High SBAC opt-outs will cost MISD federal money
Superintendent Dr. Gary Plano alerted the School Board at its regular meeting June 25 that a low student turnout at the high school for the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) test may affect the amount of federal dollars the district receives. Plano said not enough students took the test to validate any of the scores.
“Close to 45 percent [of the students] opted out officially and another 25-30 percent just didn’t show,” said Jennifer Wright, executive director of learning services.
Mercer Island students weren’t alone in their refusal to take the SBAC test, as students from various local schools across the region opted out of taking the exam. KING 5 reported in April that not a single junior showed up to take the SBAC test at Nathan Hale High School. Seattle Public Schools reported that 95 percent of juniors at Garfield opted out of taking the test. Roosevelt and Ingraham both experienced high volumes of opt-outs as well.
The district was awarded $515,000 from Safety Net funding through OSPI to support special education and related services for 26 of its highest need students.
“As you do the math you can see the cost well exceeds $10,200 per student, which is the average amount from state, local and grant funding,” Plano said.
Schools construction summer milestones
Construction will continue this summer on the three facilities projects approved by Mercer Island voters in February of 2014 to address overcrowding. Each of the projects is on schedule and within budget.
The Mercer Island High School addition should be completed and turned over to the school by the end of August. With the vault set and scaffolding down, the sidewalk and curbs along 92nd Avenue S.E. will be completed this summer.
At Islander Middle School (IMS), the contractor has made great progress on the site preparation. The old gym has been removed and footings are being placed so shear wall construction can begin. Much of the work for IMS is being done offsite, including steel structure fabrication.
A significant amount of work is planned this summer along 84th Avenue S.E. and the large parking lot to the east of IMS. The parking lot is now closed. All staff access to the building will be off the bus loop on S.E. 72nd Street and community members using the track and playfields will need to park at the south end of the complex or at Lakeridge Elementary.
A number of utilities will be installed at the high school parking lot off of S.E. 40th Street, between the Northwood Elementary School site and Mary Wayte Pool.
This lot will be closed for much of the summer to allow for the installation of a new water service, storm piping and electrical service for the new building. Parking for access to the tennis courts and playfields should be in the back lot at the high school, behind the gym.
For online construction updates throughout the summer, visit www.mercerislandschools.org/construction.
