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.
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, February 28, 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:
- Appointment to the Council on Family Resource Centers
- Approval of an anonymous gift to the District
- Approval of the bylaws for Mariposa Language & Learning Academy Charter School
- Approval of the purchase of student devices as part of the Annual Information Technology Device Refresh Program
Explore the consent agenda here.
Trustees Received a Presentation on the Progress and Schedule of the Facility and Modernization Plan
Trustees discussed the progress and schedule of the Facility Modernization Plan. Highlights from the presentation include:
- Discussing possible trade-up consolidations to improve equity and programming; challenges for this option include transportation time and expense and limits on the annual number of consolidations possible
- Discussing repurposing facilities for district use (early chilhood/Pre-K centers, education hubs, Family Resource Centers, etc.) and community use (parks and recreation, community centers, health centers, elder care, etc.)
- Updates on the timeline to include developing scenarios through March, community engagements in March and April, and stakeholder vetting in May; community forums are planned for September and October
Explore the presentation.
Trustees Received a Presentation on the Progress and Schedule of the District-Wide Strategic Planning Process
Trustees received an update on the District’s Student-Centered Strategic Planning process. Highlights from the presentation include:
- An overview of the student body: out of every 20 students, 3 have disabilities, 3 are English learners, and 11 are economically disadvantaged.
- An overview of student demographics: out of every 20 students, 1 identifies as Asian, 8 identify as Hispanic, 1 identifies as multiple races, 9 identify as White, and 1 identifies as “other.”
- An overview of survey responses from elementary, middle, and high school students
- An overview of the strategic planning process moving forward, with the final plan scheduled to be reviewed by the Board on June 13, 2023. Several alignment team meetings and community forums are scheduled between now and then.
- An overview of key deliverables, including goals, a comprehensive strategy map, and reports.
Explore the presentation.
Trustees Received a Presentation on Academic Outcomes for Emerging Bilingual Students
Trustees received a quality of education report on academic outcomes for students who are learning English. Highlights from the presentation include:
- Achievement gaps persist with English learners, including SBAC performance and graduation.
- Models used include EL teachers as well as ELD site facilitators. This model is supposed to coach the teachers in teaching content-specific language, as well as the content itself.
- There are four designated Newcomer high schools and three designated Newcomer middle schools.
- The District is trying to develop tests and assessments in the native languages, as well as in English.
- Next steps include utilizing new weighted funding for ELs to develop and implement new staffing guidelines, growing the ELD Site Facilitator model, and continuing to work with Family and School Partnerships to encourage family engagement and voice.
Explore the presentation.
Student Representative’s Report
The Student Representative Report highlights included:
- Meeting scheduled with student representatives on the strategic planning process
- Tip sheets for parents about how to address meetings
- Career fair hosted at AACT (Academy of Arts, Careers, and Technology)
Trustee reports highlights included:
- School visits and staff appreciation events
- Attending school athletic events
- High school program for Pre-K education certifications
- Guest speaking roles
- School leadership encouraging family and parent engagement
Superintendent’s Report
The Superintendent did not provide a report.
Public Comment
- Family concerns over the recent death of a student
- Concerns about crosswalks and traffic safety
- Concerns about gangs and violence in schools, with requests for data on the topic to be presented at a future meeting
The next Meeting of the Board of Trustees is scheduled for March 14, 2023, at 2:00 p.m.
