Washoe trustees approve targeted budget changes, keep concurrent enrollment funding and raise athletic fees

The Washoe County School District Board of Trustees on June 10 adopted a package of budget adjustments and procedural changes after reviewing the outcomes of the 2025 Nevada legislative session and the district’s revenue outlook.

Board members voted to remove four currently unfilled school police officer positions from the FY26 staffing plan, approve targeted one‑time reductions tied to strategic‑plan items, direct staff to change allocation triggers and review frequency, discontinue a one‑year pilot that preserved allocations at low‑performing elementary schools, and approve a 50% increase in student athletic transportation fees. The board also voted to maintain the district’s current concurrent‑enrollment fee policy for the coming year and to continue stakeholder analysis on classroom‑size options.

Why it matters: The district must finalize any budget amendments within 30 days of the end of the state’s legislative session (technically by July 2), and trustees are balancing the need to close a budget gap against preserving investments made in the current biennium. District leaders said state K‑12 funding increases were minimal in the new biennium and that, after adjusting for inflation, the district faces reduced purchasing power.

Most important actions and context

State funding and budget pressure: Chief Financial Officer Mark Mathers told trustees that the final K‑12 funding bill left base funding essentially flat—an increase of only about $3 per pupil—leaving the district to choose between deeper cuts or using reserves to bridge a gap. Mathers described the board’s role as deciding which of several modest savings proposals to adopt now and which to study further for FY27.

School police staffing: After a department presentation on current coverage, trustees approved the staff recommendation to remove four currently unfilled school police officer positions from the FY26 staffing plan, a change staff said could be made without reducing daily coverage at most sites because of existing patrol and campus‑supervisor arrangements. Deputy Chief Shawna Baker described campus supervisors as “an additional layer of safety” and stressed that campus supervisors are administrative staff, not trained police…