Tomorrow night (Tuesday, March 31), new Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Ben Shuldiner is scheduled to make the West Seattle stop on his districtwide community-engagement tour. One of the issues he is likely hear about: Prospective staffing cuts at West Seattle High School. Though enrollment at WSHS continues to grow – as we’ve reported, portable classrooms have been added to hold everyone – there is concern the district is basing its decisions on faulty data. The West Seattle High School PTSA is leading a campaign to help get this message to district leadership. The following is from a letter they’re sending to the superintendent:
We are members of the West Seattle High School PTSA and our broader community. Together, we ask you to meet with the West Seattle High School’s SEA (Seattle Education Association) representatives regarding their request to discuss the projected enrollment calculations that will cause cuts in our school staffing and make it unfeasible for our school to implement a functioning Master Schedule for the 2026-2027 school year.
SPS’s current enrollment calculations indicate that WSHS will lose teachers, classes and education supports in the 2026-2027 school year that are essential to the academic success, access to equity and emotional well-being of our kids. For many students, these educators and opportunities are the reason they come to school.
The prospect that WSHS may lose art and CTE classes, our care coordinator and social worker, and that all subjects may be overenrolled due to SPS’s enrollment projects is very frustrating. The enrollment estimates on which SPS is considering these steps seem to ignore the following…