Parents and students urge Vashon board to spare student-support staff as budget cuts loom

Parents, students and district staff appealed to the Vashon Island School District board May 14 to preserve student-facing positions and Tier 2 supports slated for reduction.

Gemma Langland, a parent, described her son’s struggles and credited a specialist, Lisa Radford, with steadying his education: "I firmly believe that Lisa is one of the most if not the most important employees at Shiaka," Gemma said, urging the board not to cut Radford’s hours. Fifth-grade student Theo also spoke directly in support of "Miss Lisa," saying he has used her clipboard-based supports and that she "really helps me" stay on track.

Another parent, Sarah, urged the board not to reduce Tier 2 math interventions, saying staff told her children without those services would be unready for fifth grade. Staff and several paraeducators told the board that small reductions in hours or unfilled para positions would significantly increase burnout, reduce one-on-one safety supports and harm inclusion efforts.

Board members acknowledged the testimony and said advisory-board feedback had prioritized restoring some Tier 2 services where possible. One proposed use of recently raised foundation funds would restore a Tier 2 classified PBI specialist to an eight-hour day if the board approves allocating those dollars during final reconciliation.

Several community speakers said that cuts often fall disproportionately on lower-paid staff and asked the board to consider targeted revenue options—such as student-athletics fees or partnerships with local clubs—before eliminating positions. The board also agreed to pursue a third-party review of central-office staffing and to reconcile final staffing costs before making permanent changes.

The board adopted a package of reductions (Option Two) during the meeting; staff will report back with reconciled salary impacts and recommended restoration priorities.