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Students and academic success coach urge Sultan School District board to keep position amid cuts
Summary
During public comment the district's academic success coach, Mickey Miller, and multiple students urged the board not to eliminate the academic success coach position, saying it provides individualized academic and emotional support that helps students graduate. The board discussed staffing reductions and budget pressures.
Mickey Miller, who identified herself as the district's academic success coach, told the board on May 26 that the position provides specialized coaching and individualized interventions that help students stay on track academically and emotionally.
"This is not a typical support role ... the individual currently serving in this position, me, brings a rare and highly specialized combination of certifications," Miller said, describing classroom observation, coordination with counselors, graduation-credit tracking and one-on-one student coaching. She warned that cutting the role would risk lower attendance and graduation rates and higher long-term intervention costs.
Several students spoke in support. One student (speaker 6) said without the coach's help they would not have graduated; another student described how access to the coach during lunch and between classes provided critical academic guidance. Wesley Marshall (speaker 14) and teammates also raised related concerns about team-building opportunities lost if athletic camps and gym access remain limited due to insurance and key-access policies.
Board members acknowledged the public comments and explained the district's budget constraints: declining enrollment produced lower revenue, and the board said it had directed the district to use a third party and to limit impacts where possible. Presenter (speaker 4) listed current staffing reductions that had resulted from the budget process, stating that "as of today, there will be 1 teacher, 1 admin, 1 counselor, and 1 classified who will not have positions next year." The administration also disclosed an unanticipated insurance-premium increase of 50.1% announced May 8 that added roughly $339,000 in costs and prompted a spending freeze.
The board encouraged students and supporters to work with coaches and district staff to explore solutions and outreach, and staff said they would follow up on requests for additional information.
