School Board Recap: March 26, 2026

The Issaquah School Board held a regular meeting on Thursday, March 26, at the Issaquah School District Administration Building. The meeting was open to the public and broadcast live on the district’s YouTube channel, where a recording of the meeting is available. This recap highlights selected topics of discussion and board actions. It is not an official record of the meeting. Official minutes can be found on the district’s board meeting archive webpage, and additional information about future meetings is available on the School Board page.

 

Work Study Recap

Before the regular session of the School Board, directors and staff met to discuss the Student Representative Policy. Directors shared their reflections about the work study session.

 

Recap of Digital Promise League of Innovative Schools Spring 2026 Convening

Superintendent Heather Tow-Yick highlighted the recent visit from more than 350 educators representing school districts across the country. Issaquah and Kent School District co-hosted the event, which included visits to seven of our schools. The sessions were an opportunity to showcase the work of our teachers, staff and students, as well as sharing about empowering student voice, building coherence across instructional and operational systems, and learning from one another to better respond to a rapidly evolving world for today’s students. Attendees shared many positive comments with district and school leaders about our outstanding students and educators, our buildings, support models of inclusion, connecting career pathways for high school students via internships and programming and early adoption and use of AI. Board members shared their thoughts about the experience.

 

Works in Progress

Tow-Yick offered highlights of activities and projects from throughout the district, including:

• Work continues on the refresh of the district’s three-year Strategic Plan, including visits to gather staff feedback throughout the district.
• The 2026 ROOTS Student Summit occurred last week, bringing together high school students from across the district for a session centered on identity, belonging, leadership and student voice. Designed to create a dedicated space for students, particularly those from historically marginalized backgrounds to connect with one another, reflect and engage in meaningful conversation about their futures. The event was sponsored by the Issaquah Schools Foundation and featured workshops, keynote speakers and a panel of professionals. Students who participated noted in feedback that they felt seen, affirmed and inspired.
• Our Food Service team recently rolled out the third of three new dishes, a Japanese gyoza soup. Other new dishes included a Thai curry and an Indian Dal.

 

Bond Refunding

At the March 11, 2026 School Board meeting, board members had a presentation related to bond refunding and a first reading of three related resolutions that would save taxpayer dollars by permanently removing a portion of the district’s outstanding principal, avoiding interest costs from the debt that is eliminated and by lowering the tax burden. The estimated total savings could be as high as $17.6 million, but will depend on multiple factors. The timeline calls for the bonds to be sold in May and close in June.

Board members asked questions and discussed the proposed refunding measures, then voted to approve the resolutions.

 

Update about the 2026-27 Budget

Chief of Finance and Operations Martin Turney and Executive Director of Finance Moriah Banasick shared a regular update about the development of the budget for the next school year, 2026-27. Turney highlighted a Washington state school funding website. Banasick highlighted updates from the legislative session:

• “Wins” included:
  • A change to exempt school districts and schools from retail sales tax on services. For our district, this represents a savings of about $1.4 million. For perspective, Banasick mentioned that our district insurance costs will also increase by $1.2 million next year.
  • Approval of “front funding authority” for state-assisted school construction projects.
• Other legislative changes included:
  • Statewide Transition to Kindergarten funding was reduced by about 35%. We have five classrooms and currently receive $1 million; impacts will vary by district. District leaders decided to maintain the district’s current Transition to Kindergarten program for the 2026-27 school year and assess the impacts of this legislative change for the following school year.
  • An adjustment to the depreciation schedule for school buses. This change does not have an immediate impact to the district; our team will continue to monitor future impacts.
  • In Running Start, legislators reduced the enrollment cap per student from 1.4 to 1.3 FTE. We will also monitor how this affects our district.

The district team is continuing to refine enrollment projections for the 2026-27 school year, and is working to align staffing to enrollment with adjustments primarily through attrition. Banasick and Turney will continue to provide regular budget development updates to the School Board and to the Financial Analysis Core Team (FACT), which includes parents and guardians, community members, students and staff from across the district. The group helps promote transparency by reviewing district financial information and building a shared understanding of the district’s financial processes through collaborative discussion and learning. The FACT group met in December and March, and will meet again in April and July.

 

Capital Projects Update

Turney and Director of Capital Projects Tom Mullins offered board members a regular update about Capital Projects, including:

• Staff members are beginning to prepare for 2026 levy projects, in order to be ready once the district begins to collect funds from the renewal levies in 2027. (Although the renewal levy measures were approved in February of 2026, the prior levy measures are still in effect through the end of this calendar year).
  • The approved project list is being organized by priority and timing across the four-year levy period. Once finalized, the list will be made publicly available. The projects include the vestibules at the comprehensive high schools and the full roof replacement at Maple Hills Elementary and others that were shared with the community. The list may be adjusted over time as needed, in order to respond to changing conditions, costs and priorities. “We know people are living with circumstances that are not ideal, and we want to correct that as early and as quickly as possible,” Turney said. “Thank you to the voters for giving us the opportunity to address that and we’ll be taking it up right away in 2027.”
• Projects approved as part of the 2022 Capital Levy continue. These include roof repairs and patching at schools including Discovery, Endeavour, Cougar Ridge, Sunny Hills, Issaquah Valley, Sunset and Maywood.
• Work funded by grants including a Department of Commerce Energy Efficiency Grant at Issaquah High School for $850,000 (with a matching component requiring district funds of about $150,000). District staff continue to explore and apply for grant opportunities.
• New High School:
  • Site work is expected to begin April 1. A groundbreaking ceremony is planned for April, and the school is expected to open in August of 2027.
• The Capital Projects Oversight Committee met on February 11 and included a presentation by the design build team for the New High School, an overview of the design build process, an overview of the estimating process, a construction market update and other information. The committee includes 26 community members, parents/caregivers, students and staff. The next meeting is scheduled for May 12.

 

Monitoring Report for Results 3, Civic Engagement

Tow Yick and administrators presented the monitoring report for Results 3, Civic Engagement, for the 2024-25 school year. “Civic engagement is integrated into the daily life of schooling, both in class and out,” the report states before offering evidence from curriculum, student experience and perception data. Directors asked questions and discussed the report with staff. Student Representatives to the School Board took an advisory vote; board members voted to approve the monitoring report.

 

Strategic Plan Update for Priority Area 1, Student Well-Being; and Priority Area 2, Academic Opportunities

Administrators shared an update with the board about progress for year 3 in implementation for the two priority areas, including system health indicators, lessons learned, key progress and next steps in the refresh of the Strategic Plan. Board members and Student Representatives to the School Board shared thoughts and feedback.