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.
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, March 12, 2024
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 for January 2024
- Approval to enter into a new agreement with FinalSite
- Preliminary approval for proposed revisions to Board Policy 4410 – Talent Acquisition
Explore the consent agenda here.
Trustees Approved the Allocation from the District’s General Fund to the Office of General Counsel
Trustees approved an allocation of $500,000 to the office of the General Counsel to hire outside legal counsel to defend the District against lawsuits, complaints, and other actions filed by or supported by Jeffrey Church. An amendment was added for Counsel to report back on any expenses incurred as a part of this allocation.
Explore the item.
Trustees Affirmed the Internal Auditor’s Decision Regarding an External Investigation
Trustees affirmed the decision of the District’s internal auditor and interim superintendent to deny a Trustee request to fund an external investigation into the protected First Amendment rights of whistleblowers. Trustees directed staff to not expend any additional resources or funding to conduct an external investigation as requested by the Trustee.
Explore the item.
Trustees Received an Update from McPherson & Jacobson on the Superintendent Search Process
Representatives from McPherson & Jacobson reviewed the community stakeholder survey results. In total, 545 survey responses were received. The largest segment is from the online survey. Themes include the District’s opportunities for impact and growth and leveraging the support of the community and staff. Qualifications desired for the next superintendent include longevity and local commitment, education and experience, honesty and integrity, communication and listening skills, a student-centered approach, support for teachers and staff, decision-making and leadership, commitment to equity and inclusion, and community engagement.
Key opportunities include staff morale and professional development, student support and classroom management, educational improvement and innovation, community engagement, curriculum and resource allocation, and infrastructure and safety. Leadership team members were also asked what was most important to them regarding what the next superintendent would bring to the role. Responses include participatory leadership, respectful communication, data-driven decision-making, courage and resilience, sustainability and vision for change, relationship building, political acumen, and leadership.
Next steps include Trustees submitting preferred questions for candidates and rubric review. Applicants have about one week left to submit their application materials.
Explore the Stakeholder Feedback Summary Report.
Trustees Adopted Resolution 24-004, a 2024A School Improvement Bond Resolution
Trustees adopted a 2024A School Improvement Bond Resolution, authorizing staff to issue its general obligation school improvement bonds in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $150 million.
Explore the resolution.
Trustees Adopted Resolution 24-005, Providing for the Issuance of a General Obligation Medium-Term Bond and Its Terms and Conditions
Trustees approved a resolution providing for the issuance of a general obligation medium-term bond in an aggregate amount not to exceed $2.3 million for acquiring school buses. It also provides the terms and conditions of the bond, and authorizes the Superintendent or CFO to accept a binding bid for the bond.
Explore the resolution.
Trustees Discussed the District’s FY2024-25 Budget Process and Status
Trustees discussed the Fiscal Year 2024-25 budget process, including a review of recommendations for its $10 million strategic plan implementation budget. Budget recommendations were made relating to building a network of early learning programs, expanding access to extra- and co-curricular clubs, adding an additional Student Voice Facilitator position, expanding family and community volunteer opportunities, expanding the Parent Teacher Home Visit program, and additional staffing for supporting school teams to integrate annual student climate survey data into School Performance plans, as well as other activities and recommendations made as part of the implementation of the five strategic plan priorities (and detailed in the presentation linked below). Trustees directed the Superintendent to look into funding initiatives (as previously moved on) and adopted the recommended budget proposals.
The approved positions and costs will be built into the FY 2024-25 tentative budget, which will be presented to the Board on April 9.
Explore the presentation and strategic plan budget recommendations.
Public Comment
- Future use of public lands
- Whistleblower policies
The next Meeting of the Board of Trustees is scheduled for April 9, 2024, at 2:00 p.m.
