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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

Laurelhurst
Elementary.

A school, a park and a shared neighborhood.

Laurelhurst grew from residents’ campaign for a local classroom more than a century ago. Its brick campus, shared park connections and neighborhood roots make it a lasting part of community life. [1]

Get to know this school
Laurelhurst Elementary, photographed circa 1970Laurelhurst, Seattle
Laurelhurst Elementary, circa 1970. Photo: SPS Archives · Cropped
LaurelhurstK–5Seattle Public SchoolsResearch updated October 9, 2026
School community established [1]
1916
Students · September 2026 [2]
249
Capital budget · 2026–27 [26]
$389K

01Community consent

Don’t close Laurelhurst without community consent.

SPS included Laurelhurst 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. [29] Brent Jones resigned in 2025. After Fred Podesta served as interim superintendent, Ben Shuldiner took over in February 2026. [30][31]

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. 272October 2024
  2. 270October 2025
  3. 249September 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 Laurelhurst Elementary, ranked by driving distance. [3][18]

Four schools. Four neighborhood communities.

Walking routes from Laurelhurst and available neighborhood attendance areas.

LaurelhurstSand PointBryantView Ridge
LaurelhurstNearby 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

Sand Point

6 min1.3 mi
25 min1.3 mi2 mapped crossings: PRINCETON AVE NE · SAND POINT WAY NE

Bryant

12 min1.3 mi
30 min1.4 mi3 mapped crossings: 35TH AVE NE · 40TH AVE NE · SAND POINT WAY NE

View Ridge

14 min1.5 mi
35 min1.5 mi5 mapped crossings: NE 55TH ST · NE 65TH ST · NE 70TH ST · PRINCETON AVE NE · SAND POINT WAY NE

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.

  • Laurelhurst students
    2722024

    Left scale

  • Seattle children under 18
    109,5192024

    Right scale

  • Private K–12 share
    25.8%2024

    Right scale

Laurelhurst enrollment, Seattle children and private-school share, 2010–2024Three lines share one timeline. Laurelhurst students use the left scale, 0 to 600. 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.015030045060000%50k10%100k20%150k30%Laurelhurst students, 2010: 437Laurelhurst students, 2011: 420Laurelhurst students, 2012: 410Laurelhurst students, 2013: 426Laurelhurst students, 2014: 422Laurelhurst students, 2015: 433Laurelhurst students, 2016: 401Laurelhurst students, 2017: 354Laurelhurst students, 2018: 341Laurelhurst students, 2019: 308Laurelhurst students, 2020: 271Laurelhurst students, 2021: 242Laurelhurst students, 2022: 273Laurelhurst students, 2023: 275Laurelhurst students, 2024: 272Seattle 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.)2010201520202024Laurelhurst enrollment, Seattle children and private-school share, 2010–2024Three lines share one timeline. Laurelhurst students use the left scale, 0 to 600. 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.015030045060000%50k10%100k20%150k30%Laurelhurst students, 2010: 437Laurelhurst students, 2011: 420Laurelhurst students, 2012: 410Laurelhurst students, 2013: 426Laurelhurst students, 2014: 422Laurelhurst students, 2015: 433Laurelhurst students, 2016: 401Laurelhurst students, 2017: 354Laurelhurst students, 2018: 341Laurelhurst students, 2019: 308Laurelhurst students, 2020: 271Laurelhurst students, 2021: 242Laurelhurst students, 2022: 273Laurelhurst students, 2023: 275Laurelhurst students, 2024: 272Seattle 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
Laurelhurst annual enrollment, 1986–2024NCES fall student headcounts. Dots mark reported observations; lines connect years.0100200300400500600198620052024272Laurelhurst annual enrollment, 1986–2024NCES fall student headcounts. Dots mark reported observations; lines connect years.050100150200250300350400450500550600198620052024272
NCES fall headcounts; school-year starting year
FallStudentsTeacher FTE
198630618
198737217
198837917
198937816
199043915
199136516
199237019
199336019
199435819
199535719
199637618
199742020
199844220
199940520
200040920
200140121
200241021
200339721
200439920
200542521
200645021
200744822
200850322
200946421
201043721
201142021
201241021
2013426—
201442227
201543325
201640123
201735422
201834121
201930821
202027120
202124219
202227318
202327518
202427217

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 2019298298
October 2020268268
October 2021242242
October 2022273273
October 2023275275
October 2024272272
October 2025270270
September 2026249249

September and October counts are different snapshots. [2]

04Public investment

Invest here. Then walk away?

Keep these investments working for students and their neighborhoods.

$2.1M

Recorded upgrade spending

2016–19 projects [23][24]

  • Office, access and building upgrades$1,018,059
  • Gymnasium seismic improvements$1,045,014

$389K

Capital allocated this year

2026–27 adopted budget [26]

  • Fire suppression$210,313
  • Site improvements$28,247
  • Seismic improvements$150,342

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

  • Office, access and building upgrades

    2018 closeout · BTA III · Paid construction contract [23]

    $1,018,059
  • Gymnasium seismic improvements

    2019 report · BEX IV · Recorded spending [24]

    $1,045,014
  • Playground

    2018 levy estimate · BEX V · Original levy estimate [25]

    $150,000

Construction record

  • Playground replacement

    Completed 2022 · BEX V [27]

Contracts shared with other schools

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

  • Broadview-Thomson, Laurelhurst, Sacajawea and Whitman upgrades

    Shared paid contract · 2017 closeout [28]

Earlier SPS project listings [14]

  • 2016: Renovated administrative office area. Upgrade entrance ramp and paving. Replaced doors and hardware. Install roof drains. Made mechanical ventilation and lighting improvements.
  • 2015: Roof repairs and improvements to the gutters and downspouts.
  • 2010: Replaced potable waterlines including drinking fountains. Upgraded heating system. Installed energy-efficient windows. Replaced window shades.
  • 2009: Computer network upgraded to fiber optic, enhancing students’ and teachers’ ability to use technology as an educational tool.
  • 2003: Seismic upgrade, Elevator
  • 2002: Reroof
  • 1999: 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 Laurelhurst [8]

$4.59M

$4,590,940 · $16,568 per student FTE

Reported total, including district allocations [7]

$6.94M

$6,938,686 · $25,040 per student FTE

Per-student costs divide each total by 277.10 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—$5,664,274303.44$18,667
2020-21—$5,290,741266.80$19,830
2021-22—$5,682,458241.82$23,499
2022-23—$6,403,449276.18$23,186
2023-24$4,369,133$6,531,094271.21$24,081
2024-25$4,590,940$6,938,686277.10$25,040
15 years of budgets and funded staffing
School budget allocations and planned staffing; nominal dollars
School yearBudgetBudgeted studentsStaff FTEBudget per student
2010-11$2,241,51642725.4$5,249
2011-12$2,171,44641124.9$5,283
2012-13$2,139,38439725.4$5,389
2013-14$2,594,99740131.4$6,471
2014-15$3,151,24941638.4$7,575
2016-17$3,386,82241837.6$8,102
2017-18$3,328,08136834.6$9,044
2018-19$3,458,67633534.9$10,324
2019-20$3,571,47331731.9$11,266
2020-21$3,613,08228131.0$12,858
2021-22$3,592,51325329.5$14,200
2022-23$3,403,34723026.3$14,797
2023-24$3,834,53827228.6$14,098
2024-25$4,146,20026830.1$15,471
2025-26$4,140,16129129.1$14,227

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
2017-1825354
2018-1926341
2019-2024308
2020-2123271
2021-2223242
2022-2325273
2023-2423275
2024-2520272

[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]

63.5%

English language arts · 2025–26

61.4%

Mathematics · 2025–26

65.7%

Science · 2025–26

  • English language arts
  • Mathematics
  • Science
0%25%50%75%100%2021-222022-232023-242024-252025-262021-22 · English language arts: 64.0%2022-23 · English language arts: 54.0%2023-24 · English language arts: 66.1%2024-25 · English language arts: 58.4%2025-26 · English language arts: 63.5%2021-22 · Mathematics: 59.5%2022-23 · Mathematics: 62.2%2023-24 · Mathematics: 59.2%2024-25 · Mathematics: 64.6%2025-26 · Mathematics: 61.4%2021-22 · Science: 75.7%2022-23 · Science: 61.1%2023-24 · Science: 70.0%2024-25 · Science: 67.6%2025-26 · Science: 65.7%0%25%50%75%100%2021-222022-232023-242024-252025-262021-22 · English language arts: 64.0%2022-23 · English language arts: 54.0%2023-24 · English language arts: 66.1%2024-25 · English language arts: 58.4%2025-26 · English language arts: 63.5%2021-22 · Mathematics: 59.5%2022-23 · Mathematics: 62.2%2023-24 · Mathematics: 59.2%2024-25 · Mathematics: 64.6%2025-26 · Mathematics: 61.4%2021-22 · Science: 75.7%2022-23 · Science: 61.1%2023-24 · Science: 70.0%2024-25 · Science: 67.6%2025-26 · Science: 65.7%
Assessment results by school year
General state assessments; percentage of tested students meeting standard
School yearELAMathScience
2014-1578.5%78.9%81.1%
2015-1669.9%81.6%90.8%
2016-1770.1%75.8%73.7%
2017-1873.3%69.0%63.0%
2018-1975.8%74.1%72.2%
2021-2264.0%59.5%75.7%
2022-2354.0%62.2%61.1%
2023-2466.1%59.2%70.0%
2024-2558.4%64.6%67.6%
2025-2663.5%61.4%65.7%

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 Laurelhurst.

Laurelhurst residents sought a local classroom in 1915; the district history dates its first classes to the following spring. The current brick building opened in 1928. A later addition included a gym partly funded by Seattle Parks, and a pedestrian overpass connects the school to the playfield. [1]

  1. 1928

    Current brick school opened.

  2. 1950

    Classroom, lunchroom and gym addition.

  3. 1960

    Pedestrian overpass across NE 45th Street completed.

  4. 2003

    Elevator added.

  5. 2019

    Seismic upgrades.

Educator Aki Kurose taught here for 25 years; students and volunteers created a Peace Garden in her honor. [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

    Laurelhurst upgrades: final acceptance

    2018 closeout of 2016 upgrades. Paid construction contract including sales tax.

  24. 24

    Seattle Public Schools

    2019 capital annual report

    Recorded spending through Dec. 31, 2019. PDF pp. 31, 39–42, 50–51; printed pp. 28, 36–39, 47–48.

  25. 25

    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.

  26. 26

    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.

  27. 27

    Seattle Public Schools

    SPS recent completed construction projects

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

  28. 28

    Seattle Public Schools

    Broadview-Thomson, Laurelhurst, Sacajawea and Whitman: final acceptance

    2017 closeout. Contract table total conflicts with the sum including tax; no individual school allocation.

  29. 29

    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.

  30. 30

    Seattle Public Schools Archives

    SPS directors and superintendents

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

  31. 31

    Seattle Public Schools

    New Superintendent Begins Tenure Leading Seattle Public Schools

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