An Open Letter to the Superintendent of Seattle Public Schools: May 2026
Dear Superintendent Ben Shuldiner,
As a coalition of community partners deeply invested in Seattle’s students, families, and educators, we welcome you to Seattle Public Schools. Our organizations have stood alongside SPS for decades, celebrating successes, weathering challenges, and working tirelessly to support students and families, especially those most impacted by systemic inequities.
Over the years, we have witnessed both the promise and the pain of partnership. Frequent leadership transitions, unclear communication, and the loss of structures that once connected schools and community organizations have created fatigue and mistrust, even among those most committed to collaboration. Yet despite these challenges, our coalition remains grounded in hope and steadfast in our belief that authentic partnership is essential to every student’s success in Seattle.
We know that when schools and communities work together consistently, transparently, and with shared purpose, our students thrive. We also know that an effective partnership does not happen by accident. It must be built, nurtured, and sustained. As you continue your tenure, we invite you to join us in rebuilding a system where partnership is not an afterthought, but the foundation for how SPS makes decisions, shares power, and builds trust.
Our Shared Vision
We envision a school system where students, families, educators, and community partners work in true partnership to advance student success and equity. Our collective goal is to move from transactional relationships to transformational partnerships, rooted in transparency, mutual respect, and shared accountability.
Our Pillars for Rebuilding and Sustaining Partnership
We believe the SPS partnership should be built on five key pillars:
- Stability and Continuity – Rebuild structures that endure leadership changes and honor long-term contributions of community organizations.
- Shared Leadership and Student-Centered Design – Ensure students, families, and partners guide decisions.
- Communication and Alignment – Strengthen two-way, transparent communication across the district.
- Infrastructure for Partnership – Create sustainable systems, directories, and clear processes for effective collaboration.
- Learning from the Past, Building for the Future – Capture collective knowledge, evolve existing strengths, and celebrate milestones while avoiding repeated “resets.”
Our Commitment
We bring decades of experience, deep community trust, and a shared commitment to every student’s success. We are ready to work alongside you to rebuild an SPS that lives its values through partnership, one that honors history, shares leadership, and sustains trust over time.
Together, we can build a district where community collaboration is not a moment but a movement, one that endures for generations of Seattle’s students.
In partnership and solidarity,
The Southeast Seattle Education Coalition