District may close 12 schools in Seattle

A dozen alternative schools and traditional elementary schools could be closed in the 2007-08 academic year, the Seattle School Board announced Wednesday night.

The closures could save the financially strapped district at least $4 million annually. Officials want to close four schools in the southeast area of the city, three each in the northeast and southwest areas and two in the northwest part.

"That is the goal. But it's not fixed in concrete," and the number of schools affected could change in the months ahead, said board President Brita Butler-Wall.

The goal is even more ambitious than Superintendent Raj Manhas' proposal last year to close 10 schools, which stirred public outrage.

Academic achievement, building condition and enrollment are among the criteria that will determine which schools may close.

In the next two weeks, the School Board plans to adopt six criteria and appoint a citizens committee to advise which schools to close among the district's 61 alternative and traditional elementary schools and about a dozen alternative and K-8 schools, district administrators said.

To address a budget gap and declining enrollment, the School Board earlier this year decided the district needed to close or consolidate a few of its 100 schools. District officials have identified at least three alternative high schools — John Marshall, South Lake and Summit K-12 — that could close, merge or relocate. A few elementary schools also could become K-8 schools to relieve overcrowding at the middle-school level.

The six closure criteria that the School Board is expected to adopt on March 15 are:

• Academic achievement: a school's record in closing the achievement gap between white and minority students, Washington Assessment of Student Learning results and other test scores.

• Enrollment: how many children are enrolled at a school, how many live in the neighborhood and whether there is a wait list to enroll.

• Operating cost: administrative and maintenance expenses.

• Building capacity: size of a school's classrooms and how it uses its space.

• Community impact: the level of family involvement at the school and how closure would affect the neighborhood.

The School Board considers academic success the most important test to decide whether a school should close, board member Michael DeBell said.

"There will be fewer schools but better schools," he said.

As part of the closure process, the citizens committee could recommend adding more honors courses and other popular academic programs to schools.

On Wednesday, the board will appoint 14 parents and civic and business leaders to a committee that will gather public feedback and analyze district data to come up with a list of schools to close. The committee will then forward its list to the board and Manhas. By July, Manhas is scheduled to identify which schools to close.

Tan Vinh: 206-515-5656 or tvinh@seattletimes.com