Empower Island Education

A Parent-Led Agenda to Restore Trust, Improve Education, and Build a Stronger Future for All Mercer Island Students.

Our Focus: Building a Better Future for Mercer Island Schools

Parents for Mercer Island is committed to restoring excellence, transparency, and trust in our public schools. In response to sharp enrollment declines, financial mismanagement, outdated academics, and growing parent disengagement, we’ve identified key priorities for action.

These focus areas reflect what families are asking for: strong academics, responsible budgeting, student safety, inclusive leadership, and better options for all learners—including those in private school or homeschooling. Together, we can create an Island education system that truly reflects the values and high standards of our community.

Advocate

Develop and advocate programs the community, and you value—such as curriculum quality, financial responsibility, elections, and student safety.

Volunteer

Drive student success by coordinating volunteers and ensuring clear, consistent communication for parent and children-related activities across the island.

Benchmarks

Identify and develop essential district benchmarks to help parents understand trends, strengths, weaknesses, and key performance indicators compared to similar schools nationally.

Donate

Contribute financially to targeted programs that drive community-wide student success—not niche initiatives serving only a few—while ensuring 100% of your donation supports the nonprofit’s mission.

Current State of MISD

The Mercer Island School District (MISD) is at a pivotal crossroads, facing mounting challenges that jeopardize its financial stability, educational quality, and community trust. This isn’t opinion—it’s supported by hard data:

  • 34% of Mercer Island families now choose private or homeschooling over MISD schools.

  • Enrollment has dropped 21.5% since 2018 (excluding off-island students), yet spending has increased over 22%.

  • The district’s financial health score is just 32 out of 100—compared to 73 for Shoreline, the next lowest in King County.

  • Inflation-adjusted spending on curriculum has declined over 3% since 2019, while salaries and benefits have increased by 1.6%.

  • MISD now ranks last among the top 15 Washington districts in math proficiency and second to last in graudation rate.

This document outlines the facts behind MISD’s current crisis—highlighting financial misalignment, declining academic performance, and a growing disconnect with the community.

Download the full report to see what’s really happening—and what we can do to turn it around.