Although major improvements are still needed, Nickels said, he's impressed that Superintendent Maria Goodloe-Johnson, who took over last year, is willing to acknowledge the district's problems and is creating a "strategic plan" to address them.

The district is responsible for providing a quality education to all students, he said. "We now have a leader for Seattle Public Schools who has the vision and the skills to keep that promise."

Nickels also called for universal prekindergarten classes, quality public schools in every Seattle ZIP code and more support for struggling students. Graduating students also need to be better prepared for post-secondary education and ready to compete in the global economy, he said.