SEATTLE — Seattle Public Schools says it's reaffirming its commitment to serving all students amid federal guidance urging educational institutions to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

"We are committed to providing a high-quality education to every student in our district," SPS wrote in a letter to families last week.

"SPS students of every racial and ethnic background, income status, disability status, immigration status, language spoken, gender identity, sexual orientation, religious affiliation or any other personal characteristics will receive equitable access to educational opportunities and supports."

School districts and colleges nationwide have been trying to figure out how to navigate the federal government's crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion.

Craig Trainor, the federal Education Department's acting assistant secretary of education for civil rights, told educational institutions in a Feb. 14 "Dear Colleague" letter that they could lose federal funds if they did not stop considering race in decisions about admissions, hiring and other aspects of student, academic and campus life.

"The law is clear: treating students differently on the basis of race to achieve nebulous goals such as diversity, racial balancing, social justice, or equity is illegal under controlling Supreme Court precedent," he wrote.

About 7% of SPS' general operating budget in the 2023-24 school year came from federal grants.

Chris Reykdal, state superintendent of public instruction, advised school districts to stay the course on their diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Reykdal said Trainor's letter does "not hold the power of law."

SPS' letter to families was sent nearly two weeks after parents noticed the webpages for the district's Office of African American Male Achievement, which works to ensure that the district supports Black male students, and Department of Racial Equity Advancement, which supports racial equity leadership development, had disappeared from the district's website and online department directory. The timing alarmed parents.

But the district said the webpages were not removed because of the federal guidance. Bev Redmond, the district's chief of staff and spokesperson, said the pages were inaccessible to outside users for about a week due to planned updates. The district restored them after questions about their disappearance.

"Our mission has not changed," the letter to families stated. "Our work will not stop."

Redmond said the two departments remain funded, and the 15 employees were still doing their jobs.

Seattle launched its Office of African American Male Achievement in 2019. The Alliance for Education, a nonprofit that supports district initiatives, raised more than $4 million to underwrite the office's work. The Department of Racial Equity Advancement opened in 2017 or 2018, Redmond said.

The letter to parents mirrors the language in SPS' policies on educational and racial equity and instructional philosophy.

"We live these values every day by celebrating the brilliance and experiences of every student, cultivating learning environments that affirm student identities and broadening students' understanding of the world," it read. "Seattle Public Schools stands firm in our values and will continue to stand with and serve all our students and families."

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