Forbes magazine rates the Mercer Island School District #2 in the top ten list of “Best Schools for Your Real Estate Buck”

For the second year in a row, Forbes magazine rates the Mercer Island School District among the top ten list of “Best Schools for Your Real Estate Buck” in small cities across the U.S. Working with Great Schools, the magazine analyzed 17,589 cities and towns from 49 states that administer standardized, statewide tests (Nebraska doesn't have one test). Great Schools also used results from the most recent National Assessment for Educational Progress data, a federal program that tests randomly selected students in fourth, eighth and 12th grades to provide state-level assessments of learning and educational progress.

The Mercer Island School District was cited for Mercer Island High School’s “winning sports teams,” specifically lacrosse, tennis, swimming, water polo and drill team, as well as our award-winning music program. According to the article, “MIHS is a Blue Ribbon School where 95 percent graduate, and the SAT average is an eye-popping 635 Math, 613 Verbal. At Islander Middle School, the extra-curriculars include chess, knitting, gaming, and robotics, and all three elementary schools have received special recognition by the state. Even "reluctant learners" and "high risk" youth get the best here - the Crest Learning Center offers an 11-months per year program, with integrated courses and outdoor activities like rock-climbing, horticulture, and ultimate Frisbee.”

The common denominator in all the great school districts researched is, “they left no rock unturned in attempting to keep struggling learners from falling through the cracks and pushing super students to scale new heights. They all used data in smart ways. And all emphasized the importance of teacher collaboration, professionalism, and commitment.”

Dr. Gary Plano, Superintendent of the Mercer Island School District said, “Once again, this recognition speaks to the partnership we enjoy with the City of Mercer Island and our very committed community of parents, teachers, families, as well as businesses and organizations that place such a high value on the education of our young people. I couldn’t be more proud.”