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, February 11, 2025
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:
- Adoption of the Washoe County School Board resolutions (25-002 & 25-003) to augment the fiscal year’s budget
- Renewal of the Annual Charter School Performance Monitoring for the following Charter Schools: Bailey Charter Elementary, Coral Academy of Science, Encompass Academy, High Desert Montessori, Mariposa Language and Learning Academy, and Sierra Nevada Academy
- Award of contracts for tennis court resurfacing at North Valleys High School ($234,980) and Earl Wooster High School ($263,570)
Explore the consent agenda here.
Trustees Received a Presentation on a Proclamation Honoring Black History Month in the Washoe County School District
Trustees observed student representatives’ presentation on celebrating and honoring Black History Month in accordance with the proclamation set by Superintendent Joe Ernst.
Explore the proclamation.
Trustees Approved the 2024/2025 ‘D’ Major Projects Program for Construction Phase Funding for the Edward C. Reed High School Modernization Project
Trustees advanced plans for the Edward C. Reed High School modernization project, focusing on safety improvements, expanded classroom capacity, and upgraded facilities. The project prioritizes eliminating portable classrooms, creating new instructional and athletic spaces, and enhancing security infrastructure to support student learning and campus safety.
Explore the presentation.
Trustees Approved the Resolution to Adopt Washoe County School District Board Resolution 25-004 (Issuance of School Improvement Bonds)
Trustees authorized the issuance of up to $100 million in general obligation bonds, backed by sales tax revenues, to fund the modernization of Edward C. Reed High School and Bernice Mathews Elementary School, along with the design of future capital projects outlined in the District’s five-year Capital Improvement Plan.
The bonds are supported by the voter-approved 0.54% sales tax, generating over $65 million annually, with projected debt service within existing revenue coverage.
Explore the resolution.
Trustees Approved the Superintendent Mid-Year Check on the Performance of Evaluation of Joe Ernst for the 2024-2025 School Year
The Washoe County School District Board of Trustees conducted a mid-year evaluation of Superintendent Joe Ernst. The evaluation process ensures progress toward strategic plan goals, with focus on: literacy and numeracy development for K-3 students, increasing student participation in extracurricular activities to reduce chronic absenteeism, expanding family engagement, improving student and educator safety, and enhancing staff recruitment and retention.
The evaluation cycle includes a mid-year review, a progress assessment, and a full-year evaluation in October 2025. Superintendent Ernst provided updates on current goals, external influences, and potential revisions. Trustees offered targeted recommendations for areas requiring increased focus and appreciation for the superintendent.
Explore the presentation.
Trustees the Approved Superintendent Goals and Objectives on the Performance of Evaluation of Joe Ernst for the 2024-2025 School Year
Related to the above item, Trustees conducted a mid-year review of Superintendent Joe Ernst’s progress toward strategic district goals. Facilitated by Dr. Thomas Alsbury, the evaluation ensures transparency and accountability in monitoring district-wide initiatives. This evaluation is rooted in empirical studies conducted on education boards from Dr. Alsbury.
The Board emphasized a collaborative, growth-focused approach, ensuring Superintendent Ernst’s goals remain aligned with the District’s Strategic Plan. The evaluation process of the targets, which includes Board recommendations and structured performance monitoring, will continue through the formal summative evaluation in October 2025. The top four ranked targets by the Board are: Strong Start for Every Child, Improved Student Safety, Strengthen Recruitment and Retention of WCSD staff, Increase in Participation.
Explore the Proposed Areas of Focus.
Student Representative Report
Report highlights included:
- Working on promoting all school boards in Nevada to have a student trustee on their board
- Aiming for 75% of boards to have a student representative with hopes that by 2026-2027 all boards will have this as a requirement
Trustee Report
Report highlights included:
- Appreciation for the feeling of safety and overall participation increased on the climate survey from the superintendent survey
- Celebration for Kaitlyn Lancaster, a WCSD educator at Esther Bennett Elementary School, on winning the University of Nevada Reno’s Alumni in Education Award of Excellence
- Multiple school visitations across the trustees
Superintendent’s Report
Report highlights included:
- Expressing the importance of positive student-level progress and to celebrate individual student success beyond the averages of the district
Public Comment
- Urgency for navigating teacher retention in the WCSD
- Gratitude for the District’s support of music education
The next Meeting of the Board of Trustees is scheduled for February 25, 2025, at 2:00 p.m.
