Seattle Public Schools will close and consolidate some schools by fall of next year to create a smaller, stronger district and plug a projected $25 million budget deficit, according to district officials.

Last year's outraged community reaction halted Superintendent Raj Manhas' proposal to close 10 schools, including Alki and Cooper elementary schools. But a recent report from an advisory committee, appointed by Manhas to analyze the district's budget and academic performance, estimates the district will face a budget shortfall of $15 million in the 2006-07 school year and $25 million the next. The report also found the 46,000-student district has more facilities than it needs.

The looming budget shortfall and "excess capacity" has forced the district to look at closures once again, said Brita Butler-Wall, Seattle School Board president.

"But this time we are letting the public face this dilemma with us," she said.

A 14-member, board-appointed community advisory committee - consisting of three representatives from four district regions and two co-chairs - will consider a set of criteria determined by the School Board, such as whether schools in the same geographic area can share a building or compatible programs.

It could mean moving a program to a more accessible area where it could be better utilized, said Butler-Wall.

The committee, which will form by mid-March, will also examine academic achievement.

"There are many ways to look at academics, including test scores," said Butler-Wall. "One thing to remember is that we can look at a school's overall test scores, or we can look at test scores in terms of 'value-added.' In other words, given what the student arrived with, and what kinds of gains did they make?"

For example, if a student comes to a school without speaking much English, their test score in one grade may not be very high but could still represent significant academic achievement in a short amount of time, she said.

"These are things for us to consider," said Butler-Wall, noting that the board expects to have a set of guidelines for closure recommendation by the end of the month. The board will also hire a consultant for the committee to ensure the process is "thorough and fair," she said.

The previous committee reported that surplus facilities have produced unnecessary costs and that the district could save up to $10 million by closing some schools. But the district has no plans to sell closed buildings, said Butler-Wall. Instead, revenue could come from maintaining a smaller district.

Costs associated with building maintenance, administrative staff, utilities and transportation can produce significant costs, said the board president.

"The savings comes from closing buildings that we don't need to be spending money on," she said.

Through the spring and summer, input will be sought from the community and considered with the committee's findings. A final recommendation from the committee for closures and consolidations is expected by June and will then be submitted to the board and superintendent for further analysis before a final vote in July.

They should be able to spend a few months with the community to find the best solutions and come up with a list, said Butler-Wall.

Last year's public protest to Manhas' closure proposal caused the district to take a different tact this time, putting the process largely in the hands of the school board and community committee.

"We are bringing the puzzle to the community this time, instead of presenting a solution," said Butler-Wall. "One criticism last year was that people felt the decision should have been led by focusing on how our kids will benefit from the changes. That will be a large part of the criteria this time."

The final plan for closures and consolidations will not take effect until the 2007-08 school year, giving the schools effected time to prepare for any transitions.

"We really want to build the kind of education system that the community wants," said Butler-Wall. "We know it's going to be hard. People love their schools. We are trying to be as fair as possible."

Rebekah Schilperoort can be reached at rebekah@robinsonnews.com or 932.0300.