Shoreline School District outlines family-advocate, nurse and Title VI supports as funding concerns arise

Shoreline School District Superintendent Susana Reyes summarized May 8 the district’s core student and family supports — family advocates at each school, a full-time nurse at each school, school counselors, before- and after-school programs and a newly launched Title VI native-education program — while warning some positions face cuts because of funding constraints.

Why it matters: district officials and Lake Forest Park council members discussed how joint city–district partnerships and external grants might help stabilize services that the superintendent said are not fully funded by the state and are supported locally through levies and other community funding.

Key details: Reyes said each school has a family advocate position (recently reduced to half-time in each school), school nurses at every building and school counselors. She said drug- and alcohol-counselor positions were included in a board recommendation as potential reductions for fiscal reasons. “We continue to partner with various community organizations,” Reyes said, noting the YMCA provides before- and after-school care and that district staff coordinate services across schools.

Reyes also described a recently implemented Title VI native-education program for Native students that provides cultural events, mentoring and tutoring. “This program…got off the ground last year, but this year they've held cultural evening events. They have provided mentoring, tutoring, and meeting regularly,” she said, and named staff leading that work.

Homelessness supports and data gaps: Reyes referenced the McKinney-Vento program (federal support for students experiencing homelessness) and said the district has a team implementing its requirements, but she did not give a current count of students experiencing homelessness. City officials asked for that number to help assess local resource needs. “I would love to know that number of students and families who are experiencing homelessness,” a Lake Forest Park councilmember said.

Collaboration opportunities: Council and board members recommended coordinated applications for state and local funding and noted partnerships such as regional crisis-response agencies; Lake Forest Park councilmembers encouraged joint grant applications and continued city–district conversations to shore up services that are not fully state-funded.

Constraints and next steps: District leaders said many of the positions described are not fully funded by the state and rely on local levies or partnerships; participants agreed to continue conversations about human-services partnerships and potential joint grant applications.