CITY OF SEATTLE
RESOLUTION __________________
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A RESOLUTION supporting Seattle School District No. 1's Proposition 1 and Proposition 2 and urging Seattle voters to vote "Yes" on Proposition 1 and Proposition 2 on the February 8, 2022, special election ballot.
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WHEREAS, as of October 2020, there were approximately 52,381 students enrolled in Seattle School District No. 1 (SPS) in 106 school buildings across the City of Seattle; and
WHEREAS, the students enrolled at SPS are increasingly diverse and come to the classroom with varying needs. For example, SPS-enrolled students speak 154 languages and/or dialects, 32 percent of students are eligible for free and reduced-priced lunches, 21 percent of students speak a home language other than English, 4 percent of students are experiencing homelessness, and 13 percent of students are enrolled in special education; and
WHEREAS, investing in public education and strengthening equitable access to high-quality education helps students and families optimize their potential, prepares and builds future leaders to participate in our workforce, and strengthens community and civic life; and
WHEREAS, the opportunity and academic achievement gaps persist for SPS students and disproportionately impact students of color, students who are experiencing housing instability and/or homelessness, students needing special education, and students who are English Language Learners (ELL). For example, in the 2019-2020 school year, the adjusted four-year cohort graduation rate for all students was 86 percent, yet Black students had an 80 percent graduation rate, Latinx students had a 74 percent graduation rate, ELL students had a 67 percent graduation rate, and students experiencing homelessness had a 62 percent graduation rate; and
WHEREAS, Article IX, Section 1 of the Washington State Constitution states that "it is the paramount duty of the state to make ample provision for the education of all children residing within its borders, ...
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