French American School of Puget Sound - Mercer Island

FASPS operates two current campuses in the Puget Sound region: Mercer Island campus (Preschool through Grade 8) at 3795 East Mercer Way, Mercer Island, WA 98040, just off I-90 next to the Stroum Jewish Community Center; Seattle – Capitol Hill campus (Preschool) at 1823 East Madison Street, Seattle, WA 98122. A North Beacon Hill campus for Upper Elementary and Middle School is planned at 2203 23rd Avenue S, Seattle, WA 98144, coming soon.

18 months through Grade 8. Mercer Island campus serves Preschool through Middle School; Seattle – Capitol Hill campus serves Preschool; a future North Beacon Hill campus will serve Upper Elementary and Middle School.

Over 60 nationalities represented. 38% of students have one Francophone parent.

HiCap Program supports highly capable students with flexible learning pathways, enrichment, cross-grade placement, and curriculum acceleration. Formal identification requires an external educational psychologist evaluation, typically including cognitive testing (e.g., WISC-V) and a full-scale IQ above 130.

AEFE (Agency for French Education Abroad) affiliation and Mission Laïque Française (MLF Monde). Member of AFSA (Association of French Schools in North America), and connected with NAIS and NWAIS networks.

The bus program serves Seattle and the Eastside. Buses run once in the morning, arriving by 8:10 AM, and twice in the afternoon, leaving at 3:50 PM and 5:00 PM. Registration is first-come, first-served for Kindergarten through 8th grade.

The FASPS Approach blends the French national education framework with US practices to prepare students for success. Bilingual instruction is integrated across subjects, enabling students to think, learn, and innovate in both French and English. The curriculum follows France's cycles, aligning grade levels with the French system through a Cycle and Grade Conversion Chart. MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) assessments monitor growth in mathematics, reading, and language usage and provide RIT scores to track progress over time. The school serves students from 18 months through Grade 8 and is accredited by the French Ministry of Education and the Northwest Association of Independent Schools (NWAIS).

7:1 student-to-adult ratio.

MAP assessments show that FASPS students grow consistently and perform well above national and international averages across grade levels, with particular strength in mathematics and reading. MAP results provide growth data over time to inform instruction.

FASPS alumni have attended a range of universities, including the University of Washington, Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Columbia University, Georgetown University, and the University of California Berkeley, among others.

HiCap Program supports highly capable students who demonstrate advanced cognitive abilities, curiosity, and a strong need for academic challenge. Within a bilingual environment, students progress at a pace aligned with their strengths while remaining socially connected and emotionally supported. Formal identification requires external evaluation (e.g., WISC-V) and typically demonstrates a full-scale IQ above 130. The program offers enrichment, cross-grade placement, and curriculum acceleration, including three types of enrichment (Exploratory, Skill-Building, and Research & Innovation) and flexible pathways. Decisions about HiCap services are made collaboratively with families.

The school offers a harmonized bilingual program from TYPK (18 months) through Grade 8, combining French and American curricula to develop proficiency in both languages. Learn about FASPS by signing up for an in-person tour or registering for open houses through the Ravenna application portal. Preschool and kindergarten applicants can attend Discovery Morning on a Saturday in March, while elementary and middle school applicants experience a Class Visit Day scheduled by the Director of Enrollment Management. A 15‑minute Book a Call with the admissions team is available to answer questions.

The school awards over $2 million in tuition assistance each year, supporting about 20% of families. The program is based on demonstrated financial need and the availability of funds, with the Clarity Financial Aid system used to determine a family's level of need based on assets, income, expenses, and debts (the application is mobile-friendly). French citizens may be eligible for Bourses Scolaires through the French Consulate in San Francisco, and families may also apply for tuition assistance with FASPS; the Bourse Scolaire application is submitted online through Scolaide, a portal managed by AEFE, with information on creating a profile available from the Director of Enrollment Management. A list of supporting documents can be found for the Bourses Scolaires, and eligibility details are provided by the French Consulate. The school's Tuition Assistance FAQ explains that tuition assistance decisions are independent from admissions decisions, and that the Tuition Assistance Committee (comprising the Head of School, CFO, Director of Enrollment Management, and a board member) makes those decisions based on the provided financial information; a New Family Fee is a one-time charge that supports capital expenditures.