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
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Elementary.
Brighton’s long history. Dr. King’s enduring name.
Today’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary carries forward the Brighton school community in southeast Seattle. A new campus opened in 2004; the school took Dr. King’s name in 2010. [3]
Brighton, SeattleUpdateOctober 20, 2026
Possible merger
School that may move
Possible receiving school
These reported pairings are unconfirmed; no adopted SPS plan has been verified.
01History & community
A neighborhood school built on belonging.
Brighton children attended a church-basement school in 1903 before a permanent school opened on the present site in 1904 or 1905. Generations of families helped the school recover from fire, overcrowding and rebuilding. [3]
During the 2003–04 replacement project, students traveled to an interim campus in West Seattle. The new Brighton opened in September 2004 with room for preschool and community gatherings, preserving the large cedar tree that had become a neighborhood landmark. [3]
In May 2010, the board renamed Brighton Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary. The district history describes poetry, soccer and service learning through America SCORES, alongside small-group academic support. [3]
- 1903
Brighton community opens a temporary church-basement school. [3]
- 2004
Replacement Brighton campus opens. [3]
- 2010
School is renamed Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary. [3]
6725 45th Ave. S, Seattle, WA 98118 [1]
Visit the school website ↗02School records
Sources & citations.
- 01
Seattle Public Schools
Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary: district profileCurrent school name and address, verified October 20, 2026.
- 02
Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary
School websiteSchool news, family information and contact details.
- 03
Seattle Public Schools Archives
Building for Learning: Martin Luther King, Jr. ElementaryDistrict history documents the school’s origins, community and campus changes, with archival photographs.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary. Your community. Your say.
Would you support or oppose closing this school?
Closure poll
- Opposed95%
- Neutral3%
- Support2%
Real results unlock after 10 confirmed votes at Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary.