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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

Sanislo
Elementary.

A small school with a world outside.

Sanislo’s collaborative school design and nearby protected wetland make it a distinctive place to learn. A community-created outdoor classroom connects children with the environment at their doorstep. [1]

Get to know this school
Sanislo Elementary, photographed 2000Riverview, Seattle
Sanislo Elementary, 2000. Photo: © Mary Randlett / SPS Archives · Cropped
RiverviewK–5Seattle Public SchoolsResearch updated October 9, 2026
School community established [1]
1969
Students · September 2026 [2]
120
Original site and fan levy estimates · 2018 plan · not actual spending [23]
$683K

01Community consent

Don’t close Sanislo without community consent.

SPS included Sanislo in both September 2024 closure alternatives. It became one of the final four schools recommended for closure that October, with students proposed to move to Highland Park 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. [24] Brent Jones resigned in 2025. After Fred Podesta served as interim superintendent, Ben Shuldiner took over in February 2026. [25][26]

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. 145October 2024
  2. 121October 2025
  3. 120September 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 Sanislo Elementary, ranked by driving distance. [3][18]

Four schools. Four neighborhood communities.

Walking routes from Sanislo and available neighborhood attendance areas.

SanisloLouisa Boren STEM K-8West SeattleRoxhill
SanisloNearby 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

Louisa Boren STEM K-8

12 min1.2 mi
25 min1.3 miNone mapped

West Seattle

12 min1.3 mi
32 min1.4 mi2 mapped crossings: DELRIDGE WAY SW · SYLVAN WAY SW

Roxhill

14 min1.4 mi
35 min1.6 mi5 mapped crossings: DELRIDGE WAY SW · SW HOLDEN ST · SW ORCHARD ST · SYLVAN WAY SW

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.

  • Sanislo students
    1452024

    Left scale

  • Seattle children under 18
    109,5192024

    Right scale

  • Private K–12 share
    25.8%2024

    Right scale

Sanislo enrollment, Seattle children and private-school share, 2010–2024Three lines share one timeline. Sanislo 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%Sanislo students, 2010: 314Sanislo students, 2011: 302Sanislo students, 2012: 280Sanislo students, 2013: 271Sanislo students, 2014: 281Sanislo students, 2015: 273Sanislo students, 2016: 257Sanislo students, 2017: 236Sanislo students, 2018: 218Sanislo students, 2019: 218Sanislo students, 2020: 195Sanislo students, 2021: 169Sanislo students, 2022: 173Sanislo students, 2023: 171Sanislo students, 2024: 145Seattle 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.)2010201520202024Sanislo enrollment, Seattle children and private-school share, 2010–2024Three lines share one timeline. Sanislo 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%Sanislo students, 2010: 314Sanislo students, 2011: 302Sanislo students, 2012: 280Sanislo students, 2013: 271Sanislo students, 2014: 281Sanislo students, 2015: 273Sanislo students, 2016: 257Sanislo students, 2017: 236Sanislo students, 2018: 218Sanislo students, 2019: 218Sanislo students, 2020: 195Sanislo students, 2021: 169Sanislo students, 2022: 173Sanislo students, 2023: 171Sanislo students, 2024: 145Seattle 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
Sanislo annual enrollment, 1986–2024NCES fall student headcounts. Dots mark reported observations; lines connect years.0100200300400500198620052024145Sanislo annual enrollment, 1986–2024NCES fall student headcounts. Dots mark reported observations; lines connect years.050100150200250300350400450500198620052024145
NCES fall headcounts; school-year starting year
FallStudentsTeacher FTE
198628818
198736518
198840319
198933017
199034915
199132615
199231113
199331315
199432714
199530215
199631315
199732115
199830915
199931315
200030715
200129217
200232417
200332316
200434316
200531716
200631516
200731215
200830116
200932517
201031417
201130215
201228016
2013271—
201428122
201527319
201625721
201723618
201821817
201921816
202019516
202116915
202217314
202317114
202414513

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 2019218218
October 2020195195
October 2021169169
October 2022175175
October 2023171171
October 2024145145
October 2025121121
September 2026120120

September and October counts are different snapshots. [2]

04Public investment

Invest here. Then walk away?

Keep these investments working for students and their neighborhoods.

$683K

Original site and fan levy estimates

2018 plan · not actual spending [23]

  • Site improvements$383,297
  • Ceiling fans$300,000

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

  • Site improvements

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

    $383,297
  • Ceiling fans

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

    $300,000

Earlier SPS project listings [14]

  • 2011: Replaced boiler burners and made other boiler improvements to increase energy efficiency.
  • 2009: A new concrete pathway was installed from the building to the lower playground. Portions of the building were re-roofed, completing roofing work that began in 2003. Six new rooftop HVAC units were installed. The carpet in lunchroom/auditorium was replaced.
  • 2005: Library Upgrade
  • 2003: Roof
  • 2000: Reroofing, Technology

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 Sanislo [8]

$3.49M

$3,486,573 · $22,908 per student FTE

Reported total, including district allocations [7]

$4.78M

$4,776,097 · $31,380 per student FTE

Per-student costs divide each total by 152.20 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—$4,874,865216.41$22,526
2020-21—$4,867,822193.64$25,139
2021-22—$5,090,081174.30$29,203
2022-23—$5,197,702178.90$29,054
2023-24$3,762,259$5,107,855168.80$30,260
2024-25$3,486,573$4,776,097152.20$31,380
15 years of budgets and funded staffing
School budget allocations and planned staffing; nominal dollars
School yearBudgetBudgeted studentsStaff FTEBudget per student
2010-11$1,942,18732822.5$5,921
2011-12$1,800,55930820.8$5,846
2012-13$1,928,66930121.8$6,408
2013-14$1,991,57628321.8$7,037
2014-15$2,247,23927524.3$8,172
2016-17$3,007,85527031.5$11,140
2017-18$2,901,87524530.6$11,844
2018-19$2,928,73820328.1$14,427
2019-20$3,143,67520427.1$15,410
2020-21$3,404,21820527.7$16,606
2021-22$3,384,78418726.9$18,100
2022-23$3,501,05417026.3$20,594
2023-24$3,200,75016822.5$19,052
2024-25$3,180,37716422.0$19,393
2025-26$2,768,60613319.3$20,817

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
2017-1822236
2018-1922218
2019-2018218
2020-2122195
2021-2219170
2022-2318174
2023-2417171
2024-2517146

[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]

48.5%

English language arts · 2025–26

45.5%

Mathematics · 2025–26

55.0%

Science · 2025–26

  • English language arts
  • Mathematics
  • Science
0%25%50%75%100%2021-222022-232023-242024-252025-262021-22 · English language arts: 27.6%2022-23 · English language arts: 34.5%2023-24 · English language arts: 39.8%2024-25 · English language arts: 43.5%2025-26 · English language arts: 48.5%2021-22 · Mathematics: 20.5%2022-23 · Mathematics: 30.6%2023-24 · Mathematics: 26.5%2024-25 · Mathematics: 31.9%2025-26 · Mathematics: 45.5%2021-22 · Science: 38.5%2022-23 · Science: 39.1%2023-24 · Science: 37.9%2024-25 · Science: 43.3%2025-26 · Science: 55.0%0%25%50%75%100%2021-222022-232023-242024-252025-262021-22 · English language arts: 27.6%2022-23 · English language arts: 34.5%2023-24 · English language arts: 39.8%2024-25 · English language arts: 43.5%2025-26 · English language arts: 48.5%2021-22 · Mathematics: 20.5%2022-23 · Mathematics: 30.6%2023-24 · Mathematics: 26.5%2024-25 · Mathematics: 31.9%2025-26 · Mathematics: 45.5%2021-22 · Science: 38.5%2022-23 · Science: 39.1%2023-24 · Science: 37.9%2024-25 · Science: 43.3%2025-26 · Science: 55.0%
Assessment results by school year
General state assessments; percentage of tested students meeting standard
School yearELAMathScience
2014-1529.9%33.3%26.5%
2015-1639.7%29.7%50.0%
2016-1729.6%28.7%57.1%
2017-1830.5%30.2%33.3%
2018-1926.7%29.7%22.2%
2021-2227.6%20.5%38.5%
2022-2334.5%30.6%39.1%
2023-2439.8%26.5%37.9%
2024-2543.5%31.9%43.3%
2025-2648.5%45.5%55.0%

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 Riverview.

Sanislo began in temporary classrooms in 1969; its permanent building opened in December 1970. The school retained its collaborative open-concept approach through changes in district teaching philosophy. A protected wetland and community-created outdoor classroom connect learning to the surrounding environment. [1]

  1. 1970

    Permanent Sanislo building opened.

  2. 1997

    Wetland protection covenant established.

  3. 1998

    Renovation and classroom/community-space addition completed.

  4. 2005

    Families created an outdoor classroom beside the wetland.

The school’s distinctive structural design was featured in the French architecture magazine L’Architecture d’Aujourd’hui. [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

    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.

  25. 25

    Seattle Public Schools Archives

    SPS directors and superintendents

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

  26. 26

    Seattle Public Schools

    New Superintendent Begins Tenure Leading Seattle Public Schools

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