The Washoe County School District hosted a Virtual Budget Forum for the community on Monday night, as the District prepares to set the budget and make important financial decisions for the 2022-2023 fiscal year.
The meeting provided a way for the community to learn more about funding, expenditures, and the ways in which the District is allocating supports and resources to its 62,000 students and more than 8,000 staff members.
District staff members answered questions and discussed WCSD’s financial outlook, explaining that fiscal support of school districts in Nevada is “anemic”- they say it's all about revenues.
National educational rankings for Nevada:
- 47th in terms of spending per student
- 3rd highest number of enrolled students per teacher
- 28th for average salaries for teachers
- 18th for academic achievement
They're working with a new statewide funding plan that went into effect last year. It was meant to create a more equitable distribution of money per student. The general fund expenditure per pupil affects categories like direct instruction, student and school support, operations and transportation and central services.
One person asked where the marijuana tax money is going in regards to schools.
Mark Mathers, the Chief Financial Officer says, "I am glad to report that virtually all marijuana tax money goes to K-12 education now and it's additive."
Additionally, out of 8,000 staff, the district says there are about 225 who aren't working in the classroom but fill other positions like learning facilitators, special assignments and English Language Design.
Another person asked where the stimulus dollars are going. For phase 1 of the ESSER program money went to PPE and other pandemic expenditures like HVAC systems, teaching and packets for students during the start of the pandemic. Now, in phase two and three the money will impact students and teachers inside of schools.
Someone else asked what they're doing for small repairs in existing schools.
Pete Etchart, the Chief Operating Officer for WCSD, says, "We're going to put $135 million a year into our existing schools starting in that 23-24 school year."
The district has a small surplus of about $451,000 that will go to the compensation of staffing levels and other immediate issues facing the district.
