On Tuesday, the Washoe County School District Board of Trustees was presented with information regarding the 2026-2027 school year.

On Tuesday, the Washoe County School District Board of Trustees was presented with information regarding fiscal year 27, or the 2026-2027 school year. 

As we reported, the district was facing an $18.4 million deficit, which, according to prior research, approval by the board has now been projected to be around $8 million. 

The board voted to approve several analyses looking for room in the budget for extra funding, and where they can reduce spending.

They voted to move forward with analysis on the school year calendar, athletics fees, and facility use fees.

They will also be analyzing pay and benefits for guest teachers, possible reimbursement for services covered by Medicaid, and also counting pre-k students toward enrollment numbers. 

Board President Beth Smith says, "It is absolutely critical that our work to progress and serve our kids never stops. Even with a deficit. We saw that hierarchy of needs and how important it is to make sure that we're delivering the best experience for our children in their classrooms. So even in a challenging budget environment, our families, our teachers, everyone should know that we're still doing this work."

She added that they are turning over every stone looking for wiggle room amid the deficit. But with record-breaking performance numbers this school year, the district says they will continue reinvesting in their students and faculty, no matter what it takes. 

In addition to the item regarding the budget, several schools in the district were rezoned, or are planning on being rezoned, to better accommodate student enrollment numbers. 

Five elementary schools, Bernice Matthews, Rita Cannan, Kate Smith, Agnes Risley, and Lois Allen, and two middle schools, Fred W. Traner and Desert Skies, are all part of these plans. 

WCSD Chief Facilities Manager Tami Zimmerman says, "It's a product of our facility modernization plan and the rezoning efforts that happened because we are adding space onto the Matthews modernization so that we can take more students in. And then we have the change of use that was approved for Kate Smith Elementary School. So those students need to be zoned into a school. And so that's what the Zoning Advisory Committee did with this action."