[EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is a Letter to the Editor, written and submitted by a verified resident. It represents the opinion of the author, and does not necessarily reflect the views of South King Media or its staff.]
To the Editor and the Highline Community,
Before the Highline School Board took action at their recent meeting, I sent an email appeal to every board member with a simple request: please include Standard 4: Student Learning and Academic Achievement in Superintendent Duran’s evaluation goals—or, at the very least, follow standard district process to allow the public time to review and comment before taking a final vote.
Instead of honoring that appeal or allowing the standard two-week review window between introduction and action, the board fast-tracked the decision and slate-approved the Superintendent’s evaluation themes in a single evening. By rushing this motion through, the board bypassed its own process and effectively shut out parents, teachers, and taxpayers from any input. When no one follows up or responds to community appeals after the meeting, it begs the question: is this board actually interested in community input at all?
This question becomes even more natural when board members themselves are routinely absent in person, yet enjoy the seamless benefit of joining via Teams—a courtesy the district claims it cannot provide to community members. When I requested to testify virtually via Teams, I was told no and redirected to a standard phone line tied to a heavily delayed broadcast. Forcing the public to navigate technical latency while district officials participate seamlessly on video creates a clear double standard under Washington’s Open Public Meetings Act (RCW 42.30.240).
Adding to this frustration is what was left out of the Superintendent’s evaluation. The approved criteria focus entirely on internal administrative processes, operational systems, and board communications—while remaining completely void of measurable academic performance goals for our students. In recent meeting discussions, board members spoke about wanting to ensure “clear alignment” and “strong governance structures.” But how can a school district claim true alignment when its highest executive evaluation is completely disconnected from student learning outcomes? When community members ask why reading, math, and classroom benchmarks are omitted, district leaders tell us not to worry and claim these critical issues are handled “behind closed doors.”
Public education does not belong behind closed doors. This rush to bypass public input fits a broader, concerning pattern of governance in Highline Public Schools:
- Procurement Missteps: Board leaders recently acknowledged a “misstep” regarding Change Order No. 7—a $1.25 million project for Mount Rainier High School tennis courts added onto a middle school bond contract. Admitting a mistake after the fact is not enough; taxpayers deserve to know why work bypassed open bidding and what controls will prevent unapproved spending next time.
- Lack of Transparency in Staffing: The community remains in the dark about administrative reassignments, including how and why Principal Tipton was moved, and whether proper protocols were followed.
Fixing public trust requires a board that respects its own procedures, listens to community email appeals, offers equal virtual access, and puts student academic achievement at the very top of its priorities. I encourage every parent and resident to review the board meeting videos, ask tough questions, and demand genuine accountability from our elected officials.
Sincerely,
Kristen Price
Burien Resident & Community Advocate
School District Responds
We reached out to Highline Public Schools, and received the following response:
“The School Board followed its established practice in approving the superintendent evaluation focus themes at the same meeting they were introduced, as it has in previous years. The focus themes build on the superintendent’s 2025-26 evaluation and Highline priorities, including supporting learning for each student, and are not the full extent of the Board’s expectations for student academic growth and achievement in Highline.”
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