The Bellevue School District Board of Directors on July 31 unanimously approved the district’s 2025–26 annual plan, which narrows work to three systemwide focus goals — restore financial stability, improve literacy and math proficiency, and reduce chronic absenteeism — with seven supporting foundation goals.

Superintendent Dr. Kelly Aramaki told the board the annual plan translates the district’s 2024–29 strategic plan into a one-year program of work, and she described it as a focused approach after a larger set of initiatives in prior years. "This year we have organized it into 3 focus goals and 7 foundation goals," she said.

The financial stability goal sets a one-year target to increase the district’s general fund balance from negative $5 million to at least negative $3 million by Aug. 30, 2026; Dr. Aramaki said that target is part of the district’s binding conditions agreement with OSPI. The district also plans targeted actions to increase enrollment and to take advantage of new levy capacity created in recent state legislation.

Under the We Learn focus, the plan calls for measurable gains in third-grade literacy and fifth- and eighth-grade math, including a minimum 3-percentage-point improvement for underserved student groups over the year. The We Belong focus sets targets to reduce chronic absenteeism by 1–2 percentage points for all students and by 2–3 percentage points for underserved groups in one year.

Board members praised the plan’s narrower scope and the district’s approach to implementation. Director Martha Trijuez said the annual plan is the start of a multi-year implementation that "marks the beginning of a multi-year effort" and urged a strong communications strategy to keep families and staff aligned. Director Monica Webster asked how families — particularly from underrepresented communities — will be engaged in defining "future ready" pathways; staff said co-design with families remains a priority.

The board asked staff to align school improvement plans with the district annual plan and to report progress through regular briefings. The plan specifies quantitative metrics for the three focus goals and describes the foundation goals (belonging, student engagement, teacher practice, student agency, future readiness, human-centered systems and sustainability) that will support them.

Board President Carolyn Watson moved to approve the annual plan; the motion passed with unanimous assent. Staff said school-level plans and progress measures will be developed in August and shared during the school year.

Context: The district adopted a five-year strategic plan in 2024; the annual plan operationalizes that strategy for the coming school year. Dr. Aramaki said staff narrowed the set of initiatives from 20 to 10 to reduce burden on educators during a year of financial constraint. The plan will guide budgeting, school-improvement work and community outreach across 2025–26.