Carson City School District Board of Trustees Meeting - April 14, 2026

The Carson City School District Board of Trustees held a regular meeting on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at 2:00 PM. The meeting included adoption of the agenda, reports, public comment, a detailed tentative budget discussion, and action on a reduction in force (RIF) resolution. The board also discussed the superintendent's goals and evaluation form, open enrollment policy changes, and canceled the July 14, 2026 meeting.

Consent Calendar

• Adoption of the Agenda: Moved by Trustee Barner, seconded by Trustee Ramirez. Unanimously approved. (Agenda items #8 and #9 were clarified as discussion and action respectively.)
• Consent Agenda (Item #14): Approved unanimously.
• Cancellation of July 14, 2026 Meeting: Approved unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Item #5 – Association Report: Brian Wallace, President of OCEA, urged the board to hold off on proposed reductions to social worker positions. He noted the ending fund balance had increased, that the district had successfully filled all social worker positions (unique in Nevada), and that cutting them would shift burdens to community partners and weaken the MTSS system. He warned against repeating the premature RIF during the 2007-2008 recession that led to losing good educators.
• Item #6 – Public Comment: Multiple speakers addressed the board:
  • Sherry Scaffidi, intervention paraprofessional at Fremont Elementary, opposed eliminating intervention paraprofessionals, citing students lacking basic skills.
  • Kaylee Young, parent of a nonverbal child on the spectrum, stated that cutting paraprofessionals would remove her son's access to education.
  • Steven Rivera expressed similar concerns.
  • April Pacheco, licensed social worker, described the critical role of school social workers in suicide prevention and crisis intervention, warning that removing them would put students at risk.
  • Tom Gibbons, a taxpayer, criticized the education system and expressed frustration with spending on debt and salaries.

Discussion Items

• Item #7 – Annual Reports from Middle Schools and High School: Principals Amy Robinson (CMS), Gina Hoppe (EVMS), and Dan Karstens (CHS) presented data on student success, discipline, attendance, and MTSS implementation. Key points included:
  • Chronic absenteeism declining due to programs like Check and Connect.
  • Tardy reductions using a pass system.
  • Discipline data: At Carson High, fighting reduced 66% compared to two years ago and 51% compared to last year, attributed to cell phone restrictions.
  • Pilot behavior academy at CHS showed 9 out of 10 at-risk students had 3 or fewer absences in a month and a half.
  • Celebrations included a college and career day at Eagle Valley Middle School where 80% of students learned about a career they had not considered before.
• Item #8 – Tentative Budget for FY 2026-2027 (Discussion Only): Superintendent Fueling and CFO AJ Winward presented a budget with a projected deficit of $3.02 million. Staffing costs: 87.5% in schools (current year), projected to rise to 88.5% (general fund) and 89.5% inclusive of other funds. Reductions included 12 intervention paraprofessionals, some district office positions, and 6 of 12 social worker positions added back. The district removed $500,000 for new buses due to a grant for 4 electric buses. The nutrition fund transfer was reduced to ~$600,000. Board members requested further analysis of special education contracts, per-pupil costs by school, potential to shift costs (e.g., jump start tuition), and consideration of closing a school site due to declining enrollment. Trustee Ramirez opposed any cuts to student-facing positions and suggested cutting district office positions instead.
• Item #10 – Policy 505 (Open Enrollment) First Reading: Brandon Bringhurst presented changes required by Assembly Bill 533, including a new open enrollment process with a window, priorities (students from 1-2 star schools, children of employees, siblings), random lotteries, and transportation assistance grants limited to students from low-performing schools. Board members raised questions about timelines, capacity calculations, and administrative burden.
• Item #11 – Superintendent's Goals for 2026: Discussion only. Board members requested measurable outcomes and alignment with the strategic plan. The item was tabled for revisions.
• Item #12 – Superintendent Evaluation Form: Approved as presented, with minor grammatical edits noted. The form consolidates previous standards, uses a 1-5 rating scale, and includes space for overall comments.

Key Outcomes

• Item #8 – Budget Direction: The board directed staff to explore further reductions in special education contracts (focusing on necessary services), evaluate per-pupil costs by school and potential site closure, consider charging families for jump start and summer school, examine Medicaid reimbursement opportunities, and review the necessity of SRO positions. Staff will report back before the final budget in May.
• Item #9 – Reduction in Force Authorization: Approved with opposition from Trustee Ramirez. The motion authorized the superintendent to issue layoff notices for certain classified and certified staff positions (including social workers, teachers, TOSAs, administrative assistants, and intervention paraprofessionals) due to financial constraints. The board also authorized voluntary or directed transfer of staff to fill vacancies. The vote was 6-1 (Trustee Ramirez opposed).
• Item #11 – Superintendent's Goals: Tabled; staff will bring revised goals with measurable outcomes at a future meeting.
• Item #12 – Superintendent Evaluation Form: Approved unanimously.
• Item #13 – Cancel July 14, 2026 Meeting: Approved unanimously.
• Item #14 – Consent Agenda: Approved unanimously.

Next Steps

• The final budget will be presented for approval at the May 28, 2026 board meeting.
• Policy 505 will return for second reading and possible action at a future meeting.
• The superintendent will provide revised goals with measurable indicators.
• Future agenda topics include an update on Edustaff, a presentation from the city on growth and development, and a review of board bylaws and policies.