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Superintendent reports midyear gains in reading, attendance and activities; trustees accept update
Summary
Superintendent Joe Ernst told trustees Feb. 10 that the district has expanded science‑of‑reading training, reduced kindergarten chronic absenteeism to under 11%, increased clubs and activities to about 400 midyear, and lowered vacancy rates to about 3.42%; trustees accepted the midyear targets update unanimously.
Superintendent Joe Ernst presented a midyear review of five evaluation targets to the Washoe County School District Board on Wednesday, telling trustees that the district has made measurable progress on foundational literacy, student engagement, safety, staffing and advanced coursework.
Ernst highlighted three focal areas: the science of reading (a multi‑year professional‑learning program), attendance, and math curriculum implementation. He said the district trained over 160 additional teachers in the first semester and now has nearly 600 educators trained in the science‑of‑reading sequence. On attendance, Ernst reported kindergarten chronic absenteeism now sits just under 11 percent and noted district outreach and marketing efforts target kindergarten families.
Ernst described positive midyear signs in math after adopting a new curriculum and said the district avoided an expected “implementation dip” in K–5 achievement. He also reported an increase in clubs and activities — up to roughly 400 midyear from about 100 at the same point last year — and said 53 schools now run an expanded soccer league with more than 1,300 participating students.
On safety and staffing, Ernst said the district has added school police, installed new emergency radios and dash cameras, and is implementing single‑point entry and perimeter fencing projects across campuses. He reported vacancy rates have declined to about 3.42 percent and that principal retention has improved. Ernst also said the district has absorbed approximately $25 million in cuts over two years while maintaining priority programs.
Trustees asked questions about sustaining programs amid budget pressures and about declines in some advanced‑course participation; Ernst attributed some declines in AP/IB/CTE participation to overall high‑school enrollment drops and increased interest in dual‑enrollment options. Board members praised the progress and then voted unanimously to accept the midyear targets update.
Ernst also announced a $1,300,000 donation from the Guillemot Foundation to support a middle‑school drone program; the superintendent said the district will present more details in April.
The board accepted the update as a midyear status report, not as a change to the superintendent’s evaluation targets for year‑end review.
