The Ed-Watch series is designed to increase access to information on what decisions
are being made regarding public education in Clark County and Nevada.
Washoe County School District Board of Trustees
What is the Board of Trustees & what are they responsible for? The Washoe County School District Board of Trustees are publicly elected decision-makers for the school district. They are responsible for providing oversight to the Superintendent and establishing District-wide policy. Trustees are accountable to work with their communities to improve student achievement.
Click here to learn more and see a list of current Trustees.
How often does the Board of Trustees meet? Trustees meet twice per month (second and fourth Tuesdays) at 2 pm both virtually and at the Central Administration Building Board Room, 425 E. 9th St., Reno, NV 89512.
Click here for a full list of Trustees meetings.
Can community members engage at Trustee meetings? Decision-making bodies benefit greatly from hearing public input and multiple perspectives. Currently, members of the public can submit comments on agenda and non-agenda items through email or voice recording. Public comment can be provided in person or via email. Email comments should be submitted to publiccomments@washoeschools.net.
Tuesday, September 8, 2026
Washoe County School District Board of Trustees Meeting
Click here to see the meeting agenda.
Watch the meeting playback.
Trustees Approved the Consent Agenda
Consent agenda highlights include:
- Approval of the award of bid (#27-02-B-07-BC) for the replacement of the drinking fountains and hose bibbs across three WCSD schools.
- Approval of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Washoe County School District and the Washoe Education Association for the inclusion of an "emergency leave bank" for WCSD employees.
- Several facilities and RFP items
Explore the consent agenda here.
Trustees Received a Presentation of a Proclamation recognizing September 2026 as "Attendance Awareness Month" in the Washoe County School District.
Explore the proclamation.
Trustees Approved the Adoption of Washoe County School District Resolution 26-020
Trustees discussed and approved the adoption of WCSD Resolution 26-020, a resolution providing for: (1) the issuance of a general obligation (limited tax) medium-term amount not to exceed $3,500,000, for acquiring school buses and other support vehicles for the district; (2) providing the form, terms, and conditions of the bond; and (3) authorizing the Superintendent or Chief Financial Officer of the district to accept a binding bid for the bond.
Highlights of the Presentation:
- The Department of Taxation approved this item at the July board meeting.
Explore the resolution.
Trustees Approved the Selection of Smithridge Elementary School as the New School Name on the Current Edward L. Pine Middle School Campus
Trustees received a presentation and approved the selection of Smithridge Elementary School as the new name for the current Edward L. Pine Middle School campus, as recommended by the school naming committee: John Flynn, Juanita Ydiando, and Smithridge.
Highlights of the presentation included:
- Community members shared anecdotes surrounding the candidates for whom the new school will be named.
- Trustees asked whether it would be possible to name a facility on campus after individuals not selected for the new school name. However, it was decided it would need to come before the board at a future meeting rather than during this item.
- Trustees mentioned this was a difficult decision as all the honorees were incredible community members.
Explore the presentation.
Trustees Approved the Changes to the Washoe County School District's Group Health Plan for the 2027 Plan Year
Trustees approved the changes to the Washoe County School District's group health plan for the 2027, plan year, including the group insurance committee's recommendations to:
(1) Increase Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) Premium Rates by 5%;
(2) Maintain Qualified High-Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) Premium Rates with a 0% increase;
(3) Increase the PPO Individual and Family deductibles to $1,000 and $2,000, respectively;
(4) Increase the PPO individual and family deductibles to $4,500 and $9,000, respectively;
(5) Increase the HDHP individual and family deductibles to $3,500 and $5,500, respectively; and
(6) Increase the HSA contribution amount to $2,050.
Highlights of the presentation included:
- From March 2025 to February 2026, the HDHP / HSA plan collected $3.7M more in revenue than it paid out in benefit costs.
Explore the presentation.
Trustees Approved the 2026/2027 'A' Major Projects Program to Include the Construction Phase Funding and Design Phase Funding for the Following Schools: Edward L. Pine, Libby Booth, and Sparks Middle School
Trustees approved the 2026/2027 'A' Major Projects program to include the construction phase funding for the mini-reconstruction on the Libby Booth Elementary School campus, design phase funding for the Sparks Middle School reconstruction project, and the administrative facility master plan due diligence funding as recommended by the Capital Funding Protection Committee in the amount of $111,150,000.
Highlights of the presentation included:
- The professional service breakdown resulted in 2 senior-level inspectors, so all projects will be completed in-house and will also serve as training for future projects.
- Overall funding will not exceed $92.8 million (including contingencies).
- Multiple updates were made across both projects— new ADA/special education improved spaces, improvements to security perimeters and CCTV surveillance, and new spaces for support staff (e.g., offices for school psychologists and speech therapists)
Explore the presentation.
Trustees Approved the Comprehensive Evaluation Plan for i-Ready as Supplemental Instructional Curriculum during the 2026-27 School Year
Trustees received a presentation, discussed, and approved the comprehensive evaluation plan for i-Ready's effectiveness during the 2026-2027 school year, and approved a motion to contract with i-Ready Curriculum Associates to inform future decisions about using i-Ready in the Washoe County School District in 2027-2028.
Highlights of the report included:
- During public comment on this item, Washoe Parent Coalition members and community members expressed concern regarding the lack of efficacy or evidence-based methods associated with using i-Ready.
- If i-Ready is eliminated, high-impact items will arise such as:
- We would need a replacement primary dyslexia screener and reading progress-monitoring tool.
- i-Ready is currently the primary data source for IEP monitoring and identification.
- Since the last presentation in August, the following changes have occurred:
- Eliminated kindergarten diagnostic & paused i-Ready lessons in Kindergarten until October.
- Engaged the Safe and Healthy Schools Commission and Northwestern University for respective studies on screen time and efficacy of the assessment.
- Addressed schools that were overusing the weekly requirement (i.e., >30-49 minutes weekly).
Explore the presentation.
Superintendent Report
Report highlights included:
- All 9 schools closed due to the Hawk fire have reopened and welcomed families and staff back.
- Several staff members were recognized and presented superlatives for strong teaching and leadership across WCSD campuses to kick off the year.
Student Representative Report
Report highlights included:
- District Student Advisory Board Meeting will be held September 16th
- Published the first WCSD board meeting agenda personalized for students on the student advisory board.
Public Comment
Public comment highlights included:
- Concern for behavioral issues, particularly students who engage in violence against teachers, staff, and property.
- Concern for the efficacy of the i-Ready assessment and the associated funding being used on i-Ready.
The next Meeting of the Board of Trustees is scheduled for September 13th, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.
