BELLEVUE, Wash. — After reviewing community feedback, information, and data, the district superintendent has recommended not to consolidate any Bellevue School District middle schools for the next two years.
Earlier this year, the district closed two elementary schools as part of a consolidation plan.
In partnership with community organizations and leaders, community meetings in multiple languages were held, and two groups shared feedback with district leaders.
“Both groups did their part to share honest feedback about the process, including sharing concerns about the pace of the decision-making and expressing the need for additional time to deeply engage and build trust with members of our community who are most often left out of decision making,” a news release from the district said.
“Several factors helped me determine whether to recommend middle school consolidation to address declining enrollment and budget challenges. I am proud of the work we did as a community to engage in tough conversations and begin problem-solving together,” said district Superintendent Kelly Aramaki.
The district is hoping to bring in an additional $10 million a year by changing how local levy enrichment money is collected.
The Bellevue School District has more than 18,000 students and 28 schools.
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