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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

Licton Springs
K–8.

Native roots. A place to belong.

Licton Springs carries a Native-focused educational tradition into Ballard’s restored Webster School. Its roots in alternative education and partnerships with Native community organizations give this school a distinctive place in Seattle. [1]

Get to know this school
Webster School, home to Licton Springs, photographed 2020Ballard, Seattle
Webster School, home to Licton Springs, 2020. Photo: © Arthur Ross / SPS Archives · Cropped
BallardK–8Seattle Public SchoolsResearch updated October 9, 2026
School community established [1]
1970
Students · September 2026 [2]
47
Webster campus construction · 2022 billings [24]
$29.5M

01Community consent

Don’t close Licton Springs without community consent.

SPS included Licton Springs 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. [26] Brent Jones resigned in 2025. After Fred Podesta served as interim superintendent, Ben Shuldiner took over in February 2026. [27][28]

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. 93October 2024
  2. 75October 2025
  3. 47September 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 Licton Springs K-8, ranked by driving distance. [3][18]

Four schools. Four neighborhood communities.

Walking routes from Licton Springs K-8 and available neighborhood attendance areas.

Licton Springs K-8AdamsSalmon Bay K-8Loyal Heights
Licton Springs K-8Nearby schoolsAttendance areasWalking routesArterial crossings

Option school; no attendance area · © 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

Adams

6 min0.5 mi
11 min0.5 mi1 mapped crossings: NW 65TH ST

Salmon Bay K-8

10 min0.8 mi
18 min0.9 mi1 mapped crossings: 24TH AVE NW

Loyal Heights

10 min0.9 mi
20 min0.9 miNone mapped

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.

  • Licton Springs students
    902024

    Left scale

  • Seattle children under 18
    109,5192024

    Right scale

  • Private K–12 share
    25.8%2024

    Right scale

Licton Springs enrollment, Seattle children and private-school share, 2010–2024Three lines share one timeline. Licton Springs students use the left scale, 0 to 400. 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.010020030040000%50k10%100k20%150k30%Licton Springs students, 2010: 151Licton Springs students, 2011: 165Licton Springs students, 2012: 175Licton Springs students, 2013: 154Licton Springs students, 2014: 116Licton Springs students, 2015: 133Licton Springs students, 2016: 130Licton Springs students, 2017: 164Licton Springs students, 2018: 174Licton Springs students, 2019: 164Licton Springs students, 2020: 132Licton Springs students, 2021: 98Licton Springs students, 2022: 109Licton Springs students, 2023: 119Licton Springs students, 2024: 90Seattle 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.)2010201520202024Licton Springs enrollment, Seattle children and private-school share, 2010–2024Three lines share one timeline. Licton Springs students use the left scale, 0 to 400. 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.010020030040000%50k10%100k20%150k30%Licton Springs students, 2010: 151Licton Springs students, 2011: 165Licton Springs students, 2012: 175Licton Springs students, 2013: 154Licton Springs students, 2014: 116Licton Springs students, 2015: 133Licton Springs students, 2016: 130Licton Springs students, 2017: 164Licton Springs students, 2018: 174Licton Springs students, 2019: 164Licton Springs students, 2020: 132Licton Springs students, 2021: 98Licton Springs students, 2022: 109Licton Springs students, 2023: 119Licton Springs students, 2024: 90Seattle 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
Licton Springs annual enrollment, 1986–2024NCES fall student headcounts. Dots mark reported observations; lines connect years.010020030019862005202490Licton Springs annual enrollment, 1986–2024NCES fall student headcounts. Dots mark reported observations; lines connect years.05010015020025030019862005202490
NCES fall headcounts; school-year starting year
FallStudentsTeacher FTE
198693—
19871300
19881170
1989980
19901286
19911250
19921550
19931540
199415011
199517010
199617911
199721811
199825212
199924914
200025214
200124814
200225215
200325914
200427014
200527314
200620913
200720912
200818912
200919012
201015110
20111659
20121759
2013154—
201411611
201513311
201613016
201716415
201817417
201916417
202013216
20219811
202210913
202311913
20249012

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 2019164164
October 2020132132
October 202110195
October 202211198
October 2023120105
October 20249381
October 20257558
September 20264734

September and October counts are different snapshots. [2]

04Public investment

Invest here. Then walk away?

Keep these investments working for students and their neighborhoods.

$29.5M

Final construction billings

Jan. 2022 billings · independently audited 2023 [24]

A whole-campus renovation: earthquake upgrades, replacement building systems and a new gym at Webster, Licton Springs’ current home. Construction finished in 2020; students arrived in April 2021. [25]

  • Webster final construction billings$29,495,079

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

  • Webster modernization and addition

    Through Dec. 2019 · BTA IV · Recorded spending [23]

    $18,578,337
  • Webster modernization and addition · same project

    2019 budget · BTA IV · Project budget [23]

    $39,837,094
  • Webster final construction billings · same project

    Jan. 2022 final billing · Dec. 2023 audit · BTA IV · Final construction billings [24]

    $29,495,079

Construction record

  • Webster modernization and gym addition

    Completed 2020 · students arrived April 2021 · BTA IV [25]

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 Licton Springs [8]

$3.01M

$3,006,560 · $31,492 per student FTE

Reported total, including district allocations [7]

$3.82M

$3,815,436 · $39,965 per student FTE

Per-student costs divide each total by 95.47 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—$4,201,289162.90$25,791
2020-21—$3,841,342130.51$29,433
2021-22—$3,675,150102.60$35,820
2022-23—$3,761,864109.37$34,396
2023-24$3,662,714$4,672,868126.72$36,876
2024-25$3,006,560$3,815,43695.47$39,965
15 years of budgets and funded staffing
School budget allocations and planned staffing; nominal dollars
School yearBudgetBudgeted studentsStaff FTEBudget per student
2010-11$1,145,01618413.0$6,223
2011-12$1,441,74613018.0$11,090
2012-13$1,476,22813318.0$11,099
2013-14$1,480,65912517.6$11,845
2014-15$1,914,08414124.1$13,575
2016-17$2,515,31914927.2$16,881
2017-18$2,657,30713026.9$20,441
2018-19$2,709,28317225.3$15,752
2019-20$3,291,68718227.9$18,086
2020-21$3,311,02017526.6$18,920
2021-22$3,058,96311824.1$25,923
2022-23$2,772,2768520.9$32,615
2023-24$3,171,6938725.0$36,456
2024-25$2,868,46210121.2$28,401
2025-26$3,261,3418924.3$36,644

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
2017-1819164
2018-1924175
2019-2022164
2020-2123132
2021-2225100
2022-2320109
2023-2418119
2024-251492

[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]

26.7%

English language arts · 2025–26

26.7%

Mathematics · 2025–26

41.7%

Science · 2025–26

  • English language arts
  • Mathematics
  • Science
0%25%50%75%100%2021-222022-232023-242024-252025-262021-22 · English language arts: 46.2%2022-23 · English language arts: 38.0%2023-24 · English language arts: 28.4%2024-25 · English language arts: 29.7%2025-26 · English language arts: 26.7%2021-22 · Mathematics: 32.3%2022-23 · Mathematics: 22.5%2023-24 · Mathematics: 24.6%2024-25 · Mathematics: 34.2%2025-26 · Mathematics: 26.7%2021-22 · Science: 57.9%2022-23 · Science: 26.7%2023-24 · Science: 40.0%2025-26 · Science: 41.7%0%25%50%75%100%2021-222022-232023-242024-252025-262021-22 · English language arts: 46.2%2022-23 · English language arts: 38.0%2023-24 · English language arts: 28.4%2024-25 · English language arts: 29.7%2025-26 · English language arts: 26.7%2021-22 · Mathematics: 32.3%2022-23 · Mathematics: 22.5%2023-24 · Mathematics: 24.6%2024-25 · Mathematics: 34.2%2025-26 · Mathematics: 26.7%2021-22 · Science: 57.9%2022-23 · Science: 26.7%2023-24 · Science: 40.0%2025-26 · Science: 41.7%
Assessment results by school year
General state assessments; percentage of tested students meeting standard
School yearELAMathScience
2014-1544.4%34.4%48.1%
2015-1635.6%30.1%47.4%
2016-1740.6%39.1%82.4%
2017-1852.5%34.6%46.2%
2018-1956.5%42.9%54.2%
2021-2246.2%32.3%57.9%
2022-2338.0%22.5%26.7%
2023-2428.4%24.6%40.0%
2024-2529.7%34.2%Suppressed
2025-2626.7%26.7%41.7%

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 Ballard.

Licton Springs began as Alternative School #1 in 1970. Its 2013 name change accompanied partnerships with Native community organizations. In April 2021, the program moved into Webster in Ballard after modernization and a gym addition. Webster opened in 1908 and later housed the Nordic Heritage Museum. [1]

  1. 1970

    Alternative School #1 began.

  2. 2013

    Renamed Licton Springs, with Native-emphasizing programming.

  3. 2019–2021

    Webster modernized with a 7,700-square-foot addition and seismic work.

  4. 2021

    Licton Springs moved into Webster, its eighth location.

The program combines experiential learning, multicultural education and Native community partnerships. [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

    2019 capital annual report

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

  24. 24

    Seattle Public Schools / R. L. Townsend & Associates

    Webster construction audit: final billings

    Dec. 14, 2023 audit, PDF pp. 4–5. Final payment application of Jan. 5, 2022 totals $29,495,079, with no retainage remaining. Sales tax and preconstruction services are excluded.

  25. 25

    Seattle Public Schools

    Webster modernization: scope, timeline and Licton Springs campus

    52,500-square-foot campus, including 7,700-square-foot gym/entrance addition. Construction 2019–2020; students arrived April 2021. The $39.8M figure is a project budget, not final spending.

  26. 26

    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.

  27. 27

    Seattle Public Schools Archives

    SPS directors and superintendents

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

  28. 28

    Seattle Public Schools

    New Superintendent Begins Tenure Leading Seattle Public Schools

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