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Carson City schools outline contingency plans as multiple federal grants remain frozen
Summary
District staff told trustees several federal grants, including Title III and parts of Title II and Title IV, remain frozen; staff say they have used prior-year funds and reallocated positions to avoid service interruptions but 2.2 FTEs may need to shift to the general fund if freezes continue.
Carson City School District officials briefed the Board of Trustees on uncertainties in federal grant funding and described steps taken to keep programs running as the district awaits final awards.
The presentation, led by grants staff Spencer and Cassie, explained that while Title I funds were unfrozen and expected to continue, other federal programs — including Title III, certain Title II-A/immigrant allocations and Title IV-A — remained frozen at the time of the July workshop. "Title 1 has been reviewed and is back on," Spencer said, adding that his "crystal ball is very cloudy" about the other grants.
The report said district grants staff have been able to use unobligated FY25 funds and reclassify some positions so services carry through Sept. 30, the end of the federal fiscal year. For frozen programs the district has rearranged expenditures, purchased materials in prior years where possible (examples cited included an online language platform and museum passes), and moved some positions to other funding sources. Staff emphasized these were contingency measures, not permanent restorations of funding.
Why this matters: frozen awards could force Carson City to shift personnel and recurring costs into the general fund. The grants presentation identified roughly 2.2 full-time equivalent positions (described in the briefing as "1 full FTE and 2 partials") that currently rely on at least one of the frozen grants; if the freezes continue those posts would likely move from grant accounts to the general fund. Staff also said that some supplies and program spending for FY26 may be reduced compared with FY25 because award formulas reflect actual spending and need.
Details from the briefing: district staff reviewed many federal and state programs by line item. Highlights included: - Carl Perkins (CTE): small reduction expected (about $5,000 less than last year) and supports Career Center staff and program materials. - Title I: noted as unfrozen; covers 50% of one McKinney-Vento liaison position and portions of other personnel, paraprofessionals and instructional coaches. - IDEA (special education): funds 29.5 paraprofessional FTEs and 64% of one special-education teacher position at Carson Montessori (the district is the sponsor); funding for contractors (IEP evaluations, ABA) and related supplies were described. - Title III and the immigrant allocation: identified on the handout as currently frozen; the Title III budget line shown was about $99,000 and the immigrant allocation about $27,000. - Title II-A and Title IV-A: both described as frozen; Title II-A covers start-of-year staff costs and professional learning activities the district typically funds early in the year. - Bipartisan Safer Communities grant and AB 495: described as position-heavy grants (social workers, MTSS TOSA, extra hours for before/after-school programming); district reported moving some positions to other funding sources already. - ARP ESSER and other COVID-era funds: largely gone for FY26; the district has been tapering expenditures and reallocating positions in advance of the funding cliff.
Trustees pressed staff on timelines and risks. President Ramirez asked when the board could expect an update; staff said they would report back "as soon as we receive it," and that September 30 is the federal fiscal-year deadline staff is watching. Grants staff told trustees the district had funded operations for the first 90 days of the school year from available sources to provide time for guidance from the Nevada Department of Education (NDE) or federal agencies.
Contingency considerations: staff described two possible outcomes if frozen funds remain unavailable. One is a temporary shift of the affected FTEs and recurring costs to the general fund, with a later reallocation if funds are released retroactively. The other is a longer-term budget adjustment or re-prioritization of district spending if funds are permanently lost. Staff repeatedly emphasized that some spending decisions had already been reprioritized to avoid immediate program disruptions.
Board direction and next steps: trustees did not take action on the grant item (it was presented as discussion only). Board members asked staff to keep the board updated as information arrives and requested a formal status report when more definitive guidance is available. Staff said they would provide an electronic copy of the grant handout and promised updates as the NDE and federal agencies notify award decisions.
The district identified affected groups including students in transition (McKinney-Vento), English learners, special education students, participants in CTE programming, social-worker-supported students and families who receive district-funded family engagement services. The district also noted possible program reductions for enrichment services provided to English learners and reduced supplies or professional development in some special-education lines if awards are cut.
Closing: presenters thanked the board and said they would return with more data. "As we get information, we'll definitely keep you up to date on this," Spencer said near the end of the presentation.
