Marxist candidate Shaun Scott taking the old Gish Gallop to a new level there.

He does know that Washington is a majority Democrat state, and we don't have a funding problem here we have an enrollment problem in the district he's running for, and funding is tied to enrollment, right?

@1 so the real question is why is enrollment dropping and will increasing funding lead to better outcomes for students? I have yet to see any evidence that the massive funding increase from McClearly improved educational outcomes. Teachers got big raises but kids were amount the same or worse. Maybe fix that before asking for more money.

Our schools’ 18-month gaping hole of services during COVID-times has forever shifted my allegiances to public school. The sheer dysfunction of refusing to even have a conversation about reopening UNTIL THE GOVERNOR ORDERED THEM BACK was it for me. No more finger pointing. Leaders need to own their mistakes or accept that they’ll never get those students back.

And the terrible decisions aren’t locked in the past, a new one was splashed all over the news just a couple hours ago. The district is proposing to close ~20 schools to close 1/3 of the budget gap, which will up end school boundaries and likely expedite the exodus of families. There’s no “taxing the rich” to fund bad decisions. Leaders must do better.

No problem. We'll just sit back until someone sue the state again. And then lose that suit. Isn't that the way everything gets done around here?

@2: "so the real question is why is enrollment dropping"

Fewer children. Why do we have fewer children? Well, there was this health class I went through in school ....

"It's been said that “Seattle is a major league city with minor league leadership.” Nowhere is the statement more applicable than in public schools."

Nailed it. Seattle Schools has had a parade of highly-paid people who have done little to advance Seattle schools. Hilariously, the Board has to decide whether to give Brent Jones, the superintendent, a raise. Mums the word so far but just wait for it.

There is a lower birth rate AND high housing costs; I don't think anyone would doubt those reasons. But SPS has its own brand of "talk to the hand" when it comes to parents. They don't even ASK parents who exit the system why they are leaving or where they are going. Because they don't care.

As a long-time district watcher and public education advocate, I can truly say that the needs are great in schools today. But would I trust the gang at SPS to use the money wisely when they pay senior leadership HUGE salaries AND never explain how they can afford SO many consultants.

I really need to question the assertion of declining public investment in education. The state's spending on K-12 education has more than doubled over the past decade. In the 2013-2015 state budget, the spending went from $15B to $30B. Seattle Public Schools lost approximately 4000 students, but the budget remains steady at $1.2 B per year. One would think that loosing 4000 students meant the district would loose tens and tens of millions of dollars which wasn't the case.

I also question the assertion of stagnant wages. From 2017-2018, the average base salary rose from just over $60K ti $92K, marking a 52 percent increase. In Washington, the state average teacher salary reached $86K ranking fourth in the nation.

Seattle Public School's annual budget remains steady at $1.2B per year- despite loosing 4000 students (!). One would think that loosing 4000 students would result in the loss of tens and tens of millions of dollars. Not so.

The article fails to mention millions and millions of dollars spent on initiatives that have come and gone. The article fails to mention the district's increasing insurance costs. Have you noticed the lawsuits- including a $45M case soon to be decided by the courts because a student was killed inside a high school?

The district has been wanting to close K-8 for a long time. This board gave them the red light to do so- despite the fact that some middle school students will not do well in large comprehensive schools.

Washington state spends a significant amount on public education, and in 2023-25, school districts received $38.95 billion from state, local, and federal sources.

This amounts to an average of $18,354 per student, which is higher than other states--that's about what it costs to go to a private Catholic school.

It's time for vouchers and let families and student select where to go to school

@5 it's not fewer children. It's mainly lower enrollment as people pull their kids out of public schools.

@9: "It's mainly lower enrollment as people pull their kids out of public schools."

Sounds like the customers are making a choice. Is that a bad thing?