Seattle Public Schools’ former superintendent Dr. Brent Jones reflects on his journey from SPS student to leader, and how the Alliance and the community work together to invest in every student’s success.
Dr. Brent Jones served as Superintendent of Seattle Public Schools (SPS) from 2021 to early 2025 and has a deep, lifetime connection to the city we all call home. As a proud SPS graduate himself, Dr. Jones reflects, “I’m a son of Seattle and it’s in my bones.” In his journey from an SPS student to superintendent, Dr. Jones has seen Seattle evolve from “a town to a big city” where citizens want to see their students thrive.
Since its founding nearly three decades ago, the Alliance for Education has partnered closely with SPS to support student success. For Dr. Jones, this collaboration is essential.
“The Alliance for Education is curious,” he states, “they spend a lot of time understanding the needs of students and staff…We do a lot of intentional work to collaborate and make sure there’s alignment.”
Two key initiatives that have come from the Alliance speak to this alignment and partnership:
- the Thomas B. Foster Award for Excellence, which recognizes and honors excellent principals leaders making an impact in their school communities making tangible strides in advancing educational justice and racial equity, and
- the Right Now Needs Fund, which identifies urgent student needs and directs resources toward those needs. “The Fund is tangible, relevant, and timely,” Dr. Jones remarks. “It makes [students’] school experience a little easier.”
The kind of support for the Alliance’s programs and awards reflects Seattle’s broader civic engagement and investment in education. The Seattle community passes levies with overwhelming support; invests in social services, education, and civic upgrades; and brings together businesses, philanthropic partners, and civic communities to support students. We do this as a collective because we know it’s the right thing to do and it’s the way we can have a thriving city, he reflects.
As Seattle continues to grow and change, Dr. Jones remains optimistic that this spirit of collaboration will endure.
“We believe in equity and equality in this city. Inherently, that is the fabric of who we are. It stems from our education systems.”