Decatur–View Ridge: Preparing for the merger conversation

Community meeting: Thursday, December 10, 6–7:30 p.m., at View Ridge Elementary cafeteria

Seattle Public Schools is exploring a possible merger of Decatur and View Ridge for the 2027–28 school year. Under the arrangement being considered, View Ridge would be the receiving school, with Decatur students moving to the View Ridge campus.

Superintendent Shuldiner met with staff at both schools on November 2. Families from both communities are invited to discuss the possible merger with him on December 10.

A detailed plan explaining how a merger would work has not yet been shared. The View Ridge PTA created this guide to help families consider which aspects of their children’s school experience could be affected and identify what they would need to know to evaluate a proposal. It offers background and questions to help families bring their priorities, concerns, and ideas to the December 10 conversation.

This guide was developed independently by the PTA. Its topics and questions are not district-provided guidance or proposed plans. The PTA is not taking a position for or against a merger.

Our schools at a glance

	View Ridge	Decatur
Grades served	K–5	2–5
Students enrolled	324	201
School model	Neighborhood elementary	Highly Capable pathway
Advanced learners	Includes students identified as Highly Capable (HC) or Advanced Learners (AL)	Serves students through the HC pathway
Special education services	Focus and Resource	Resource and Extended Resource
Students receiving special education services	49 (about 15%)	24 (about 12%)
School hours	8:55 a.m.–3:25 p.m.; Wednesday dismissal at 2:10 p.m.	8:55 a.m.–3:25 p.m.; Wednesday dismissal at 2:10 p.m.

Enrollment source: SPS October 1, 2026 enrollment report, pages 80 and 85. Special education counts do not capture all students receiving disability-related support, including those with 504 plans only.

The schools currently enroll approximately 525 students combined. This figure describes current enrollment, not projected enrollment for a merged school.

View Ridge is a neighborhood K–5 school serving students with a range of learning needs, including Highly Capable- and Advanced Learner-identified students and those receiving Focus and Resource special education services.

Decatur serves grades 2–5 through the Highly Capable pathway, which provides advanced instruction for students identified as needing learning beyond their grade level. Both schools use district-adopted curriculum; elementary HC pathway instruction is accelerated by two grade levels in mathematics and one in English language arts (reading and writing). Decatur also has a full-time Resource teacher.

Some Decatur students need both advanced instruction and disability-related support; these learners are often described as twice-exceptional. Students in either school may need extra challenge in one subject and help in another.

Both View Ridge and Decatur are inclusion schools. This means students with disabilities participate in general education classrooms as much as is appropriate for their individual needs. This does not specify how HC and other students would be grouped in a combined school.

Additional information shared by Principal Geoghagan

School hours and transportation: The superintendent has said bell times would remain unchanged, with additional buses for students living outside the attendance area.
Classroom space: The district would work with the school to ensure ample classroom space.
Staffing and transition: Bringing the two schools’ staffs together, including duplicated positions, is part of the discussion. Specific arrangements and the timing of a summer move remain unclear.

Considering what a merged school would look like

The questions below highlight how a merger could affect children’s everyday experiences. Use them to identify what you would need to know to understand a proposal’s implications for your child—including potential benefits, challenges, and tradeoffs. You do not need to work through every question; focus on the topics most relevant to your family. These are questions for discussion, not descriptions of planned changes.

Classroom learning and academic challenge

Classroom grouping, class size, and instructional pace shape what children learn and how they receive appropriate challenge and support.

How would homerooms and instructional groups be organized? What would class sizes, instructional levels, and pace look like at each grade?
How would current VRE students access grade-level instruction, additional help, or advanced work—including advanced learning without an HC designation?
How would Highly Capable instruction be provided, and what would that mean for learning opportunities across the school?
What would bringing the two schools’ staffs together mean for students’ classroom experience, access to specialists, and continuity of support during the transition and afterward?

Individual support and participation

Students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) would continue to receive the specially designed instruction and services specified in their plans. Families may want to understand how those supports would fit into a combined school’s daily routines.

How would Focus and Resource services, IEP supports, and 504 accommodations be organized within the school day?
How would twice-exceptional students receive advanced instruction alongside disability-related support?
How would intervention, therapy, and small-group learning fit alongside classroom instruction and shared activities?

Friendships and a shared school community

Both schools bring established relationships and traditions, alongside opportunities for new connections.

How would existing friendships be considered, and how would students from both schools get to know one another?
How would the school build a shared sense of belonging so students feel part of one community, rather than “kids from Decatur” and “kids from View Ridge”?
How would the two PTAs work together on shared traditions, family participation, fundraising, and PTA-funded programs?

Space and experiences beyond the classroom

Families may want to understand how the combined enrollment would fit on the View Ridge campus—not only where classes would meet, but how spaces for specialized services and shared activities would be used.

How would available space accommodate classrooms, specialized services, and children’s accessibility, sensory, and regulation needs?
Would accommodating both schools mean changes to spaces currently used for library, art, music, PE, lunch, recess, or other activities?

Family routines, enrollment, and transition

School arrangements affect families’ daily routines and plans for younger siblings. Families may also want to understand how children would be prepared for any changes.

What would arrival and dismissal arrangements look like for the combined school?
Would attendance boundaries or enrollment rules change for current families, incoming kindergarteners, or younger siblings?
When would families receive details relative to school enrollment deadlines?
What would the timing of the transition be, and how would students be helped to prepare?

Understanding the proposal and next steps

What is the district seeking to improve through this merger, and what challenges or tradeoffs does it anticipate?
What remains open for discussion, and what alternatives are being considered?
When would families see a detailed proposal, and how could they provide input before a decision is made?

Three things to bring to the conversation

You do not need to arrive with a position on the merger. It may be more useful to come with:

One thing to preserve: Something that makes your child’s current school experience work.
One opportunity to explore: Something a combined school could potentially improve.
One question that needs a concrete answer: Information you would need before evaluating a proposal.

Have questions or suggestions for how the PTA can help families prepare? Email communication@viewridgeschool.org. Your input will help shape PTA communications. We will ask permission before quoting or attributing individual comments.