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 officers: “They are considered more of an administrative role,” she said, adding that they have radios to summon school police when a law‑enforcement response is needed.

Strategic‑plan budget reductions: The board approved staff proposals for two targeted, one‑time reductions tied to strategic‑plan implementation: $35,000 for grade success and post‑graduation plan costs and $65,000 from parent‑teacher home‑visit funding—$100,000 total—moves staff said were possible because the cited items were one‑time implementation costs already achieved.

Concurrent enrollment fees: The board considered three scenarios for changes to concurrent‑enrollment fees (options included preserving free access for students qualifying for free‑and‑reduced‑price lunch and either discounts or one free course for other students). Trustees voted to keep the district’s current approach for FY26 and to fold any further changes into the larger budget conversations planned for the fall, so the program will remain unchanged for the upcoming school year while staff continues analysis and partner consultation. Troy Parks (district partner liaison) clarified that the standard concurrent credit charge is $100 per credit.

Athletic transportation fees: Trustees approved a district motion to increase athletic transportation fees by a flat 50% (for example, a middle‑school trip fee rising from $10 to $15 and a typical high‑school athletic fee rising from $50 to $75). Staff had presented several options, including smaller increases and a full cost‑recovery option; administrators and trustees said they wanted a simple, round‑number adjustment that recoups a portion of the roughly $757,000 annual general‑fund subsidy for athletics while preserving access and local discretion to assist families in need.

Vacant positions and contract reviews: The board directed staff to proceed with an expanded review of non‑school‑based vacant positions and of contract renewals, with an estimated potential savings of roughly $603,000 if selected positions or contracts are not renewed or are restructured. Trustees approved the recommendation to review placements, reassign employees funded by expiring grants when feasible, and scrutinize contract renewals under district criteria.

Allocation triggers and special‑education counting: Trustees approved changing the spring/summer allocation trigger from 10 students above the trigger point to 7, and directed staff to review enrollment every two weeks beginning in October through November to evaluate midyear allocation needs. The board also asked staff to continue analyzing how students in self‑contained special‑education programs are counted for allocations (current practice counts a self‑contained student as 0.25 of a student for general‑education allocation purposes); no immediate change to the counting factor was adopted, but trustees asked staff to refine options for future consideration.

Class sizes and pilot programs: The board voted to discontinue a one‑year pilot that preserved an additional general‑education allocation for certain 1‑ and 2‑star elementary schools (the pilot had cost roughly $3 million and was paid from contingency). Trustees also voted to maintain the existing, board‑funded policy that reduced K‑2 class sizes at 1‑ and 2‑star schools (that reduction is already embedded in next year’s general fund). Trustees directed the superintendent to continue stakeholder analysis on options to smooth K‑3 class sizes across elementary grades for possible implementation in 2026‑27.

Reserve/fund‑balance approach: Mathers and other staff framed the recommended approach as using a portion of the district’s ending fund balance as bridge funding to avoid abrupt operational changes just before the school year, and said credit‑rating agencies would not be expected to view the recommended, limited use of fund balance as a negative. Mathers said the district’s amended budget will be brought back to trustees for a ministerial approval step before submission to the state.

Voices from the meeting: Kalyn Evans, president of the Washoe Education Association, urged the board to prioritize reducing elementary class sizes and aid staffing, saying class size reductions in kindergarten and grade 1 showed the greatest academic impact. “We have the largest class sizes in the country,” Evans said, arguing for continued emphasis on classroom supports. Deputy Chief Baker described the campus‑supervisor role and stressed that the district’s policing model emphasizes relationship building in addition to response to incidents.

What the board voted on (summary of formal actions)

Votes at a glance - Adopt staff recommendations regarding four unfilled school police officer positions: passed, 7–0. (Action approved to remove the four currently unfilled positions from the FY26 staffing plan; staff presented coverage plans.) - Approve strategic‑plan one‑time reductions (grade success/post‑graduation plans $35,000; parent‑teacher home visits $65,000): passed, 7–0. - Maintain concurrent‑enrollment fee policy for FY26 and continue review with partners in fall: passed, 7–0. - Increase athletic transportation fees by 50% (e.g., MS $10 → $15; HS $50 → $75): passed, 7–0. - Direct review of non‑school vacant positions and contract renewals to seek up to an estimated $603,000 in savings: passed, 7–0. - Change allocation trigger from 10 to 7 students and require staff reviews every two weeks beginning in October for midyear allocation decisions: passed, 7–0. - Discontinue the one‑year pilot that preserved allocations at 1‑ and 2‑star schools (pilot funded from contingency): passed, 7–0. - Maintain current funded reduction in K‑2 class sizes at 1‑ and 2‑star schools (already embedded in the general fund): passed, 7–0. - Direct the superintendent to continue stakeholder engagement and analysis on leveling K‑3 class sizes for possible FY26/27 implementation: passed, 7–0.

Next steps and outlook

District staff will incorporate trustees’ decisions into an amended budget document for formal ministerial approval at the next board meeting before filing with the Nevada Department of Education. District leaders said they will continue stakeholder engagement on class‑size proposals and concurrent‑enrollment options and will return in the fall with further fiscal‑year‑27 scenarios. CFO Mathers and staff noted that a portion of the district’s fund balance is proposed as bridge funding to avoid more disruptive, short‑notice program cuts prior to the start of school.

Ending: Trustees closed the work session after public comment and directed staff to bring a final amended budget for signature at the next scheduled meeting to comply with the state filing timeline.