Shelton School District Spotlight

Innovating education to shape Mason County’s future workforce

Mason County, WA - September 5, 2025 – The Shelton School District is the largest district in Mason County serving more than 4,000+ students, pre-kindergarten through grade 12. Within the district there are three elementary, one middle, one junior high, and three high schools. The district has approximately 275 teachers and 285 support staff. Over the years the district has worked hard to develop new pathways and academies that cater to strong academic advancement, career readiness, and post-secondary opportunities.

The Shelton School District has achieved significant milestones that demonstrate their commitment to student success. These accomplishments include, but are not limited to:

• A 17 percentage-point increase in the number of 3rd-grade students meeting or exceeding ELA (English Language Arts) standards over the last three years.

• A 71% reduction in our discipline rate during the same period.

•  A 12 percentage-point increase in the number of 9th-grade students on track for high school graduation over the past three years.

• The development of a 'Word Work' curriculum for grades K-3, created by Shelton teachers.

• The introduction of 20-hour internships for students as part of their career pathways within an academy at Shelton High School. We now have 30 internships for our students.

• A redesign of the summer program to include a Writer’s Workshop model of instruction focused on learning standards in reading and writing to close student achievement gaps.

One of the most impressive initiatives is the Shelton Promise which guarantees free tuition for up to four years (12 quarters) to the Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. This program is meant to remove financial barriers to higher education. All students regardless of income will get additional funding for things like housing, books, and living expenses. Additionally, students will receive extra support starting in high school all the way through to the completion of their degree. The requirements are simple: maintain a 2.0 GPA or higher, complete all courses required for college entry, completion of FASFA or WAFSA, and a completed college application. Additionally, the college application fee is also waived. After graduation, only 31 percent of Shelton School District students attend college and only 1 percent attend Evergreen State College.

Over the years, Shelton School District has worked to create new pathways, increase credential opportunities, and improve academies. The district has added a freshmen academy where every freshman must take sample courses to be exposed to a wide range of elective courses meant to assist in choosing a pathway. Students use tools like YouScience to discover careers that align with their natural abilities and preferences. The platform offers tools to support student development, including career planning and personalized education, industry-recognized certifications, and connections to work-based learning opportunities.

Shelton School District has four distinct pathways, Business, Finance, and Hospitality (BFH), Health Sciences (HSA), Manufacturing, Engineering, and Technology (MET), and Natural Resources (NRS). Within these pathways there are various academies to follow as well. For example, the MET pathway has automotive, construction, engineering, and welding as potential academies. Within each of the academies, students have the opportunity to earn industry recognized credentials that will help them be more prepared for the workforce upon graduation or for post-secondary education.

At the beginning of October 2024, Shelton High School had about 11 full-time internships filled with the goal of having 30 by the end of the year. MasonEDC had the privilege of hosting two remarkably bright students this year, Yenica and Lalo. Both demonstrated strong potential for the future workforce, approaching their internships with curiosity, professionalism, and a willingness to learn. They developed soft skills like phone etiquette and networking with our resource partners—skills that proved valuable not only to our organization but inspired other partners to take on interns from the school district as well. We’re especially grateful for the consistent support from the district’s CTE director and program staff throughout the internship. Their collaboration made this opportunity a success for everyone involved.

Choice High School has also facilitates a program called Open Doors which helps students who are chronically absent. The program ultimately aims to reduce the dropout rates by improving attendance through programs tailored to the student. Open Doors offers students the option of earning a high school diploma, a GED, or even earn college credits. The program offers counseling and support services to students. Open Doors emphasizes small class sizes with an option of attending twice a week in person and the flexibility of online sessions.

Currently the school district is facing massive shortages in revenue, like many districts in the state. There are three major factors influencing this:

1.        Lack of non-restricted funding to cover basic educational expenses.

2.        Levy dollars are shrinking.

3.        Increased costs far outpacing annual revenue.

Due to these three factors, the Shelton School District alone has faced a cut of more than $8.5 million. Since the 2017-2018 school year the district’s spending power has been reduced by $3.4 million. The district subsidizes essential services the state does not fully fund through local levy dollars. Of every levy dollar, .47 cents goes to basic education enhancements, .19 cents to athletic activities, .17 cents to special education, and .17 cents to facilities operations. With the adoption of an Educational Programs and Operations Levy, the district would be able to cover the cost of mental health services, nursing, counseling, athletics, security, special education, and academic enrichment programs.

One key takeaway from this article, is that without levy support, local schools will struggle. Without levies like the Educational Programs and Operation Levy, Shelton School District will face cuts to very important programs that help our future workforce be successful and find their pathways.