Teachers, students and parents urge board to preserve school social workers as district faces budget shortfall

Public commenters and school leaders pressed the Carson City School District Board of Trustees on March 10 to preserve school social workers as administrators warned grant funding has dwindled and the district faces a multiyear budget shortfall.

At the start of the public‑comment period, Celiger teacher Lindsay Blye told trustees she had come to "beg for you guys to find a way to keep our social workers at every single school site," calling them "truly a lifeline" who support student attendance, family outreach and classroom learning. Senior Madison Croer described long‑term personal help from a district social worker, saying the staff member helped her during a family cancer diagnosis and later with anxiety and with reporting a sexual assault. Student Logan Hodges added that social workers help students cope daily so classmates can continue learning.

District leaders told the board those social‑worker positions were initially funded through state grants and later sustained with a patchwork of federal grants that have declined. Superintendent AJ Fueling said the district has repeatedly sought funding to continue the program but that recent grant reductions have made the program’s future uncertain.

"We have 12 current staff members that are social workers for the district and that in total is about a $1.3 million program," the district noted in its budget discussion. Christy Perkins, the district MTSS director, said some community contractors and grants will continue to provide tier‑three clinical supports next year, but she warned that the daily, on‑site support provided by employee social workers could not be fully replaced: "Our students will still be supported in need, not in the same way — it will have to look differently."

Trustees said they heard the public testimony and acknowledged the difficulty of funding positions that began on temporary grant sources. Trustee Peterson said she had received dozens of emails and public comments pleading to keep social workers and pressed administration to keep searching for funding alternatives. Superintendent Fueling said central office staff will continue to pursue grant and community options while also planning a slate of budget reductions to close a projected FY27 gap.

The board did not take any immediate action on social‑worker staffing at the meeting; budget staff said they expect to return with firmer proposals and near‑term options before the final budget vote. Administrators also said they would work to preserve as much contracted partner support as possible for students with the highest needs.