Northshore School District superintendent details enrollment, funding and construction as district serves 23,000 students

Bothell — Michael Tolley, superintendent of the Northshore School District, briefed the Bothell City Council on the district’s ‘state of the schools’ on April 15, reporting enrollment, demographic shifts, finances and construction projects.

Tolley told the council the district serves about 23,000 students across 34 schools, including Bothell High School, Inglemoor High School, Woodinville High School and North Creek High School. He said the district’s general fund is about $444 million and current capital spending from bond proceeds is approximately $218 million.

Demographics and academic priorities

Tolley highlighted major demographic changes: the district now serves families speaking 119 languages and is a majority‑minority district. He outlined the district’s strategic plan goals—foundational skills in early grades, social‑emotional learning, narrowing achievement gaps, preparing students for post‑graduation pathways and stewardship of community resources.

District metrics and initiatives

Tolley said Northshore’s four‑year graduation rate is about 95 percent and reported that roughly 71 percent of district students complete algebra by the end of eighth grade, a figure Tolley contrasted with a 30 percent national average. He described targeted efforts to raise math outcomes for historically underrepresented students and the district’s use of new reading materials that staff say produced early gains without the common “implementation dip.”

Capital program and community support

The superintendent described substantial recent and ongoing capital work financed by voter‑approved bonds, including replacement or refurbishment projects at multiple elementary schools and phased replacement work at Inglemoor High School. Tolley said the district sold bonds after the 2022 ballot measure and had broken ground on eight major projects.

Community engagement and volunteers

Tolley emphasized community involvement: the district’s Community Serve Day draws about 2,000 volunteers annually and the district reports about 11,000 active volunteers overall. Student voice informed several district decisions through a superintendent’s student advisory board, Tolley said, and he noted examples such as expanded summer meals supported in part by student fundraising.

Why it matters: Tolley framed education as an investment that changes family and community outcomes. He said the district remains dependent on local levies and bonds to fill gaps in state funding, citing roughly $20 million per year from local levies supporting special‑education services and additional levy funds used to support multilingual learners and other local priorities.

The presentation closed with examples of local recognition—teachers and principals named statewide—and a story of a returning student who completed graduation requirements with district support.