After bond failure, Mercer Island board hears parents— concerns about next steps, potential school closures
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Summary
PTA leaders and board members discussed options after the recent bond failed, including revisiting priorities, the possibility of nonvoted debt and community outreach to educate voters; parents asked whether closing or renovating elementary schools such as Island Park might return to consideration.
Parents and PTA leaders pressed the Mercer Island School Board on next steps after a recent bond proposal failed and raised concerns about which buildings would be prioritized in any future plan.
Julian Bradley, president of the PTA Council, and other PTA representatives asked whether the district planned to prioritize a levy over a bond and how volunteers could be recruited for what they called an exhausted advocacy base. "Parents are most concerned about the levy passing in November," Bradley said, asking whether the community should prioritize that effort before proposing another bond.
Board members framed school-closure decisions as policy-level questions that would require broad community engagement and careful analysis. "My view is that there's no question of closing a school in a district of our size is a policy question," said a board member, explaining that long-range planning considers enrollment, community needs and building conditions before recommendations go to the board.
The crowd asked whether Island Park, discussed during prior facilities planning, might return to the table. Board members said all options remain on the table and noted that committees previously ranked Island Park and other elementary buildings based on condition and site constraints. They described trade-offs among enrollment, building condition and logistics, including whether the district could swing students into another building during construction.
Officials discussed funding options beyond another bond. They noted a nonvoted debt option that could leverage district property valuation to borrow within statutory limits without a public vote, a path that would require at least three board members to approve the financing. "Nonvoted debt could buy a significant project but would place three board members in the hot seat for deciding without a public vote," a board member said.
Board members signaled the need for more outreach and time to assess public appetite. They announced a May 29 study session to walk through bond costs, options for splitting projects, and strategies for surveying and canvassing the community. Board members also discussed a recent advocacy resolution asking the state legislature to lower the bond passage threshold from 60% to 55%.
PTA representatives described tension between creating a bond plan and the limited volunteer capacity to do advocacy work. Parents also raised equity concerns: some said high school extracurriculars and specialized courses appear better resourced because they tend to be student- or parent-driven, while smaller elementary schools struggle to sustain programs when volunteers are spread thin.
No final decisions about a new bond, closures or nonvoted debt were made at the meeting. Board members said they would continue deliberations in upcoming study sessions and seek more community input before any formal proposal is developed.