The 2025–2026 draft budget for the Mercer Island School District proposes an $80.6 million general fund, with 83.25% allocated to staffing and a projected ending fund balance increase from $3.6 million to $4 million. An estimated potential enrollment gain of 50 FTEs could bring in an additional $500,000 in revenue.

At their June 11 meeting, the Mercer Island School Board discussed rising costs, including a $900,000 increase in special education services for resident students, and concerns over Moody’s credit rating being downgraded twice from Aaa to Aa2 since 2022. Directors Dan Glowitz and Cristina Martinez called for clearer communication and decision-making, study sessions, and long-term financial planning.

No action was taken at the meeting. According to the district, a public hearing and second reading are scheduled for June 26.

At the June 11 meeting, students Shay Smith-Cutright and Cordelina Tangeman, representing Crest Learning Center community, voiced concerns about the district’s proposed budget cuts and how they could undermine the staff and programs that make Crest supportive for students needing special services.

They cautioned that reducing teaching and paraeducator positions would “drive students away” and compromise the individualized instruction that many students depend on.

Shay spoke about the importance of Crest’s smaller classes, additional adult support, and calmer setting for students with IEPs, 504 plans, and sensory needs. Without this program, “I wouldn’t be who I am today, I would not have the confidence or self-efficacy to present to you all as I’m doing right now,” she said.

Cordelina shared how Crest helped her rebuild trust and confidence in learning math after earlier negative experiences, praising the compassion of her Crest math teacher, Emily King, and the school’s hands-on approach. “Crest is a lifeline” that provides students another opportunity. “Mercer Island School District claims to support and uplift its students with the saying, students are the priority, but actions speak louder than words,” she added.

Meghan Hamill, a parent and PTA member representing gifted and twice-exceptional students and serving on the Superintendent Teaching and Learning Advisory, criticized the district for exceeding its special education budget by over $3 million while accepting more than 10 out-of-district freshmen from Hamlin Robinson School who require costly services.

Meanwhile, resident students with dyslexia and ADHD receive little to no support and are often pushed into private schools, she said. She pointed out that district employees’ children and open enrollment students reportedly receive IEPs with far less resistance than resident families, who often must hire attorneys to access basic services. Hamill outlined seven actions for the board, including enrollment and funding transparency, a special education equity audit, safety and disciplinary reporting of violent incidents and disciplinary actions, a pause on out-of-district special education placements, independent Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) oversight, and a public forum for families impacted by learning differences. She concluded: “Island students should be the priority.”

Robert O’Callahan, a parent of two elementary students, spoke about the troubling trend of resident families now choosing out-of-district options, due to declining academic quality, especially in elementary schools, where many students rely on outside math tutoring to meet basic standards like mastering multiplication tables by age 8.

O’Callahan also shared concerns from other parents that students are unprepared for the rigor of high school AP courses due to insufficient challenge and homework in middle school. He questioned whether the current math curriculum adequately prepares students to complete Algebra I by 8th grade, a key benchmark for long-term academic success. He also addressed that open enrollment cannot offset the loss of state funding tied to resident enrollment, and that local taxpayers subsidize open enrollment students. He urged the district to improve curriculum quality as a necessary step to retain families and address structural budget issues.

Read the full board recap and view the agenda here.