Issaquah School Board accepts first annual sustainability (OE‑17) monitoring report; students call for clearer recycling and compost access

The Issaquah School Board voted April 9 to accept the first annual monitoring report for Operational Expectation 17, the district’s new sustainability policy.

Jason Morse, who presented the report on behalf of the administration, said the district is focusing on four areas: waste management, transportation, sustainable facilities and infrastructure readiness. “Last year, we managed 13,000 cubic yards of waste with 42.5% diverted to recycling,” Morse said. He told the board that route‑optimization software reduced bus miles by about 95,000 over the past three years and that the district has added three electric buses and renewable diesel use, which Morse said has cut greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 70% while lowering fleet maintenance costs.

The presentation included facility improvements the administration tied to utilities savings: “By tracking energy consumption and completing targeted upgrades such as LED lights and HVAC improvements, we achieved over $186,000 in utility cost savings last year alone,” Morse said. At Issaquah High School, targeted upgrades and retro‑commissioning produced a roughly 24% reduction in energy use intensity and an estimated $64,500 savings over an eight‑month period, Morse reported. He also cited a Department of Commerce clean‑energy grant of $850,000 for Issaquah High School that required a roughly $150,000 district match.

Student voice was part of the monitoring packet. Laya Delip, the junior student representative from Liberty High School, summarized an ISD survey of 85 respondents at Liberty (about 1,600 students enrolled schoolwide): 48% of respondents said they sometimes have access to recycling and composting at school and 40% said they always do. Delip said open responses repeatedly asked for clearer guidance about what belongs in trash, compost and recycling and for more accessible composting options.

Board members praised the report and emphasized continued education and partnership with clubs, PTAs and municipal partners. Director Anderson highlighted long‑term benefits of grant leverage, noting the district’s ability to match outside funds can yield rapid payback from energy savings. Facilities Director Julius Carter and Morse answered technical questions about program rollout and school‑level supports.

The student representatives cast an advisory vote of five in favor; the full board then voted to accept the monitoring report as presented.

Next steps the board discussed include expanding school‑level education about sorting and composting, continuing to pursue grant funding and tracking planned fleet and facility investments. The administration said it will return with follow‑up monitoring data and implementation timelines in future board meetings.