SEATTLE — Seattle Public School’s incoming superintendent is addressing how he plans to tackle the school district’s massive budget shortfall.

RELATED | Seattle Public Schools names Ben Shuldiner superintendent finalist after nationwide search

Finalist Ben Shuldiner is a former teacher, principal, professor, and school board director, and already has a lot of love for Seattle and the Pacific Northwest.

“This entire community has just rallied around this process. They’ve been so wonderful and warm,” Shuldiner told KOMO’s Jackie Kent in a one-on-one interview on Thursday.

A day after the school board unanimously voted for him to take over in 2026, parents like Erin Combs said they’re “cautiously optimistic” for what’s ahead.

“Her school has had a lot of teacher shuffles; they’ve lost staffing because of what’s happened with enrollment and waitlists,” Combs said about her daughter’s experience at Thornton Creek Elementary School.

This change in leadership comes as SPS faces troubles with enrollment, safety, student learning outcomes, and an estimated $87 million budget shortfall.

Ian Coon is with the Alliance for Education, the longtime local education fund for SPS.

“Conversations have been around cutting budgets, cutting staff, raising funds, and advocating for more money from Olympia. I think there’s going to be a lot of things that need to change,” Coon added.

Shuldiner has served as superintendent in Lansing, Michigan, since 2021 and said he’s ready to work in a district five times the size.

“What I’ve seen in Seattle in the time I’ve been here is incredible teachers and principals and families and children who all want what’s best for our students, and I just think with the right systems and structures we’ll be able to move mountains relatively quickly,” Shuldiner said.

An image of Ben Shuldiner, who was named the Seattle Public Schools’ new superintendent. (KOMO News)

SPS estimates he helped boost the Lansing graduation rate by 26%, attendance by 15%, and enrollment spiked for the first time in decades.

SPS has also touted that Shuldiner increased the Lansing School District’s “fund balance by more than $40 million, creating financial stability and growth.”

“I think what you have is a concerning budget issue, no question about it, but there’s a lot of ways to build efficiencies,” Shuldiner told KOMO about addressing the SPS budget. “I’ve gone through the budget quite often. There’s a lot of departments and I think with that you have redundancies.”

All in all, there’s a sense of hope.

“There’s a lot of trust that needs to be rebuilt,” Combs added.

KOMO News reached out to the Lansing School Board president for more on Shuldiner’s history with the district, and was still waiting to hear back as of Thursday evening.

Shuldiner’s SPS contract is still being negotiated, but he said he plans to make Seattle his permanent home and to retire from Seattle schools.

Hail, thunder, lightning, strong gusts of wind, and rain struck Seattle Wednesday evening.

Several neighborhoods, including Queen Anne, South Lake Union, and Fremont, reported experiencing intense rain and several lightning flashes.

Rain is expected to persist until 12 a.m. Thursday, before reappearing throughout most of the day. As much as 0.7 inches of rain is expected over the next 24 hours.

Since daylight saving time ended Sunday, “The Big Dark” has overtaken western Washington. A series of Pacific weather systems is expected to resume their parade into the region, bringing periods of rain. High temperatures for the rest of the week are forecast to be relatively mild, in the 50s, while lows are anticipated to drop only into the 40s.

By this weekend, forecast charts are pointing to another wet and windy weather system, primarily on Sunday. Monitor this situation as the week draws closer to the weekend.

Mountain conditions

For those with plans to travel across the Cascades, snow levels this week are expected to remain rather high, primarily above highway pass levels. Driving conditions should involve wet pavement.

November is usually the wettest month

November is historically the wettest month of the year, and the region could use the rain. Much of Western Washington remains in moderate-to-severe drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Through October, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is more than seven inches of rain below average. Olympia is about 12 inches below average, while Bellingham has a 3.5-inch rain deficit. Along the coast, Forks remains well behind, at more than 24 inches below average, while Hoquiam is more than eight inches of rain behind.

November is historically No. 1 for flooding

November also happens to be the No. 1 month for river flooding, primarily because there is usually little mountain snowpack to soak up those warmer rainy days when snow levels rise. Recent rains have helped raise river levels from well below normal stream flows.

With more rain in sight as the month proceeds, the threat of river flooding should rise. Those in low-lying areas along rivers and streams should prepare for the possibility of flooding. Remain vigilant by monitoring weather and river forecasts. Remember – when you are weather-aware, you are weather-prepared.

Looking at the weather outlook for the month, temperatures are expected to be primarily warmer than average, with precipitation odds above normal. Welcome to November, with its wetter weather and “The Big Dark.”

Contributing: Frank Sumrall, MyNorthwest

Ted Buehner is the KIRO Newsradio meteorologist. Follow him on X and Bluesky. Read more of his stories here.

A sizable shift in how Seattle’s business taxes will operate is coming after the expected passage of Proposition 2.

Seattle’s Prop. 2 Business & Occupation tax passed with 67.8% voting in favor, compared to 32.2% voting against.

Approximately 90% of Seattle businesses, all small in size and stature, would pay lower taxes under this proposition. However, for companies with annual gross revenues exceeding $5.7 million, taxes are expected to increase. Companies producing that level of revenue make up approximately 10% of businesses in Seattle.

“Trump-era cuts threaten the funding Seattle relies on for housing, public health, and safety,” supporters of Prop 2 stated on its website. “Without local action, critical programs could be slashed, worsening the homelessness and overdose crises. Revenue from the Seattle Shield Prop 2 update on B&O tax would support the City’s General Fund to sustain essential services.”

The City of Seattle estimated that this proposition could generate an additional $80 million annually for the city.

Mayor Bruce Harrell and Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck, both of whom are on the ballot seeking reelection, proposed the measure to the Seattle City Council in August. After a vote, it made its way onto the November ballot.

Critics of Proposition 2 claimed high-grossing businesses with low profit margins, like a grocery store, would be negatively impacted by this change.

“Seattle’s tax system differs from that of many other U.S. cities. Seattle businesses contribute a significantly higher percentage of the Seattle city government’s costs compared to businesses in other cities,” Eugene Wasserman,  president of the North Seattle Industrial Association, stated. “To continue this bargain for Seattle residents, Seattle’s existing businesses must grow, and new companies must move in. Maintaining healthy business growth across small, medium, and large businesses is essential. While Prop 2 provides a tax break to small companies, it more than doubles the tax burden for medium and large companies.”

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