Special to the Reporter
The Mercer Island School District Board of Directors received a presentation on Oct. 15 from Strategies 360 on the results of a post-bond community survey the group conducted in the six-week period after Labor Day.
The presentation was given by David Kornahrens, senior vice president of research, and Rachel Nakanishi, vice president of communications with Strategies 360, at a special board meeting held at Islander Middle School after the board conducted a site visit at the school.
Strategic Findings and Recommendations of Community Survey
* Residents are satisfied with the quality of education overall and with performance of their neighborhood school and prioritize components of a funding measure that are closest proximity to students (classes, more teachers, safety).
* Sustainability and an elementary school replacement are the lowest priorities for residents.
* Residents are predominantly getting information about the district from channels the district does not own or manage. Ensure you have a strategy to get information to these channels as well as building out the district’s outreach.
* Communicating with specificity and consistency matters.
* Make clear connections between levy-funded programs and student success.
* Link potential projects, programs, and positions to prioritized components and themes.
People can view the Strategies 360 presentation slide deck of survey results at https://tinyurl.com/9xkuckn9
Strategies 360 conducted a mixed-mode survey of 400 adult residents in the Mercer Island School District.
Interviews were conducted Sept. 15-23, 2025. A combination of landline, cell phone, and online interviews via SMS text message invitations to web-hosted surveys were used to ensure greater coverage of the population sampled.
The margin of error for a survey of 400 interviews is ± 5 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. The margin of error is higher for subsamples.
“While our ratings are high, we know we can always improve in some areas. We are committed to addressing areas where feedback was lower than we like to see,” the district said.
Another platform where residents and community members have shown their satisfaction with the district is the school rankings website Niche. In early October, Niche released its 2026 rankings of the best public school districts and schools in Washington.
Mercer Island School District was ranked the No. 2 best school district in Washington.
The district’s four elementary schools were all ranked very high with West Mercer at No. 1, Lakeridge at No. 2, Island Park at No. 4, and Northwood at No. 14 on the list of best public elementary schools in Washington.
Islander Middle School was ranked the No. 3 public middle school in Washington while Mercer Island High School was ranked No. 6 in the state for public high schools.
“These outstanding rankings underscores the district’s dedication to building a caring community grounded in academic excellence, innovative learning, and educators who inspire, support, and uplift students every day,” the district said.
“We are fortunate to have exceptional educators who not only teach, but also affirm, support, and inspire our students every day,” said Superintendent Dr. Fred Rundle. “In today’s global society, our families and community want our children to have every opportunity to create, innovate, and lead — and we work hard to make those dreams possible. Most importantly, Mercer Island is a community where we care for one another and work together to raise a generation that is capable, compassionate, and committed to making the world a better place.”
