May 19, 2025

Dear Northshore Colleagues: 

This week’s staff communication addresses a number of key topics including:

• State Legislative Session outcomes
• Our 2025-26 Budget Development: Staff Restoration Plan
• Reorganization of the Administrative Center to address 2025-26 Staff Reductions
• And continued academic and student services commitments. 

State Legislative Session Outcomes

On Sunday, April 27, 2025 the state’s legislative session ended. On Monday, May 12, the School Board held a 2025-26 Budget Development study session (PPT presentation, archived meeting) where the financial outcome for Northshore was presented. Overall, projected net funding increases for Northshore are not enough to keep up with projected increased expenditures. The Legislature increased funding for Northshore by $3.4M. Outlined below are the funding increases for our District by investment area: 

Special Education, 2025-26: 

• Northshore will receive an increase of $1.47M for special education. 
• Note: Increases to Special Education costs are budgeted for an estimated $3M next school year. 

Materials, Supplies, and Other Operating Costs (MSOC), 2025-26:

• MSOC legislative policy changes will result in an additional $862K, about $35 per student. 
• Note: Increases to utilities and insurance costs are budgeted for an estimated $1M next school year. 

One-Time Funding, 2024-25:

• Northshore will receive an additional $50 per student. OSPI recommends districts put this one-time funding towards the reserve (rainy day fund). 
• Total one-time funding estimated at $1.07M for 2024-25. 

The biggest change the Legislature made was to the amount of local levy funding a district could ask its voters for.

2025-26 Budget Development: Staff Restoration Plan

Our initial 2025-26 budgeting process anticipated no additional revenue from the Legislature. With the modest funding increase we received, we were able to restore a small number of positions. Over the past few months, staff have been presenting potential restoration plans to the School Board for guidance. Below is how the anticipated increase of state funding will be used: 

• All high school Assistant Principal positions will be restored. 
• Six of 11 school dean positions will be restored and at the following schools: Canyon Creek Elementary, Canyon Park Middle School, Fernwood Elementary, Maywood Hills Elementary, Westhill Elementary, and Hollywood Hill Elementary. 
• Per OSPI’s recommendation and in alignment with School Board guidance, $1.07M of one-time funding will be invested in the reserve. This will increase our reserve to 1% of the Board Policy-required 3% by the end of the 2024-25 fiscal year. 

At this time, there isn’t enough funding to lower class size or purchase the new math curriculum. Teaching and Learning Division staff are reviewing current budgets and determining if a phased adoption might be possible beginning with Algebra 1. More information will be shared regarding this later in the school year. 

Administrative Center staffing reductions over the past three years will not be restored, resulting in the need to redistribute work and implement another central staff reorganization.

Administration Center Reorganization 

In May 2023, Northshore began a phased reorganization of the Administrative Center to address necessary budget and staff reductions as well as to improve alignment to the District’s strategic plan. 

• Phase One, included the reduction and combination of Executive Cabinet-level positions, alignment of family engagement supports and services, and initial restructuring of the Human Resources Department. 
• Phase Two, announced in December 2023, included the elimination of seven and a half Administrative Center positions.
• Phase Three, announced in April 2024, responded to the reductions outlined above in the creation of the Teaching and Learning Division and the restructuring of school supervision.

Last week, Phase Four was shared with school leaders - the additional reorganization of the Division of Teaching and Learning and restructuring of the Racial and Educational Justice Department to address Admin Center staff reductions for 2025-26. The changes described in the May 2025 Teaching and Learning Division Memo will take effect on July 1, 2025. 

Continued Student-Centered Commitments 

Finally, despite our financial challenges, Northshore remains committed to ensuring the very best education possible for our students. We have sustained a 7-period day for high school students, maintained counseling, mental health, nursing, and social-emotional supports, implemented creative ways - in partnership with PTAs and community partners -  to sustain extracurriculars, and invested any additional funding in schools with the greatest need. 

We also continue to work toward ensuring our neighborhood schools offer the resources and services that our students need to thrive. In Northshore, we believe every student deserves to attend their neighborhood school—where they receive the support they need, when they need it, surrounded by neighborhood peers and rooted in their community. Over the past six years, our work to bring services to our neighborhood schools reflects this belief and our deep commitment to inclusion and excellence for each and every student. Examples include providing English Language Development services at all schools, expanding Highly Capable services to each elementary over multiple years, and the introduction of a multi-year plan to provide a Continuum of Special Education services at all Northshore schools. 

Learn more about our commitment to inclusive neighborhood schools and next steps on the Northshore website. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful week. 

In partnership, 

Michael Tolley
Superintendent 

Have a story you would like to see shared in the "Highlights from Around the District" section of this message, on our website, or on our social media channels? Submit using this form.

In three weeks, the Northshore School District will begin to celebrate the brilliance, creativity, and hard work of our Class of 2025 during high school and program graduations. Our community is proud of what our students have accomplished and eager to see what comes next! Most ceremonies require tickets but will also be live streamed on our website and YouTube for family and friends who cannot attend in person. Visit the NSD graduation website for more information and links.

The following section features non-school days, Northshore School Board meetings, and religious and cultural observances, including dates listed on the Days of Highest Impact and Days of Fasting charts that are part of Northshore’s Religious and Cultural Observances Calendar. This aims to expand awareness about the multiple forms of diversity among our students and families, the days that students may not be at school due to religious observances, and the days that students may be fasting. 

*Begins at sundown of previous day/ends at sundown

May 21

• Early Release Wednesday

May 26

• Memorial Day - No School

May 27

• School Board Regular Meeting, 7 p.m.
• School Board Study Session, 5:30 p.m. Topic: Goal 4 Innovative, Creative, Critical Thinkers

May 28

• Early Release Wednesday

June 4

• Early Release Wednesday

June 9

• School Board Regular Meeting, 4:30 p.m.

June 11

• Early Release Wednesday

June 19

• Juneteenth - No School

June 20

• Last Day of School - check our website for dismissal times

June 23

• School Board Regular Meeting, 7 p.m.
• School Board Study Session, 5:30 p.m. Topic: 2025-26 Budget

July 14

• School Board Regular Meeting, 4:30 p.m.

The following section features additional important dates, including those listed on the Full Religious and Cultural Observances chart three, which is part of Northshore’s Religious and Cultural Observances Calendar.

*Begins at sundown of previous day/ends at sundown

May 1-31

• Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
• Jewish American Heritage Month
• Mental Health Awareness Month

May 23

• Declaration of the Bab* - Baha’i

May 28

• Ascension of Baha’u’llah* - Baha’i

May 29

• Ascension Day - Christian

June 1-30

• Pride Month

June 2-3

• Shavuot* - Jewish

June 6-9

• Hajj - Islamic

June 6

• Day of Arafah* - Islamic
• Eid al-Adha* - Islamic

June 8

• Pentecost* - Non-Denominational Christian
• Pentecost - Christian

June 9

• Whit Monday - Christian

June 15

• Trinity Sunday - Christian

June 16

• Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Sahib - Sikh

June 19

• Corpus Christi - Christian

June 20

• Summer Solstice - Neo Pagan

July 9

• Martyrdom of the Bab* - Baha’i

Northshore School District is enriched by the many experiences and perspectives each individual member brings to our District and community. Therefore, our District prohibits discrimination based on age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, cognitive, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability.

Civil Rights and ADA Coordinator for Staff: 
Jerred Kelly
3330 Monte Villa Parkway
Bothell, WA 98021-8972
425-408-7622 or 7604
TitleIXOfficer@nsd.org  

Title IX Coordinator: 
Jerred Kelly
3330 Monte Villa Parkway
Bothell, WA 98021-8972
425-408-7622 or 7604
TitleIXOfficer@nsd.org 

The Northshore School District shall provide equal educational opportunity and treatment for all students in all aspects of the District’s academic, activities, or employment programs without discrimination. In addition, the District provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups in its programs and activities.

Section 504 and ADA Coordinator for Students: 
Rick Ferrell
Director of Student Services
3330 Monte Villa Parkway
Bothell, WA 98021-8972
425-408-7632
rferrell@nsd.org 

Any Northshore School District staff and community member has the right to raise concerns or make a complaint regarding discrimination under this policy without fear of retaliation. The above-listed employees have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged unlawful discrimination.