Commuter Students
Over 200 students commute to Vashon Island Public Schools from Seattle, Burien, Tacoma, and the Kitsap Peninsula. The Vashon Island School District provides school bus transportation to and from the ferry terminal for commuting students. A school district chaperone accompanies K-5 commuter students on the Fauntleroy-Vashon route at the beginning and end of each school day.
VISD highly values our commuter students. The connections our on-island students build with commuter students create bridges for them to diversify, expand, and enrich their lived experiences. Many of our on-island students make life-long friends with commuter students, who are invaluable.
In addition, VISD is able to scale up resources given the funding that our commuter students generate. Without the commuter student enrollment, VISD would see fewer AP classes, fewer Career Technical Education classes, fewer athletic opportunities, and smaller elective programs. As a district of approximately 1,300 students, we are fortunate with the increased commuter student enrollment to be able to offer the kind of programming that makes Vashon a top twenty school in the state.
Ferry Schedules
The Vashon Island School District provides bus transportation to/from the north end Vashon ferry terminal for the scheduled ferries listed below. Commuting students who are not on those ferries must make alternative transportation arragements to arrive/depart from school.
Additionally, the Washington State Ferry system is currently at capacity and occasionally boats go out of service. This impacts the Fauntleroy/Southworth/Vashon route with a different schedule in the morning (the afternoon commute is not impacted). Vashon Island School District highly recommends that all commuter families sign up for email/text updates from Washington State Ferries for their respective home terminal. Due to the unpredicatable nature and timing of mechnical and crewing issues, oftentimes, the District is not able to communicate early morning disruptions in an appropriately timely manner.
Three Boat Schedule (Normal)
| AM Commute | Fauntleroy | Southworth | Pt. Defiance |
|---|---|---|---|
| VHS/McM | 7:05 a.m. | 7:20 a.m. | 6:45 a.m. |
| CES | 8:05 a.m. | 7:55 a.m. | 7:35 a.m. |
| VHS/McM PDD | 8:25 a.m. | 8:55 a.m. | 8:25 a.m. |
| CES PDD | 9:30 a.m. | 9:20 a.m. | 9:15 a.m. |
| PM Commute | To Fauntleroy | To Southworth | To Pt. Defiance |
|---|---|---|---|
| VHS/McM | 3:25 p.m. | 3:30 p.m. | 4:05 p.m. |
| CES | 4:40 p.m. | 5:00 p.m. | 5:00 p.m. |
| VHS/McM Early Dismissal | 11:20 a.m. | 11:55 a.m. | 11:20 a.m. |
| CES Early Dismissal | 12:20 p.m. | 12:35 p.m. | 12:10 p.m. |
Two Boat Schedule
| AM Commute | Fauntleroy | Southworth |
| VHS/McM | 7:20 a.m. (M-W) 6:45 a.m. (Thu) |
6:35 a.m. |
| CES | 8:15 a.m. | 8:30 a.m. |
| VHS/McM PDD | 8:15 a.m. | 8:30 a.m. |
| CES PDD | 9:30 a.m. | 9:20 a.m. |
Please note: For Southworth-based students on Monday-Thursday and Seattle-based students on Thursday, the District is not able to provide a bus to meet students at the Vashon side when the ferry arrives. Buses generally are able to arrive by 7:15 a.m. to transport students to school.
The 7:20 a.m. boat from Fauntleroy is an unlisted hazardous materials boat that does not show up on the normally published schedule. When hazardous materials are onboard (on Thursdays), cars/passengers are not allowed on board. On all other days the ferry system loads it as a normal sailing.
Travelling to VISD
Washington State Ferries
King County Metro
Non-Resident Enrollment Information and Forms
How do commuter students support Vashon Schools?
On any given year, the district enrolls approximately 250 non-resident students to help stablize class sizes. With each student receiving an estimated $11,338 in state funding, this translates to approximately $2.83 million in annual state funding for the district.
How do commuting students benefit resident students?
Many school operating costs remain relatively stable regardless of modest changes in classroom enrollment. When non-resident students fill available space, the associated state funding helps support shared costs and educational opportunities for all students.
If non-resident enrollment were to switfly decline, this would reduce state funding and require adjustments to staffing, service, and educational programs.
Understanding School Funding and Non-resident Students
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The Vashon Island School District has actively welcomed off-island commuters and non-resident students for well over 20 years, driven largely by Washington state's open enrollment law. This law was passed in 1990 (RCW 28A.225.220 and RCW 28A.225.225). Currently, around 250 students (all but a handful are in grades 6-12) are non-residents and commute (mostly) from West Seattle.
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It seems like a mathematical paradox, but the reality of school finance shows that accepting non-resident students actually protects the district's budget.
The reality lies in the difference between average cost and marginal cost. School districts operate on massive, fixed overhead costs. The district must pay for building maintenance, heating, utilities, principals, and teacher and staff salaries, regardless of whether a classroom has 18 students or 24 students.
- The Average Cost: If you add up the entire district budget and divide it by the total number of students it shows an average cost of $22,839 per student.
- The Marginal (Actual) Cost: When a classroom already has a teacher and available capacity, adding another student costs substantially less than the districtwide average.
Because Vashon only accepts non-resident transfers where space already exists, the associated state funding helps cover shared operating cost, providing a net financial benefit.
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Washington state funds school districts primarily based on enrollment numbers. A massive portion of the district's operational budget comes directly from state apportionment credits (money that legally follows the child).
The state allocation follows the student:
When a student commutes from West Seattle, Tacoma or Southworth to Vashon, the state sends that student's funding allocation directly to Vashon Island School District instead of their home district. The district receives approximately $11,338 per student attending Vashon (same for both resident and non-resident full-time pupils). Specifically, if we have 250 non-resident pupils that equates to $2,834,500 in in additional funding. Without those students, the district would be required to make staffing adjustments, translating to losing at least 20 teaching positions. Additionally, we would have to drastically change our program offerings for the remaining students with 20 fewer staff and 250 fewer students.
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If non-resident pupils left the district:
- Local Levy Tax Collection: Decreases. The legal ceiling shrinks, preventing the district from collecting the maximum authorized budget.
- State Funding Allocation: Decreases. The state basic education funding is distributed on a per-student model, so losing students means losing direct state funding.
- Taxpayer Rates: Could change if levy collections are reduced, but a lower rate is not automatic. Actual collections and rates also depend on levy authority, certified amounts, and assessed property values.
- The revenue to the district drops because the enrollment drops.
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Vashon Island faces a stagnant or declining population of school-aged children likely due to a variety of reasons including a declining birth rate here and across the nation, the cost of housing, and an aging population. If enrollment numbers drop significantly, state funding drops.
Because staffing accounts (employee’s salary and benefits and those on contract for specific services like speech therapists) for roughly 86% of the district's budget, a sudden drop in state revenue would force the district to downsize. This means laying off teachers and cutting specialized programs like Advanced Placement (AP) courses, electives, athletics, etc.
By welcoming roughly 250 off-island commuter students to fill classes, the district keeps enrollment stable. This allows Vashon to maintain robust, diverse, and high-quality academic programs that benefit the local island residents who pay the property taxes. Vashon Island School District balances educational opportunity, legal requirements, available capacity, and responsible fiscal management when considering nonresident enrollment. Washington law and District policy guide each decision, and resident students remain the District's primary obligation. When space and resources are available, nonresident enrollment can help sustain strong programs and expand educational options for families.