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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

Sacajawea
Elementary.

A school built to bring children closer.

Sacajawea began with a simple idea: neighborhood children should have a school nearby. Its hillside campus and historic footbridge across Thornton Creek tell a story of families making that idea real. [1]

Get to know this school
Sacajawea Elementary, photographed 1960Victory Heights, Seattle
Sacajawea Elementary, 1960. Photo: SPS Archives · Cropped
Victory HeightsK–5Seattle Public SchoolsResearch updated October 9, 2026
School community established [1]
1955
Students · September 2026 [2]
181
Levy estimate for design only · 2018 plan · not actual spending [23]
$4M

01Community consent

Don’t close Sacajawea without community consent.

SPS included Sacajawea in September 2024 closure Option A. It became one of the final four schools recommended for closure that October, with students proposed to move to John Rogers Elementary. The board withdrew the 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. 221October 2024
  2. 218October 2025
  3. 181September 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 Sacajawea Elementary, ranked by driving distance. [3][18]

Four schools. Four neighborhood communities.

Walking routes from Sacajawea and available neighborhood attendance areas.

SacajaweaOlympic ViewWedgwoodHazel Wolf K-8
SacajaweaNearby 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

Olympic View

10 min0.9 mi
22 min0.9 mi2 mapped crossings: 15TH AVE NE · ROOSEVELT WAY NE

Wedgwood

14 min1.2 mi
21 min0.9 mi1 mapped crossings: RAVENNA AVE NE

Hazel Wolf K-8

14 min1.5 mi
32 min1.4 mi4 mapped crossings: 15TH AVE NE · NE NORTHGATE WAY · PINEHURST 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.

  • Sacajawea students
    2202024

    Left scale

  • Seattle children under 18
    109,5192024

    Right scale

  • Private K–12 share
    25.8%2024

    Right scale

Sacajawea enrollment, Seattle children and private-school share, 2010–2024Three lines share one timeline. Sacajawea 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%Sacajawea students, 2010: 272Sacajawea students, 2011: 260Sacajawea students, 2012: 260Sacajawea students, 2013: 249Sacajawea students, 2014: 266Sacajawea students, 2015: 257Sacajawea students, 2016: 265Sacajawea students, 2017: 254Sacajawea students, 2018: 248Sacajawea students, 2019: 252Sacajawea students, 2020: 217Sacajawea students, 2021: 179Sacajawea students, 2022: 216Sacajawea students, 2023: 228Sacajawea students, 2024: 220Seattle 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.)2010201520202024Sacajawea enrollment, Seattle children and private-school share, 2010–2024Three lines share one timeline. Sacajawea 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%Sacajawea students, 2010: 272Sacajawea students, 2011: 260Sacajawea students, 2012: 260Sacajawea students, 2013: 249Sacajawea students, 2014: 266Sacajawea students, 2015: 257Sacajawea students, 2016: 265Sacajawea students, 2017: 254Sacajawea students, 2018: 248Sacajawea students, 2019: 252Sacajawea students, 2020: 217Sacajawea students, 2021: 179Sacajawea students, 2022: 216Sacajawea students, 2023: 228Sacajawea students, 2024: 220Seattle 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
Sacajawea annual enrollment, 1986–2024NCES fall student headcounts. Dots mark reported observations; lines connect years.0100200300400198620052024220Sacajawea annual enrollment, 1986–2024NCES fall student headcounts. Dots mark reported observations; lines connect years.050100150200250300350400198620052024220
NCES fall headcounts; school-year starting year
FallStudentsTeacher FTE
198620214
198729815
198829615
198928415
199031015
199130414
199228615
199325212
199425512
199524812
199625211
199726912
199828612
199928413
200026712
200129413
200229115
200328916
200428716
200530915
200632617
200732217
200834016
200931016
201027216
201126014
201226015
2013249—
201426620
201525717
201626519
201725419
201824819
201925218
202021719
202117915
202221615
202322819
202422018

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 2019255229
October 2020218198
October 2021181165
October 2022214195
October 2023228197
October 2024221196
October 2025218198
September 2026181160

September and October counts are different snapshots. [2]

04Public investment

Invest here. Then walk away?

Keep these investments working for students and their neighborhoods.

$4M

Levy estimate for design only

2018 plan · not actual spending [23]

  • Design only$4,000,000

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

  • Design only

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

    $4,000,000
  • Site improvements

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

    $619,790

Construction record

  • Asphalt replacement

    Completed 2020 · BEX V [24]

Contracts shared with other schools

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

  • North Beach, Sacajawea and Jane Addams paving

    Shared completed project · 2021 closeout [25]

    $1,391,570
  • Broadview-Thomson, Laurelhurst, Sacajawea and Whitman upgrades

    Shared paid contract · 2017 closeout [26]

Earlier SPS project listings [14]

  • 2015: Replaced classroom plumbing fixtures.
  • 2013: Upgraded boilers, and installed digital controls and new air handling units.
  • 2009: Computer network upgraded to fiber optic, enhancing students’ and teachers’ ability to use technology as an educational tool.
  • 2008: Exterior renovation, Interior upgrade, ADA upgrades, Mechanical upgrades and stage curtain replacement
  • 2001: Seismic, Fire Alarm System and Technology Upgrades
  • 2000: WAN Phase I

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 Sacajawea [8]

$4.83M

$4,834,622 · $21,441 per student FTE

Reported total, including district allocations [7]

$6.75M

$6,745,100 · $29,913 per student FTE

Per-student costs divide each total by 225.49 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—$5,403,218253.42$21,321
2020-21—$4,990,457223.66$22,313
2021-22—$5,145,996192.97$26,667
2022-23—$6,441,053227.11$28,361
2023-24$4,423,298$6,305,060236.06$26,710
2024-25$4,834,622$6,745,100225.49$29,913
15 years of budgets and funded staffing
School budget allocations and planned staffing; nominal dollars
School yearBudgetBudgeted studentsStaff FTEBudget per student
2010-11$1,743,23429020.8$6,011
2011-12$1,656,50025419.3$6,522
2012-13$1,580,52424418.5$6,478
2013-14$1,856,89226321.7$7,060
2014-15$2,492,63724730.6$10,092
2016-17$2,862,59323233.0$12,339
2017-18$3,129,82924533.4$12,775
2018-19$3,314,17723234.5$14,285
2019-20$3,531,59821633.1$16,350
2020-21$3,637,10121732.3$16,761
2021-22$3,627,70219132.0$18,993
2022-23$3,610,15116230.2$22,285
2023-24$4,385,94118935.8$23,206
2024-25$4,556,34919935.9$22,896
2025-26$4,817,94419437.4$24,835

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
2017-1820255
2018-1925248
2019-2023252
2020-2121217
2021-2220179
2022-2322217
2023-2428229
2024-2523220

[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]

54.7%

English language arts · 2025–26

52.9%

Mathematics · 2025–26

70.0%

Science · 2025–26

  • English language arts
  • Mathematics
  • Science
0%25%50%75%100%2021-222022-232023-242024-252025-262021-22 · English language arts: 58.1%2022-23 · English language arts: 50.5%2023-24 · English language arts: 49.4%2024-25 · English language arts: 65.9%2025-26 · English language arts: 54.7%2021-22 · Mathematics: 52.7%2022-23 · Mathematics: 53.2%2023-24 · Mathematics: 48.2%2024-25 · Mathematics: 56.1%2025-26 · Mathematics: 52.9%2021-22 · Science: 55.0%2022-23 · Science: 59.4%2023-24 · Science: 51.9%2024-25 · Science: 64.7%2025-26 · Science: 70.0%0%25%50%75%100%2021-222022-232023-242024-252025-262021-22 · English language arts: 58.1%2022-23 · English language arts: 50.5%2023-24 · English language arts: 49.4%2024-25 · English language arts: 65.9%2025-26 · English language arts: 54.7%2021-22 · Mathematics: 52.7%2022-23 · Mathematics: 53.2%2023-24 · Mathematics: 48.2%2024-25 · Mathematics: 56.1%2025-26 · Mathematics: 52.9%2021-22 · Science: 55.0%2022-23 · Science: 59.4%2023-24 · Science: 51.9%2024-25 · Science: 64.7%2025-26 · Science: 70.0%
Assessment results by school year
General state assessments; percentage of tested students meeting standard
School yearELAMathScience
2014-1571.1%60.0%76.7%
2015-1658.0%52.8%63.0%
2016-1755.7%53.6%51.3%
2017-1859.2%51.0%61.3%
2018-1962.1%55.8%64.0%
2021-2258.1%52.7%55.0%
2022-2350.5%53.2%59.4%
2023-2449.4%48.2%51.9%
2024-2565.9%56.1%64.7%
2025-2654.7%52.9%70.0%

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 Victory Heights.

Sacajawea began in portables in 1955 after children from Victory Heights had been sent to schools farther away. A footbridge across Thornton Creek helped children reach the site. The permanent building opened in 1959, with two levels following the slope of the land. [1]

  1. 1955

    Victory Heights school opened in portables.

  2. 1959

    Permanent Sacajawea building opened.

  3. 1987

    School and city partnered to open a childcare center.

  4. 2015

    Seismic upgrades.

  5. 2018

    Planning began for a future replacement building.

An annual continental focus grew from an artist-in-residence program, connecting arts and global learning. [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

    SPS recent completed construction projects

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

  25. 25

    Seattle Public Schools

    North Beach, Sacajawea and Jane Addams paving: final acceptance

    2021 closeout: shared completed project $1,391,570; contract included. Amount appears on PDF p. 2.

  26. 26

    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.

  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.