School consolidation, safety, and budget gaps could cause a shakeup on Seattle school board

November 06, 2023 / 3:07 pm

caption: Students, educators and supporters gathered to protest and demand full-funding of Black history and ethnic studies for students during an SPS school board meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, at the John Stanford Center along Third Avenue South in Seattle.

It’s been a challenging year for Seattle Public Schools.

In July, the district closed a budget gap of $131 million but laid off at least 70 employees at the central office. Enrollment is declining. And a shooting at Ingraham High School, which left one student dead, has renewed concerns about safety and security.

"All of these issues have led this race to kind of center on one question, which is, 'What should the role of the school board be?'" says KUOW education reporter Sami West.

When the new Seattle Public Schools board is sworn in at the end of November, they’ll have some major issues to tackle. But first, voters will cast their ballots to decide who will do the job.

Soundside host Libby Denkmann caught up with West to talk about the school board races, and what they could mean for the future of the board.

Listen to the full interview with KUOW education reporter Sami West by clicking "play" on the audio icon above.

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Libby Denkmann
Host, Soundside

Libby Denkmann joined KUOW in December 2021 as the host of the midday show Soundside. She’s a native Pacific Northwesterner who grew up in Redmond, graduated from the University of Washington, and covered local news as a producer and reporter with KIRO Radio.
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Sami West
Education Reporter

Sami West is a reporter covering schools in Seattle and across the Puget Sound region. She’s been on the education beat for over five years and has reported extensively on the countless ways COVID has impacted schools, students, and families. Her coverage has also focused on school finances, special education issues, the importance of early childhood education, and the growing youth mental health crisis.
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Noel Gasca
Producer, Soundside

Noel is a producer for KUOW’s midday show Soundside. Prior to joining Soundside, Noel worked as an online editor/producer with KUOW’s web team. She’s also a proud graduate of KUOW’s RadioActive program.
More stories from Noel Gasca »