Student Assignment Transition Plan and High School Boundaries
The Seattle School Board voted not to adopt the 2018-19 Student Assignment Transition Plan (SATP) at the Dec. 6, 2017, board meeting. The 2018-19 SATP included recommendations on new high school highly capable pathways for 2019-20. (Watch a recording of the board meeting.)
This means that options for programs and enrollment outlined in the 2017-18 SATP will carry forward through next school year.
Next Steps
In 2019-20, new high school boundaries will be implemented with the opening of Lincoln High School in North Seattle. Our intention is to integrate any changes to high school highly capable pathways with the new high school boundaries. Any anticipated changes to highly capable pathways would occur at the same time as boundary implementation in 2019-20.
At the Dec. 7, 2017, Operation Committee meeting, School Board Directors requested staff present the following highly capable pathway and boundary scenarios to the High School Boundary Task Force for feedback:
- Four regional pathways with Ballard, Roosevelt, Garfield and West Seattle as pathways;
- Two guaranteed pathways with Lincoln as the north end highly capable pathway (with Ingraham continuing to be an optional site) and Garfield as the south end highly capable pathway;
- Two guaranteed pathways with Ingraham as the north end highly capable pathway and Garfield as the south end highly capable pathway;
- Complete decentralization in 2021-22 with every attendance area high school offering highly capable services.
A public meeting of the High School Boundary task force will be 12:30-2:30 p.m., on Thursday, Dec. 14 at the John Stanford Center (2445 3rd Ave. S) in Room 2750. You are invited to attend and listen as staff presents possible high school boundary maps and related highly capable pathways. Read more about the High School Boundary task force.
Draft boundary maps recommended this fall will need to be adjusted to accommodate any changes to high school highly capable pathways and will take into account input from the recent High School Boundary survey. In late November, more than 5,000 stakeholders responded to the survey and provided more than 2,000 additional comments. While Enrollment Planning continues to analyze the results an initial review of responses indicates the following priority areas in rank order:
- Proximity of students to schools, safe walk zones and transportation time
- Alignment of high school boundaries with elementary and middle school feeder patterns when possible
- High schools that are the optimal size so that there can be diversity of programs and services for students at their schools
- Use of an equity lens in making decisions to ensure that changes do not unfairly impact students with higher needs
- Use data to inform decisions
- Minimize disruption to existing boundaries
- Minimize fiscal impact
The School Board will deliberate and is anticipated to vote on 2019-20 high school boundaries and any new high school highly capable pathways in January.
Decision Timeline
- Dec.14: Various highly capable pathway scenarios and related boundaries will be presented to the High School Boundary Task Force. View the proposals and event details.
- Jan. 3: Recommended high school boundaries and related highly capable pathways will be introduced to the Board. View the board meeting event entry.
- Jan. 10: A high school boundaries work session with the full board. View the board meeting event entry.
- Jan. 17: Anticipated that the Board will act on the new high school boundaries and any changes to the high school highly capable pathways. This action would ensure families are aware of new high school boundaries before open enrollment, which is Feb. 5-16. View the board meeting event entry.
- Jan. 20: Option School Choice Fair
If you have questions about next steps for high school boundaries, please send them to growthboundaries@seattlesch
You may also contact School Board Directors at SchoolBoard@seattleschools.
The district will continue to keep families informed as boundary map options are narrowed and in advance of School Board decisions.