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Seattle School District No. 1 board meeting, Jul 8, 2026

3 h 36 min

Budget cuts and layoffs ▶ 2:29:14Enrollment ▶ 15:02Safety, weapons and police ▶ 35:21Vouchers and school choice ▶ 17:09

This board doesn’t post agenda times. Click a board member to jump to where they first speak; we list only members whose voice our check named. Video length 3 h 36 min.

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What happened

What happened at this meeting

Seattle board approves $73,118,479 technology purchase authorization and other contracts 1:11:32

  • The board heard an enrollment update, in which the director of enrollment reported 4,600 school choice applications and 4,460 offers, and directors then asked questions about the results. 15:02
  • The board approved the consent agenda as amended. 1:10:51
  • The board approved a $73,118,479 purchase order authorization with Thornburg Computer Services. 1:11:32
  • Staff introduced the 2026⁠-⁠27 budget, and the board president said final action is scheduled for August 26th. 2:11:40

Until Nov 4, lines where a board member takes a side don't name the member. Why →

Item by item (15)
  1. Opening and superintendent remarks 0:27
    • Gina Topp called the regular board meeting to order at 4:30 PM, and staff took the roll. 0:27
  2. Committee and liaison reports 3:56
    • Jen LaVallee said the Operations Committee reviewed possible policy changes on the student assignment transition plan, with a goal of having the policy in place by early fall. 4:35
    • Joe Mizrahi said the Policy Committee was continuing work on goals and guardrails and that a $1.3 billion FEP levy allocation had been transmitted to the city council. 6:19
    • Vivian Song said the Finance and Audit Committee reviewed transportation, noting the district spent $63 million on bus transportation in '24-'25 and the state reimbursed $44 million. 8:38
  3. Enrollment update presentation 14:11
    • The director of enrollment said projected fall enrollment was adjusted to 48,740 and that 282 students remained on waitlists as of May 31st. 15:02
    • The director of enrollment said the district received 4,600 school choice applications and made 4,460 offers, a 97% offering rate. 15:02
    • The superintendent said the district is still losing students overall but is retaining more students in some grades. 26:49
  4. Public testimony 28:58
    • A speaker at public comment asked the district to abolish special education pathways and allow inclusive education. 31:01
    • A speaker at public comment asked the board to vote no on a property sale and the John Marshall School project and to delay a vote on technology contracts. 36:06
    • A speaker at public comment requested a meeting with the superintendent and board members to create a youth well-being and safety action plan. 37:47
  5. Enrollment discussion 43:36
    • Joe Mizrahi asked whether the earlier enrollment timeline was the right timing, and the director of enrollment said the district got the word out to families. 44:54
    • Vivian Song asked how many families took their choice offer, and the director of enrollment said 3,820 assignments were made, or 83%. 57:02
    • Jen LaVallee asked for data on HC pathway site enrollment compared with the number of qualifying students, and a staff member said that data could be provided. 1:01:38
  6. Consent agenda 1:09:12
    • Liza Rankin pulled items 10, 14 and 15 from the consent agenda. 1:10:11
    • The consent agenda passed as amended. 1:11:03
  7. Computer services purchase authorization 1:11:03
    • Evan Briggs moved to authorize purchase orders with Thornburg Computer Services not to exceed $73,118,479 over fiscal years 2027, 2028 and 2029. 1:11:32
    • Liza Rankin asked whether the superintendent recommended the contract, and the superintendent said there is an overreliance on technology but the district should have the ability to purchase certain things. 1:13:24
    • Evan Briggs requested a work session on technology, and Gina Topp later said the session is scheduled for December 2nd. 1:27:17
    • The motion passed unanimously. 1:28:32
  8. Deaf and hard of hearing services contracts 1:28:34
    • Evan Briggs moved to approve a contract with Hearing Speech and Deaf Center not to exceed $1,172,400 and a contract with Listen and Talk not to exceed $959,236. 1:28:46
    • A district staff member said the contracts were renewals brought forward because of a threshold change and that serving more than 10 students would require a contract amendment. 1:30:23
    • Both contracts passed unanimously. 1:33:02
  9. John Marshall School resolution 1:34:25
    • The chief operations officer said the resolution supports state funding for new construction and is not approval of the overall project or contract. 1:36:04
    • Jen LaVallee said the team found about $8 million in savings from what was originally in the levy. 1:40:01
    • The motion passed unanimously. 1:41:48
  10. Apple device purchase authorization 1:41:50
    • Evan Briggs moved to authorize purchase orders with Apple Computer Corporation not to exceed $6 million over fiscal years 2027, 2028 and 2029. 1:42:12
    • Jen LaVallee said the Operations Committee declined to vote on the measure. 1:44:06
    • One board member said the purpose of board approval of such contracts was not clear. 1:48:55
    • The motion passed unanimously. 1:56:04
  11. Education foundation mini grants 1:56:06
    • Evan Briggs moved to accept Seattle Education Foundation mini grants program funding for the 2026⁠-⁠27 school year in the amount of $391,040. 1:56:16
    • Kathleen Smith asked whether the grant came with obligations on how the money is spent. 1:57:55
    • One board member said the board could consider authorizing the superintendent to accept such grants without board approval. 2:00:24
    • The motion passed unanimously. 2:01:48
  12. School year waiver request 2:01:50
    • Evan Briggs moved to authorize a waiver request for missed school days on October 23rd, 24th, 27th, and 28th, 2025 due to an emergency school closure at Emerson Elementary School. 2:01:59
    • The motion passed unanimously. 2:03:56
  13. Amendments to association positions 2:04:00
    • Liza Rankin said the amendments clarify language on unauthorized youth access to firearms and on a cell phone policy. 2:04:37
    • The motion passed unanimously. 2:08:48
  14. Collective bargaining resolution 2:08:52
    • Joe Mizrahi said the resolution reiterates the board's expectation of a collaborative relationship with unions as the district enters negotiations. 2:09:33
    • One board member said the resolution's co-sponsor covered everything and that they wholeheartedly agreed. 2:11:05
    • The motion passed unanimously. 2:11:38
  15. Budget introduction and public hearing 2:11:40
    • A district budget official said general fund resources are $1.34 billion and that the budget is balanced in part by using about $21 million of fund balance. 2:29:14
    • The budget official said insurance costs go up by 54% in next year's budget. 2:36:43
    • A speaker at the budget hearing raised an attendance incentive idea and the district's debt for its headquarters. 3:33:19

Written by software from the meeting's transcript and checked sentence by sentence against it.

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Video: posted by the district as “Seattle Schools Board Meeting July 8, 2026”