2%; 90% margin ±2.6 percentage points (approx.)Private K–12 share, 2014: 19.9%; 90% margin ±2.3 percentage points (approx.)Private K–12 share, 2015: 21.1%; 90% margin ±2.7 percentage points (approx.)Private K–12 share, 2016: 21.2%; 90% margin ±2.7 percentage points (approx.)Private K–12 share, 2017: 18.3%; 90% margin ±2.5 percentage points (approx.)Private K–12 share, 2018: 21.7%; 90% margin ±2.2 percentage points (approx.)Private K–12 share, 2019: 21.8%; 90% margin ±2.4 percentage points (approx.)Private K–12 share, 2020: 23.3%; linearly interpolated between neighboring yearsPrivate K–12 share, 2021: 24.9%; 90% margin ±3.5 percentage points (approx.)Private K–12 share, 2022: 17.3%; 90% margin ±2.2 percentage points (approx.)Private K–12 share, 2023: 25.1%; 90% margin ±2.6 percentage points (approx.)Private K–12 share, 2024: 25.8%; 90% margin ±3.4 percentage points (approx.)20102012201420162018202020222024

Dashed segments interpolate the 2020 gap. Sources: NCES and Census ACS. [3][16][17]

Seattle’s under-18 population grew from about 100,000 in 2022 to 110,000 in 2024. Private schools’ share of K–12 enrollment rose from 21.8% in 2019 to 25.8% in 2024. [16][17]

Uncertainty weakens public schools.

Continued closure uncertainty gives families who can afford private school another reason to leave. With them go students, funding and advocates. Instead of protecting a safety net, we erode the public support that sustains it. Public schools need families from every socioeconomic background invested in their success.

1986–2024: the longer enrollment record
Green Lake annual enrollment, 1986–2024NCES fall student headcounts. Dots mark reported observations; lines connect years.0100200300400500198620052024367Green Lake annual enrollment, 1986–2024NCES fall student headcounts. Dots mark reported observations; lines connect years.050100150200250300350400450500198620052024367
NCES fall headcounts; school-year starting year
FallStudentsTeacher FTE
198622919
198727818
198828921
198929718
199033016
199129318
199230419
199331520
199431820
199532920
199634520
199733719
199833218
199931619
200030519
200130118
200229418
200328419
200424818
200524516
200625216
200726416
200826516
200928818
201028817
201126716
201226115
2013258—
201430120
201533719
201642724
201743726
201844729
201943030
202035229
202130823
202232824
202332226
202436725

The series follows this school’s NCES identifier. Grade spans and programs have changed over time. [3]

Recent district enrollment counts
SPS P223 monthly headcounts; total includes preschool where present
Count dateAll studentsFunded students
October 2019430427
October 2020352350
October 2021306303
October 2022328324
October 2023323317
October 2024367363
October 2025329326
September 2026306299

September and October counts are different snapshots. [2]

04Public investment

Invest here. Then walk away?

Keep these investments working for students and their neighborhoods.

$3M

Capital allocated this year

2026–27 adopted budget [24]

  • Electrical upgrades$2,852,312
  • Exterior doors$144,243

Annual allocations cover one fiscal year; they are separate from total project costs.

BEX VI · 2026–31

Technology for this school.

Student and staff devices, digital learning and cybersecurity. [13]

Projects, amounts & sources

Earlier projects and levy plans

  • Playground

    2018 levy estimate · BEX V · Original levy estimate [23]

    $175,000
  • Exterior doors

    2018 levy estimate · BEX V · Original levy estimate [23]

    $118,996
  • Electrical upgrades

    2018 levy estimate · BEX V · Original levy estimate [23]

    $2,816,696

Construction record

  • Playground replacement

    Completed 2020 · BEX V [25]

Contracts shared with other schools

These amounts cover multiple schools and are excluded from this school’s totals.

  • Playgrounds at 10 schools

    Shared completed project · 2021 closeout [26]

    $1,710,063

Earlier SPS project listings [14]

  • 2012: Installed new energy-efficient single zone air handling units with associated duct and diffusers. Replaced existing ceiling tile. Install new energy-efficient light fixtures.
  • 2011: Replaced steam boiler with a new energy-efficient boiler including new controls. Replaced water heater. Converted water heater and boiler to natural gas. Replaced air-handling units. Installed heat recovery system. Replaced fire alarm. Replaced ceiling tile, and installed new lighting.
  • 2009: The Special Education classroom gained a new rubberized play area and door thresholds that are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Other projects included – asphalt playground seal coating and restriping, replacement of library window roller shades.
  • 2001: Reroofing
  • 2001: Accelerated Technology Improvement Program

School spending.
District allocations.

School-coded spending is the annual operating expense recorded under the school’s own accounting code, including any shared costs assigned to it. The reported total includes a broader share of districtwide spending allocated to the school in the state’s expenditure report.

These figures show what SPS spent to serve students that year. A closure proposal must show which expenses would actually end, after accounting for transition costs, transportation and funding lost when families leave.

2024-25 actual expenditure

Spending coded to Green Lake [8]

$6.62M

$6,619,236 · $17,951 per student FTE

Reported total, including district allocations [7]

$9.74M

$9,743,409 · $26,424 per student FTE

Per-student costs divide each total by 368.74 full-time-equivalent students, the school year’s average enrollment. [7][8]

6 years of reported actual spending
OSPI actual expenditure in nominal dollars
School yearSchool-coded spendingTotal with allocationsStudent FTEReported per pupil
2019-20—$8,015,452432.94$18,514
2020-21—$7,012,506347.71$20,168
2021-22—$7,319,900310.25$23,594
2022-23—$8,371,633340.37$24,596
2023-24$5,997,763$8,610,674327.78$26,270
2024-25$6,619,236$9,743,409368.74$26,424
15 years of budgets and funded staffing
School budget allocations and planned staffing; nominal dollars
School yearBudgetBudgeted studentsStaff FTEBudget per student
2010-11$2,296,18529829.1$7,705
2011-12$2,007,25328724.8$6,994
2012-13$1,967,81924624.4$7,999
2013-14$2,191,65725326.7$8,663
2014-15$2,282,63930127.7$7,584
2016-17$3,084,86234534.5$8,942
2017-18$3,886,50542539.8$9,145
2018-19$4,580,35744245.7$10,363
2019-20$5,006,85944445.5$11,277
2020-21$4,955,53040043.4$12,389
2021-22$4,832,00436941.4$13,095
2022-23$4,525,23328235.8$16,047
2023-24$4,961,68832138.4$15,457
2024-25$5,429,69932241.2$16,862
2025-26$6,776,54939949.6$16,984

Budget allocations are distinct from actual expenditure. 2025-26 budget: [9]

2010-11 source ↗2011-12 source ↗2012-13 source ↗2013-14 source ↗2014-15 source ↗2016-17 source ↗2017-18 source ↗2018-19 source ↗2019-20 source ↗2020-21 source ↗2021-22 source ↗2022-23 source ↗2023-24 source ↗2024-25 source ↗2025-26 source ↗

Teacher headcounts
OSPI teacher headcounts, distinct from funded staff FTE
School yearTeachersStudents in this report
2017-1829437
2018-1934447
2019-2035430
2020-2137352
2021-2229308
2022-2329328
2023-2429323
2024-2531368

[15]

05Learning

Student outcomes.

Academic excellence for every student builds families’ trust. Keep expectations high, give each learner the support to succeed and measure progress honestly. SPS should improve outcomes, not dilute the metrics used to judge them. That is how Seattle can become the nation’s No. 1 urban school district.

Share of tested students meeting the state standard, across tested grades. [10]

47.0%

English language arts · 2025–26

56.4%

Mathematics · 2025–26

73.2%

Science · 2025–26

  • English language arts
  • Mathematics
  • Science
0%25%50%75%100%2021-222022-232023-242024-252025-262021-22 · English language arts: 62.2%2022-23 · English language arts: 52.8%2023-24 · English language arts: 55.5%2024-25 · English language arts: 55.2%2025-26 · English language arts: 47.0%2021-22 · Mathematics: 57.3%2022-23 · Mathematics: 55.4%2023-24 · Mathematics: 57.8%2024-25 · Mathematics: 59.2%2025-26 · Mathematics: 56.4%2021-22 · Science: 63.0%2022-23 · Science: 70.5%2023-24 · Science: 54.5%2024-25 · Science: 64.4%2025-26 · Science: 73.2%0%25%50%75%100%2021-222022-232023-242024-252025-262021-22 · English language arts: 62.2%2022-23 · English language arts: 52.8%2023-24 · English language arts: 55.5%2024-25 · English language arts: 55.2%2025-26 · English language arts: 47.0%2021-22 · Mathematics: 57.3%2022-23 · Mathematics: 55.4%2023-24 · Mathematics: 57.8%2024-25 · Mathematics: 59.2%2025-26 · Mathematics: 56.4%2021-22 · Science: 63.0%2022-23 · Science: 70.5%2023-24 · Science: 54.5%2024-25 · Science: 64.4%2025-26 · Science: 73.2%
Assessment results by school year
General state assessments; percentage of tested students meeting standard
School yearELAMathScience
2014-1575.7%68.1%93.6%
2015-1668.9%66.2%89.2%
2016-1774.4%72.5%86.3%
2017-1876.4%75.0%Suppressed
2018-1975.5%66.8%76.0%
2021-2262.2%57.3%63.0%
2022-2352.8%55.4%70.5%
2023-2455.5%57.8%54.5%
2024-2555.2%59.2%64.4%
2025-2647.0%56.4%73.2%

Suppressed results stay blank in the chart. Science assessments changed during this period; the trend above covers the current testing era. [10][11][12]

06History & community

Rooted in Green Lake.

Green Lake’s first school opened in a house in 1890. Neighborhood families later petitioned for a larger school as pupils spread across several sites. The present masonry building opened in 1970; a lunchroom and kitchen addition followed in 2015. [1]

  1. 1890

    First Green Lake school opened.

  2. 1902

    A larger James Stephen-designed school opened.

  3. 1970

    Current school building opened.

  4. 2001

    Seismic upgrades.

  5. 2015

    Lunchroom, kitchen and stage addition completed.

In 1910–11, Green Lake pioneered a Seattle “platoon” schedule with specialist teaching in separate rooms. [1]

07Research

Sources & citations.

  1. 01

    SPS / HistoryLink

    Building for Learning: school and building history, 2022

    Origins, building chronology and community history.

  2. 02

    Seattle Public Schools

    Monthly P223 enrollment reports

    October 2019–2025 and September 2026. Total headcount includes preschool where offered.

  3. 03

    NCES / Urban Institute

    Common Core of Data: annual school enrollment

    A consistent school identifier; grade spans and program locations can change.

  4. 04

    KUOW

    September 11, 2024: the two closure alternatives

    Option A named 21 schools; Option B named 17. Their union contains 22 distinct schools.

  5. 05

    Seattle Public Schools

    October 24, 2024: preliminary recommendations

    North Beach, Sacajawea, Sanislo and Stevens, with named receiving schools.

  6. 06

    Seattle School Board

    November 26, 2024: withdrawal record

    Board action on withdrawal of the preliminary school-closure recommendation.

  7. 07

    Washington OSPI

    Actual school-level expenditures, 2019–2025

    Report-card spending includes district allocations; denominator is annual-average student FTE.

  8. 08

    Washington OSPI

    F-196 expenditures by school location

    2023–24 and 2024–25 school-coded actuals. These may already include costs allocated by the district.

  9. 09

    Seattle Public Schools

    School budgets and funded staffing

    School allocations and planned staff FTE; separate from actual expenditures and employee headcounts.

  10. 10

    Washington OSPI

    State assessment results, 2021–2026

    All Students, All Grades, general assessments; percent meeting standard among tested students.

  11. 11

    Washington OSPI

    Historical state assessments, 2014–2017

    Different subjects/test regimes retained separately; suppressed results remain unpublished.

  12. 12

    Washington OSPI

    Historical state assessments, 2017–2019

    General assessments; results for tested students.

  13. 13

    Seattle Public Schools

    BEX VI: approved 2025 capital levy

    $1.8 billion districtwide, collected 2026–2031. School project lists are not school-specific expenditure totals.

  14. 14

    Seattle Public Schools

    School directory and levy projects

    School address, programs and dated building projects.

  15. 15

    Washington OSPI

    Teacher counts and student–teacher ratios

    Classroom teacher headcounts, 2017–18 through 2024–25; distinct from staff FTE.

  16. 16

    U.S. Census Bureau

    Seattle children: ACS B09001

    Seattle residents under 18, including preschool-age children; annual estimates through 2024.

  17. 17

    U.S. Census Bureau

    Seattle public and private enrollment: ACS B14002

    Private share of city residents enrolled in K–12. The 2020 chart gap is interpolated.

  18. 18

    Valhalla / FOSSGIS / OpenStreetMap

    Campus-to-campus route estimates

    Cached pedestrian and shortest-distance driving routes, October 2026. No live traffic in these source records.

  19. 19

    Seattle Department of Transportation

    Official arterial street classifications

    Principal, minor and collector arterial street geometry.

  20. 20

    Seattle Public Schools GIS

    Elementary attendance areas, 2025–26

    Published geographic boundaries; option schools do not have ordinary attendance areas.

  21. 21

    Seattle Public Schools

    Current district attendance-area reference

    2026–27 district PDF map; a separate vintage from the available GIS.

  22. 22

    King County GIS

    Major waterbodies

    Geographic context for the campus maps.

  23. 23

    Seattle Public Schools

    BEX V levy resolution and original project estimates

    Oct. 30, 2018 board action packet. Budget attachment is labeled preliminary; estimates precede escalation and later project changes. PDF pp. 18–19.

  24. 24

    Seattle Public Schools

    2026–27 adopted capital budget

    Annual project allocations, not lifetime costs or remaining balances. PDF pp. 185–187; printed pp. 178–180.

  25. 25

    Seattle Public Schools

    SPS recent completed construction projects

    Completed work and funding sources, including 2019–25 summer projects. Accessed Oct. 9, 2026.

  26. 26

    Seattle Public Schools

    2020 playground improvements at 10 schools: final acceptance

    2021 closeout: shared completed project $1,710,063. No school-level split. Amount appears on PDF p. 3.

  27. 27

    Seattle Public Schools

    New Directors Sworn in to Seattle School Board

    Dec. 8, 2025. Kathleen Smith and Jen LaVallee joined; Joe Mizrahi and Vivian Song continued after the November election.

  28. 28

    Seattle Public Schools Archives

    SPS directors and superintendents

    2025 revision, page 9. Brent Jones resigned in 2025; Fred Podesta served as interim superintendent.

  29. 29

    Seattle Public Schools

    New Superintendent Begins Tenure Leading Seattle Public Schools

    Feb. 2, 2026. Ben Shuldiner began leading the district.