• MISD maintains a fleet of 37 school buses.

• A new school bus costs $130,000 for a large bus and $60K for a small bus with a wheelchair lift.

• The total number of students eligible for school bus transportation is 2,200 and around 1,800 of them ride the bus to and from school any given day. 

Transportation Levy Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q:    What will this levy fund?

The Mercer Island School district maintains a fleet of 37 school buses (25 large and 12 small.) The buses, like our cars, age over time and become more expensive to operate. The district carefully manages a replacement schedule as buses are fully depreciated--every 13 years for big buses and every 8 years for small buses.  The current cost for a school bus is approximately $130,000 for a large bus and $60K for a small bus with a wheelchair lift.  The funds collected in 2011 will be added to available state money and used over the 4 years to replace buses.  By 2014, the plan calls for replacement of 17 buses (8 small and 9 large.)

The School District receives allocation from the state specifically for transportation operations, but it only covers about 1/2 of what is actually required.  The levy and general fund make up the difference.  If the district can keep the cost of school bus operations to a minimum by keeping the fleet in good working order, more general fund money is available for classrooms. 

Q:     Is this a new levy?

A one-year transportation levy is put on the ballot every four years. 

Q:    What impact will this have on tax rates?

The total cost of this levy is $500,000 over one year.  This amounts to approximately 6 cents for every $1,000 in assessed value in 2011.  This levy will cost nothing in 2012, 2013, and 2014.  More information regarding tax implications of this levy are available in the Levy Fact Sheet available here. 

Q:    Who gets school bus transportation? 

Elementary and middle school students who live beyond a one-mile radius of their schools or who don't live in a safe walk zone, and high school students that live along East Mercer Way north SE 70th Place are provided traditional school bus transportation to and from school.    The total number of students eligible for yellow school bus transportation is currently about 2,200.  On a typical day, the district carries around 1,800 of them to and from school.  Additionally, special need students are provided door-to-door transportation as required by the state. Interestingly, the number of special needs students the district transports has doubled in the last five years.    

Q:    I thought our kids rode METRO buses?

High school students that live beyond a one-mile radius from the school , live in a hazard zone, don't live along East Mercer Way, and have not been issued a parking pass are provided a monthly Metro bus pass if they request one. METRO routes are used to keep transportation costs down while enabling a later high school start time.  There is some risk that legislative action will take away our ability to use METRO for high school transportation in the future.  If this happens, additional school buses will likely need to be purchased. 

Q:    Is the district considering Biodiesel or other 'greener' forms of student transportation?

The 'greenest' way for our kids to get to school is to walk, ride a bike or to take the buses available to them. Fuel choice is independent from bus replacement and is constantly being monitored in terms of viability and cost.