Seattle School Board split on superintendent’s contract extension

The Seattle School Board approved a one-year contract extension for Superintendent Brent Jones, which will keep him on the job through June 2027.

The change comes nearly four months after the School Board in October unanimously approved an agreement with Jones that would have expired in June 2026.

This time, the board split on extending Jones’ contract. President Gina Topp and Directors Joe Mizrahi, Brandon Hersey and Sarah Clark voted in favor, while Vice President Evan Briggs and Director Liza Rankin opposed it. Director Michelle Sarju abstained.

With the district facing significant challenges, including addressing an estimated $94 million budget deficit, Topp said, “I don’t think it’s the right time to find a new superintendent.” 

The School Board also recently set new five-year academic goals and guardrails, and the district hopes to adopt a strategic plan this year to guide it through 2030. Topp said negotiations with the Seattle Education Association, whose contract expires in August, are also pending.

Mizrahi, who initially questioned why the board was contemplating an extension now, also said it was the right move to give Jones and his team the “runway” to develop and execute a plan.

“I think that will give us the greatest opportunity to meet those goals,” he said.  

The amendment only addresses Jones’ tenure. The October agreement bumped Jones’ annual salary to $348,395 — $13,395 more than the previous year. The total salary and benefits package was around $390,940.

Jones’ critics seized on the hefty compensation package at the time, saying it appeared “out of touch” as the district faced a nearly $94 million budget deficit and signaled possible job cuts.

The October agreement also changed the language so that the superintendent no longer receives an automatic contract extension. The School Board is required to vote on whether to renew the deal in January. Topp said the superintendent and board agreed to hold the vote in February this year.

Rankin, who negotiated Jones’ contract last year when she was the board’s president, said directors had the chance to offer the superintendent a three-year agreement last year but chose not to do so.

She said she hasn’t seen improvement in key areas of concern — including improving community engagement and detailing strategies to boost academic outcomes — that warrant giving Jones an additional year now. She said she would have been willing to consider an extension in June or a year later. 

“We just had a conversation about approving a two-year contract — not a three-year contract,” she said. “To add a third year to it so soon, just didn’t seem right to me.”

Briggs said she was trying to take her accountability role seriously.

“I didn’t feel I could vote yes to extend at this time,” she said.

Jones thanked the board members Thursday for “their confidence” in his leadership by extending the agreement.

“I am honored and look forward to working with the entire board to support our dynamic school community,” he said in a statement. “I remain deeply committed to our mission of providing every student with high-quality, equitable education in a safe and supportive environment.”