The Ed-Watch series is designed to increase access to information on what decisions
are being made regarding public education in Clark County and Nevada.
The Ed-Watch series is designed to increase access to information on what decisions are being made regarding public education in Nevada.
Washoe County School District Board of Trustees
What is the Board of Trustees & what are they responsible for? The Washoe County School District Board of Trustees are publicly elected decision-makers for the school district. They are responsible for providing oversight to the Superintendent and establishing District-wide policy. Trustees are accountable to work with their communities to improve student achievement.
Click here to learn more and see a list of current Trustees.
How often does the Board of Trustees meet? Trustees meet twice per month (second and fourth Tuesdays) at 2 pm both virtually and at the Central Administration Building Board Room, 425 E. 9th St., Reno, NV 89512.
Click here for a full list of Trustees meetings.
Can community members engage at Trustee meetings? Decision-making bodies benefit greatly from hearing public input and multiple perspectives. Currently, members of the public can submit comments on agenda and non-agenda items through email or voice recording. Public comment can be provided in person or via email. Email comments should be submitted to publiccomments@washoeschools.net.
Tuesday, April 25, 2023
Washoe County School District Board of Trustees Meeting
Click here to see the meeting agenda.
Watch the meeting playback.
What happened at this meeting?
Trustees Approved the Consent Agenda
Consent agenda highlights include:
- Acceptance of the Budget Transfer Report 3/1/23 – 3/31/23
- Approval of the FY2022-23 3rd quarter report for Average Daily Attendance
- Approval of an Offer of Judgment
- Several bid awards
Explore the consent agenda here.
Trustees Received an Update on the 2023 Legislative Session
Trustees heard an update on the legislative session. Highlights included:
- WCSD calls for a minimum 15% increase in base-per-pupil funding in year one of the biennium, which would be applied primarily toward increased salaries for all staff, working towards a goal of 20%.
- The legislation wants to embrace a modern education system.
- Legislators did not support the creation of a new State Commission despite understanding the need, but this is an excellent opportunity to engage during the legislative interim.
- They are working collaboratively on AB296, which is a measure aimed to focus testing and reclaim time in the classroom.
- They are also working with Assemblywoman Mosca on AB241, which is a bill to make college and career ready diplomas the new standard.
- AB285 and AB330 restore tools for teachers to manage classrooms.
Explore the WCSD Legislative Platform.
Trustees Approved the WCSD Capital Improvement Program, to Include the 2022-23 ‘C’ Major Projects Program
Trustees approved the WCSD Capital Improvement Program, to include the 2022-23 ‘C’ Major Projects Program in the amount of $500,000 to provide for improvement projects throughout the district, as recommended by the Capital Funding Protection Committee.
Explore the 2022-23 ‘C’ Major Projects Program.
Trustees Approved the WCSD 2024-28 Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan
Trustees approved the five-year capital improvement plan. This provides a timeline for forecasting capital projects and equipment purchases, as well as options for financing. It does not authorize individual projects and equipment purchases.
Major projects include the Debbie Smith CTE Academy High School construction, central transportation yard improvements, and a new elementary school at Stonebrook. The presentation also included major financing sources, the implementation of the Facility Modernization Plan, and the capital renewal program. This plan addresses major existing school overcrowdings, as well as improving equity and efficiency across school facilities.
Explore the presentation and the project list.
Trustees Received a Presentation on the Smarter Balanced Assessment Math & English Language Arts Data for Students Receiving Special Education Services
Trustees received a presentation on the SBA in both math and ELA for students receiving special education services at WCSD. Highlights of the presentation include:
- Collaborating with Nevada Department of Education to ensure timely evaluations and service provisions for children who may have a learning disability by early childhood.
- 2021-2022 chronic absenteeism and suspension by disability mostly consists of emotional disturbance (53% for chronic absences and 41% for suspensions).
- NAA (Nevada Alternate Assessment) math scores for 2021-2022 are mostly partial understanding (52-83%).
- NAA English language arts scores are mostly partial understanding as well (36-73%).
- 70% of the 2022 IEP (individualized education program) graduation cohort have a specific disability. 62% of the 2022 IEP graduation cohort have autism. 54% have a health impairment. 38% have an emotional disturbance. 20% have an intellectual disability. None of them have multiple impairments.
Explore the Quality of Education report and the academic outcomes report.
Student Representative’s Report
The Student Representative Report highlights included:
- Organizing strength in voices conference for leadership opportunities
Trustee Reports
Trustee reports highlights included:
- Skills USA CTE competitions
- Fundraisers and banquets
- JROTC awards events
- Reading with kindergarteners
Superintendent’s Report
- Congratulations to 2023 graduates
- Relaunching emotional intelligence survey for school staff
Public Comment
- Parental support of dual language or bilingual programs
- Concerns about classroom evacuations and safety
- Concerns about inappropriate books in school libraries and classrooms
The next Meeting of the Board of Trustees is scheduled for May 9, 2023, at 2:00 p.m.
