Since 1996, the owners of real property on Hat Island have paid to the Mukilteo School District a total of $5,324,078.61. In that same 20 year time span, ZERO students from Hat Island have enrolled in a Mukilteo School. Hat Island is not shown on the Mukilteo School District's attendance maps. Mukilteo School District is unable to provide for student transportation and furthermore there is no feasible way for a student from the Island to get to Mukilteo since there is no public boat dock in Mukilteo.

In 1990 the State of Washington passed RCW28A.225.220, also known as the Choice Law. It has been amended four times since then and currently Section 3 (c) of the law states "There is a special hardship or detrimental condition;" and Section 3 (d) states "The purpose of the transfer is for the student to enroll in an online course or online school program offered by an online provider approved under RCW 28A.250.020."

In 2009 the State of Washington passed RCW 28A.250.020 creating approved on-line K-12 schools to be funded by the State's Basic Education Fund.

We believe the unique geography of Hat Island creates a special hardship and the inability for students to access traditional schools. We are requesting that the official school district for the Island be the on-line school(s) created by this law.

While the vast majority of the property owners on Hat Island own homes in other places with access to public schools and fund those schools through their property taxes, we all recognize the importance of public education and would agree to paying a reasonable assessment into the Washington State Basic Education Fund in the amount of $0.25 per $1,000 of assessed value in lieu of funding Mukilteo Schools which are wholly inaccessible to us.