WashingtonSchoolsIslander Middle School

Islander Middle School

PublicRegular
Mercer Island, Washington · Mercer Island School District
Teachers45.0FTE
Ratio20.8:1students per teacher
Students938enrolled
SCHOOL SNAPSHOT
Students938
Grade Span6–8
Student:Teacher20.8:1
Free/Reduced Lunch8%
Title INo
SectorPublic
Student : Teacher
21.3:1
2.4%vs prior yrUS avg 15.4:1
Teacher FTE
45
0.0%vs prior yr
Enrollment
960
2.3%vs prior yr
Avg Experience
16
years
Counselors
1:343
39.8%vs prior yrASCA max 1:250
Nurses
1:1,029
9.7%vs prior yrNASN max 1:750
Psychologists
1:1,029
9.7%vs prior yrNASP max 1:500
Social Workers
SSWAA max 1:250
Trends & 5-year history below

Pupil : Teacher Ratio — 5-Year Trend

14.9:116.3:117.7:119.0:120.4:121.8:12020202120222023202419.1:118.0:120.2:120.8:121.3:1Islander Middle SchoolUS public-school avg

Enrollment & Teacher FTE

9229459689911,0141,037444648515355202020212022202320241,0299569309389605453464545EnrollmentTeacher FTE

Year-by-year workforce

Metric20202021202220232024Nat Avg
Enrollment1,029956930938960
Teacher FTE5453464545
Pupil : Teacher ratio19.1:118.0:120.2:120.8:121.3:115.4:1

Teacher Experience & Qualifications (2024)

Average years of experience15.8 yrs
Novice teachers (< 3 yrs)0%
Hold advanced degree84%
Source: State Department of Education teacher workforce reports.

What These Numbers Mean

Teacher FTE

Full-Time Equivalent counts part-time teachers proportionally. One full-time teacher = 1.0 FTE; two half-time teachers also = 1.0 FTE. This is the standard federal reporting unit.

Pupil : Teacher ratio

NCES-reported ratio divides total enrollment by teacher FTE. It is NOT the same as average class size — schools with specialists, coaches, and resource teachers will show lower ratios than typical class sizes.

How to read the trend

A falling pupil:teacher ratio (line going down) means more staffing per student — generally a positive signal. A rising line can indicate budget pressure or fast enrollment growth outpacing hiring. Always compare to the US average (dashed grey).

Historical data spans 20202024 from NCES CCD.

Student Support & Wellbeing

Non-teaching staff who support student mental health, physical health, and behavioural needs. Lower pupil-to-staff ratios mean more one-on-one access.

Counselors & Social Workers — staff to pupils (recommended 1:250)

1:01:1231:2461:3691:4921:615201720201:5701:343Counselor : PupilsSocial Worker : PupilsRecommended 1:250

Nurses & Psychologists — staff to pupils

1:01:2461:4921:7381:9841:1,230201720201:1,1391:1,0291:1,1391:1,029Nurse : PupilsNASN 1:750Psychologist : PupilsNASP 1:500

Support staffing & ratios — year by year

Metric20172020Nat Avg
Counselors (FTE)23
Nurses (FTE)11
Psychologists (FTE)11
Social Workers (FTE)
Counselor : Pupils1:5701:3431:250
Nurse : Pupils1:1,1391:1,0291:750
Psychologist : Pupils1:1,1391:1,0291:500
Social Worker : Pupils1:250

Why these ratios matter

Counselors (ASCA 250:1)

School counselors support academic planning, college & career readiness, and social-emotional wellbeing. The American School Counselor Association recommends no more than 250 students per counselor.

Nurses (NASN 750:1)

School nurses manage chronic conditions, medications, immunisations, and emergencies. The National Association of School Nurses recommends at least 1 full-time nurse per 750 students (more for high-need populations).

Psychologists (NASP 500:1)

School psychologists assess learning & behavioural needs, run mental-health interventions, and coordinate special-education services. NASP recommends 500:1 or lower.

Social workers (SSWAA 250:1)

School social workers bridge home-school relationships, address attendance & trauma, and connect families to community resources. SSWAA recommends 250:1.

Source: US Dept of Education CRDC (20172020) — Civil Rights Data Collection.