We want to create a future where all Seattle Public Schools students can succeed.

We believe that one important step toward that future is creating a system whereby Seattle Public School PTAs contribute a portion of their proceeds to an Equity Fund. This fund would then be distributed to schools where the opportunity gap is widest.

Other school districts, including Portland Public Schools, have successfully implemented such a system. In Portland, “One-third of all funds raised (after the first $10,000) by Local School Foundations is set aside in the PPS Parent Equity Fund that we steward and distribute to high-need schools using a data-driven formula.” We are interested in exploring this and other possible solutions that may be a better fit for Seattle communities.

We realize that adopting a PTA fund-sharing system is insufficient to end racial disparities in Seattle Public Schools. But it is an important and necessary first step. It is an opportunity for us as parents – white parents, as well as parents of color – to show the District and our children that we are serious in our demands for racial equity.