[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6312720,"mediaKeyId","2390462-e9b6a033b7495dc22b80993ed6d58acc","parentId",2390462,"title","District legislative representative briefs trustees on AB49, deadlines and bills to watch","audioSeconds",583,"startMs",12935000,"endMs",13518000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2390462-e9b6a033b7495dc22b80993ed6d58acc&start=12935&end=13518","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2390462-e9b6a033b7495dc22b80993ed6d58acc/thumbnail_12935000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6312720/Nevada/District-legislative-representative-briefs-trustees-on-AB49-deadlines-and-bills-to-watch","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6312720-8b5d0f23f84fbddc2653da56f90af98e/orig.mp4?Expires=1773647710&Signature=casrmaLvs2s4EgerSpCjIRhT3RsLtjDdzZFIKrr689v01nt1A9ScqTer3Oqr2lp0B6yJpKfc1jYtFHqfucgOprEkb78r2QdyxgXakmp8LlA~8Nl6MGW-1BEkYPS7RAGeaMGKKg72DKO9baYL3dw82QPtIiIL1xUQF7kKo6XxZIRtNsyIADA4tcGvW4A2ZkM1W7XjRNMe31IXPmBGPsHTQZSgTZTwgfUDtLcylEE-LPDzdQttyx-lDw2crMjR1pNZ7A6URYYmskvA35Lg3NrT5ElQbeIIt-6ro3wHxJC1j1Cf3OIb2Vu6Tsh3laQOlwzXdENY1xi1FbU1ROgAEmR3jg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Washoe County School District, NV","date","2025-02-25T16:18:19Z","article","Dylan Shaver of Pinion Public Affairs updated the Washoe County School District Board of Trustees on the 2025 Nevada legislative session on Feb. 25, reviewing priorities, process and notable bills the district is tracking.

Shaver said the legislature was on its 23rd day of session and described the workflow for incoming bills: individual bill-draft deadlines on March 17 and committee bill-draft deadlines on March 24, with a major committee passage deadline on April 11. He told trustees that most bills were still in early phases and that staff routinely routes introduced measures to district experts for review before the district develops a response or position.

Assembly Bill 49, the district-sponsored \"Excellence in Every Hire Act,\" was tentatively slated for an Assembly hearing on March 4, Shaver said. He said staff and Nevada Department of Education representatives are negotiating language and that the department had signaled both procedural and substantive changes; Shaver said the bill's sponsor and committee chair were receptive and suggested amendments would be part of the process.

Shaver flagged several other bills and themes: a measure (AB155) that would add class size to mandatory collective-bargaining topics (staff flagged fiscal and implementation concerns), a bill proposing trustee compensation changes (AB156) targeted at Clark County that could be amended to allow other districts to opt in, and SB58/SB81 from the Department of Education that cover topics such as pre-K eligibility and other education policy omnibus items. He also noted an introduction to provide universal free breakfast and lunch (AB268) and said several proposals related to accountability, facility and school conversion issues were being tracked.

Trustees asked about the district's internal process for taking positions on bills. Shaver and staff described a weekly coordination call with senior staff that reviews introduced bills, assigns technical reviewers, and returns recommended positions to the superintendent for decision. Counsel advised trustees that board-level direction on legislative positions requires an agendized vote under the Open Meeting Law.

Trustees also discussed AB155's ramifications. Staff explained the change would make class size a mandatory topic of collective bargaining and that, because the state does not automatically fund any negotiated changes, adding it to bargaining could produce unfunded obligations. Counsel advised that if trustees wished to take a policy position beyond staff recommendations, any direction would need to be debated and voted on in public session at a future meeting.

Shaver said the district would continue to monitor bills closely, work with state agencies and report to the board on hearings and any requests for stakeholder participation.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","2-25-2025 WCSD Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees","oneSentenceSummary","Pinion Public Affairs provided an in-session briefing for trustees on the 2025 Nevada legislative calendar, key deadlines and bills the district is tracking, including Assembly Bill 49 (Excellence in Every Hire Act), proposed changes to bargaining topics and funding measures under consideration.","taxTitle","Events, School Districts, Nevada","taxId",80332,"location","Nevada","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6312726,"District reports growth in dual credit access, internships and CTE pathways; Reed High highlighted",5706,3446000,9152000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2390462-e9b6a033b7495dc22b80993ed6d58acc&start=3446&end=9152","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2390462-e9b6a033b7495dc22b80993ed6d58acc/thumbnail_3446000.jpg","/articles/6312726/Nevada/District-reports-growth-in-dual-credit-access-internships-and-CTE-pathways-Reed-High-highlighted","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6312726-d0629caba042ef89b4f453c2761504e1/orig.mp4?Expires=1773647710&Signature=HDuQAziuxGYto89LHj5zNq-W~a2MDuPfHJtLIURoU2tGQxjploYhf9yoVjBBm0rg1b8pHBvGE84vL9mTgK2swh~ZPALHDwwkiz6tOBSHcm~-9DjJC1yHzjbXRrVG-uJeCEzSpZahE9RsR91ha0M6hQPMW1EPiE2zrlVBgBYRlztJvmmSKwGHPVwxV4eeP1q9Ry3ClNfKRDaEoaEZLgeCxzyR3ZFsGHqzn54CAe4xP6W2ICWAlquLzWv571z9tP582fZhLneAOcQisfQdImIZt4c77RKeJVhHVZYjSAHv98645K2y0fzosiwMt-SIuB87BFcwbFZMPoyA2-VDfKdXcg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Washoe County School District officials presented milestones on Feb. 25 showing growth in dual credit and concurrent enrollment, expanded career and technical education (CTE) offerings and a rapid increase in student internships.

Chief Academic Officer Dr. Troy Parks and Reed High School Principal Josh Rosenblum said Reed's program has expanded to about 17 concurrent-enrollment courses, serving roughly 400 students with high success rates in college-level classes taught at the high school by district teachers working with university partners. Rosenblum said the school moved from AP English Language to UNR English 101 and reported near-universal pass rates in the first semester of that course: \"This past semester, we had all but 1 student pass 101 first semester.\"

Reed senior Kaylana Wallace described her experience taking multiple dual- and concurrent-enrollment classes and said she will enter the University of Nevada, Reno with many prerequisites complete and a presidential scholarship. \"I will have done 7 courses by the end of this year,\" Wallace said, and added that early college credit \"encourages students to be more involved in school life.\"

Kendra Fox, director of secondary curriculum and instruction, said district funding for concurrent enrollment led to a substantial increase in students receiving college credit. She noted the program targets underrepresented groups: Hispanic students, free-and-reduced-price lunch (FRL) recipients, English learners and special-education students all showed gains in participation compared with the prior year.

Fox and other staff noted program differences across institutions of higher education complicate counselor workload. The district covers a $75 fee per concurrent-enrollment course for students where the district partners with an institution; Fox said concurrent enrollment fees are district-covered while separate dual-enrollment courses taken directly at a college campus can carry different student costs and textbook or parking fees.

CTE Director Josh Hartzog described two tracks to expand work-based learning: \"layering on more of the same programs across several of our high schools\" (adding additional offerings at existing sites) and \"broadening the underlying base of overall options\" by adding new programs such as Aviation Tech, Law Enforcement, Practical Nursing and Certified Nursing Assistant pathways. Hartzog said the district is working with employers and community partners to grow options and practical-training pipelines.

The district reported that internships have grown quickly: 16 students participated last year, staff said, about 90 are participating this year with a projection of 200 students next year. Hartzog described the district's internship coordinator's role in clarifying compliance paperwork, training principals and counselors, and building an internship web portal at washoschools.net/internships.

Officials said the district will continue to scale concurrent enrollment and CTE programs and work to align policies statewide through committee work with the Nevada System of Higher Education to reduce barriers and disparate institutional requirements.","District officials said dual-credit enrollment and internships increased substantially after targeted funding and program expansion. Reed High School principal and a student described high participation and success in concurrent enrollment courses; CTE leaders outlined plans to expand programs and internships.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6312731,"Board approves $1.62 million contract to Blue Cottage/Canon Design for administrative facilities master plan; vote 4-3",0,12732000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2390462-e9b6a033b7495dc22b80993ed6d58acc&start=12732&end=12732","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2390462-e9b6a033b7495dc22b80993ed6d58acc/thumbnail_12732000.jpg","/articles/6312731/Nevada/Board-approves-162-million-contract-to-Blue-CottageCanon-Design-for-administrative-facilities-master-plan-vote-4-3","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6312731-c7f73c4f578a577fc2f217feee82de8c/orig.mp4?Expires=1773647710&Signature=SD58p4DOhhY57liLYnW8bErIqgQBJ6xfVb33E2bQhvqiQSEc3Jm9yQ3lok4xRRB-5gt6zEHyRtHWrT1wr9w2Pf7vux6dXB6xYEhzNDrpCNqx~NVp3x3ZUAsVWGIbeMNwh8eJzC0K5P-6iPuuua~DtWg0vlZmROIi9SI3TCi6JsD3-ALKLKxYrq8MYrrryLhS8~mWoYG2CXEnmAZuXmAia5SOPIdA-EzyP0ZotXE6IwE-jeuhtMmK1c2Gt9Izy~toYdu~Lhxb9HpAn1PLQg7WrLeI3osSe1gYlmMR011-pxgFJtfd4Pjwo8sZOY7EhQooGpqHr~~c-rSsHp0zIlO3fg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Washoe County School District Board of Trustees voted 4 to 3 on Feb. 25 to award an administrative facilities master plan contract to Blue Cottage of Cannon Design (doing business as Canon Design of Nevada, Inc.) in the amount of $1,621,690.

Chief Operations Officer Adam Searcy and April Anderson, assistant director of procurement and contracts, told the board the district ran RFQS number RFQS-45-QS-10-25-AA, received nine proposals and advanced three finalists. The district's five-member evaluation committee (three district employees and two external members) interviewed finalists and recommended Blue Cottage of Cannon Design as the most qualified; a letter of intent was issued Jan. 17 and no protests were received.

April Anderson summarized the solicitation process: a pre-proposal walk attended by 15 people representing 12 firms, a question-and-answer period that produced 28 questions and a multi-stage evaluation that included independent scoring, interviews and negotiated fee/term discussions. She said the highest scoring firm was invited to submit cost and then the district negotiated contract terms and schedule.

Searcy said the engagement is a master planning effort rather than immediate design: \"This engagement is fundamentally a master planning exercise, not one of specific design,\" he said, and described trustee- and staff-level interviews and public milestones planned through 2025.

Blue Cottage principal Mariahka Smit introduced the firm and said the work will be a mixed qualitative and quantitative process linking space, policy and organizational strategies. \"BlueCottage is really focused around strategic planning. So it's not the environment and space is one aspect of it, but it's not entirely around space,\" she told the board.

Several trustees raised concerns about the firm's local presence and community-engagement approach. Trustee Westlake, Trustee Hall and others said community members had criticized Canon Design's prior outreach methods (including work on the facility modernization plan) and urged the district to consider local firms or alternative engagement approaches. Searcy and staff explained Blue Cottage is a design studio within Canon Design; some key personnel will be different from the FMP team but one Canon principal involved in past district work will serve in a minor role to preserve institutional knowledge.

Trustee Phoenix moved to approve the award; Clerk Woodley seconded. After discussion and public comment (including a Blue Cottage representative and community members), the motion passed 4-3. President Smith announced she would vote no, citing constituent concerns about outreach in her district. The board did not list individual roll-call votes on record in the packet; the tally was recorded as 4 in favor and 3 opposed.

The contract will fund a districtwide administrative master plan to evaluate central-service facilities, offices and potential re-purposing or siting options; staff said the plan would include conceptual scenarios, feasibility analysis and public presentations before the board and capital funding committee.","Trustees approved a $1,621,690 award to Blue Cottage of Cannon Design (doing business as Canon Design of Nevada, Inc.) to develop an administrative facilities master plan after staff described the RFQ process and finalists. The vote was 4-3 amid trustee concerns about local presence and past community engagement practices.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6312736,"Washoe trustees get update on $2.2 billion facility modernization plan and schedule for schools",4617,7777000,12394000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2390462-e9b6a033b7495dc22b80993ed6d58acc&start=7777&end=12394","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2390462-e9b6a033b7495dc22b80993ed6d58acc/thumbnail_7777000.jpg","/articles/6312736/Nevada/Washoe-trustees-get-update-on-22-billion-facility-modernization-plan-and-schedule-for-schools","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6312736-e3a9a5a15aba628c3449f2600a385c2b/orig.mp4?Expires=1773647710&Signature=C59jy0RKclNPfBEwRCHDN5OqqqI0cKy0-keSGDNbLstM17SIoc1~XrsX~t9dhqrn7jhTMh-WwGezvnLap0AHyC4INx2IR9wmdWbZ0kQdqNzrbkkoMtGMyJZbu6FaZLEyWyBBtswVor2W1pTk-KqyKmQBBlUv0jGIgvUQOcflOUHpMprc9K3HMIpqV7VEo7LW1X-RS4LqDxG4kHcnklqy4A9vWGoEXxzMOHFz2iSQvOwXIKl1ZVeLv4Pnn3tLVYXcFlfrz5QEObcAHRuKEMiaQguyEgn9-xTSLc9IwBRB2Y6pS9Vht4eFPFAZtn8VAQQU2U1L6ASpL2luUBesuMgM4w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tammy Zimmerman, chief facilities management officer for the Washoe County School District, told the Board of Trustees on Feb. 25 that the district's facility modernization plan, approved by the board in December 2023, lays out 15 years of work and about $2.2 billion in renovations and reconstructions.

The modernization plan grew out of earlier revitalization work and a long public engagement process, Zimmerman said: \"We went out to the community to get that input. So then with the facility modernization plan in December 2023, you guys did approve them.\" She described the plan as a shift from fit-and-finish repairs to reconstruction and modernization focused on \"facility equity and efficiency.\"

The plan identifies reconstruction, modernization and repurposing work across the district and includes a multi-year implementation schedule. Zimmerman said construction is already underway for two projects: Vaughn Middle School (in design and expected to be completed in August 2026) and the new Stead Elementary School (construction underway; anticipated completion August 2026). Multiple other projects are in design, including Reed High School (scheduled for on-site construction beginning summer 2025 and substantial completion by fall 2027) and Matthews Elementary Campus (design and construction phases aimed at 2027 completion). The district also plans design and zoning work for new and rebuilt campuses such as Pine Campus and Wooster High School.

Board members asked how educational specifications (ed specs) inform the plan and its cadence. Zimmerman said ed specs define required instructional spaces and were last substantially revised about a decade ago; the district plans to revisit them on roughly a 10-year cycle. \"The educational specifications are a recipe based off of the needs that our academics side has brought to us,\" she said.

Zimmerman walked trustees through the district's process: approval of the overarching modernization plan, annual capital improvement program (CIP) review, requests for design- and construction-phase funding brought separately to capital funding, local zoning reviews when campuses change footprints, and final board approvals. She noted the district will keep coming to the board for approvals at each funding and zoning milestone.

Trustees stressed community engagement and inclusivity for campuses that will consolidate multiple schools. Trustee Hall thanked facilities staff \"for changing and kind of updating that language around the idea of a campus so that there's some inclusivity for our campuses that are gonna be essentially consolidated.\" President Smith, trustees and staff praised the sustained community outreach and the district's capital team for work done since the plan's adoption.

Zimmerman said the modernization plan is intended to make older schools more equitable with newer facilities by adding instructional hubs, group rooms and specialized spaces (for example, weight rooms moved out of breezeways, band rooms and steam labs). She said individual project scopes will reflect local school needs identified by principals and area superintendents.

The presentation closed with Zimmerman noting that each project will return to the board when the district seeks design or construction phase funding, and that the schedule and designs will continue to be refined through community engagement: \"Every project will come before the board for approval for design phase funding, construction phase funding and zoning will come before the board as well.\"","District facilities staff presented the Board of Trustees with the scope, community engagement and implementation timeline for the district's 15-year, $2.2 billion facility modernization plan, describing projects already under construction and a multi-year pipeline that prioritizes equity and school reconstructions.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

District legislative representative briefs trustees on AB49, deadlines and bills to watch

District reports growth in dual credit access, internships and CTE pathways; Reed High highlighted

Board approves $1.62 million contract to Blue Cottage/Canon Design for administrative facilities master plan; vote 4-3

Washoe trustees get update on $2.2 billion facility modernization plan and schedule for schools