On June 26, the Mercer Island School Board approved the 2025-2026 budget and extended Superintendent Fred Rundle’s contract. Both measures passed with a 4-1 vote, with Director Dan Glowitz casting the sole dissenting vote on each.

Budget approval

The board approved a total budget of approximately $104.7 million across five funds. The general fund accounts for the majority at $80.6 million, followed by the capital fund at $12.1 million and the debt service fund at $9.5 million. The Associated Student Body fund is set at $2 million, and the transportation fund at $600,000.

Board members emphasized the constraints of limited state funding. Director Deborah Lurie noted the board’s efforts to meet students’ needs “as best as we can” with the revenue provided by the state, while Director Cristina Martinez agreed that “it is a balanced project” and “there’s not much with what we are receiving past revenues from the state.” Director Jody Lee also commented, “I think we’re doing the best as we can” in the current funding climate.

Director Glowitz voted against the budget approval and said, “I do not support a budget that contemplates and has, in fact, resulted in cuts to nurses and librarians that are at the core of our district. We approved a contract that we could not afford, and we’re not told that we could not afford.”

Director Maggie Tai Tucker countered Glowitz’s claims, stating that, in her view, the district did not end up needing to cut nurses and that considerable time was spent developing the final plan.

Superintendent contract extended

Dr. Fred Rundle’s contract was extended through June 30, 2028, with no salary increase. His annual salary will remain at $259,580, according to the contract.

Board President Tucker highlighted Rundle’s contributions in community engagement, facilities planning, problem solving, and funding and advocacy, on top of operational expectations.

Director Lee expressed her appreciation for what she described as Rundle’s stewardship in providing countless informational briefings to the community. Director Martinez described Rundle’s job as an “endurance sport” and praised his care for students. Director Lurie characterized his job as “the toughest job” and commended him for not requesting a cost of living increase, stating, “it says so much about your character and your commitment to our community.” Tucker also expressed her gratitude, saying, “Thank you for sticking with us.”

Director Glowitz cast the lone vote against the three-year contract extension, citing concerns over governance, accounting, and legal and moral principles. He described the contract as too long and raised concerns about the impact of the financial commitment on curriculums, how proposed future bond revenue will be factored in, and how the general fund reserve is calculated.

Communication strategies

District staff presented analytics showing a drop in board meeting recap viewership since March 13, from a peak of 121 page views on April 25, to 42 page views on June 12. Director Lurie suggested sharing recaps via ParentSquare, and criticized the Mercer Island Reporter for what she claimed has “gotten a volunteer person to write up articles that are not particularly fact-based.”

President Tucker criticized the Reporter for what she describes as “a new deliberate policy of not wanting reporters to fact check and also the new different tendency to treat comments made during public comment as the story rather than the actual business of the board.”

Director Martinez emphasized, in her view, the importance of parents receiving factual information from board meetings and the district, as well as the importance of receiving factual feedback from the community.

Glowitz described, in his view, that there are already adequate communication channels and expressed free speech concerns about the district providing approved synopses of meetings to the Reporter.

See full district board coverage and agenda at www.mercerislandschools.org.

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Linnea Augustine is a freelance journalist for the Mercer Island Reporter, a longtime resident, longtime supporter of the Mercer Island Schools Foundation, community volunteer, and Rotary Club member.