Attachment B

Washoe County School District

2017 Community Budget Survey

Each year, Washoe County School District (WCSD) is required to prepare an annual operating budget and submit that
budget to the State of Nevada. While the budget is balanced for the current fiscal year, WCSD staff are beginning to
develop the operating budget for next fiscal year, which begins on July 1, 2018. An important part of this process is to
gather community input. We hope you will take a few minutes to fill out the survey below to provide your input on this
important issue.

Background Information on WCSDs Budget

1. Since the Great Recession and currently-- the District has faced budget challenges as a result of a combination
of factors including state funding formulas which have not kept pace with inflation, tax revenues which have
lagged overall economic growth in the region, and the growing population of students. In response, the District
was required to cover a $40 million shortfall in the current budget through restructuring and reorganizing
departments, deleting certain positions, using reserves, curtailing purchases of buses, reducing support services,
and increasing class sizes by two students per class for grades 4-12.

a. Are you familiar with the Districts current funding challenges?

*Very familiar *Somewhat familiar *Somewhat unfamiliar *Not familiar at all

b. Are you familiar with the Districts previous cost-cutting efforts?

*Very familiar *Somewhat familiar *Somewhat unfamiliar *Not familiar at all

2. Are you familiar with the fact that the Districts ongoing costs have outpaced revenues, leading to continued
deficits in operation fund budgets?
*Very familiar *Somewhat familiar *Somewhat unfamiliar *Not familiar at all

3. Are you familiar with the fact that, under the law, funding for the Districts general fund (which pays for salaries
and day-to-day operating expenses) is separate from the Districts capital projects fund (which pays for building
construction and maintenance)?
*Very familiar *Somewhat familiar *Somewhat unfamiliar *Not familiar at all

4. Are you familiar with the fact that much of the increased funding from the State to school districts since 2015 is
designated as categorical fundingi.e. funding that is directed specifically to certain programs and initiatives--
and cannot legally be used to resolve our current deficit?
*Very familiar *Somewhat familiar *Somewhat unfamiliar *Not familiar at all

Budget Priorities

5. The following is a list of broad categories of programs that the District operates. If the District has to cut
expenses, which three programs do you think WCSD should first consider when reducing expenses in order to
balance next years budget? Please indicate your top three choices of programs and services that should receive
cuts first, second, and third by writing 1, 2, or 3 next to your choices.

Instructional and Special Programs

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 Regular instruction (classroom teachers, textbooks, etc.)

Career and Technical Education (such as health care, auto shop)

Extracurricular activities (athletics, music, elective courses beyond state minimum

requirements)

Special Programs such as English Language Learning (ELL) and special education to the extent
allowed by law

Student support (counselors, nurses, and other non-teaching staff to support students)

Teacher support such as professional development and training and student assessments

Operations/Administration

Student transportation

Operations and maintenance of schools

Central services such as accounting functions, human resources department, communications

and technology services department, as well as central administration

6. In the event that WCSD and the Board of Trustees had to cut in the area of instructional and special programs,
the following specific cost reduction measures may be considered. Please indicate your top three choices of
programs and services that should receive cuts first, second, and third by writing 1, 2, or 3 next to your
choices.

Reduce/cut special education programs for students with disabilities to the extent allowed by
law

Reduce/cut Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) programs

Reduce/cut English Language Learning (ELL) programs that assist students who speak a
language other than English at home

Reduce/cut teachers and principals on special assignment, which assist new teachers in
implementing curricula and in professional development

Reduce the frequency and type of academic assessment of students to the extent allowed by
law

Reduce extracurricular activities (athletics, music, elective courses beyond state minimum
requirements)

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 Reduce library services

Reduce Career and Technical Education (such as health care, auto shop)

Reduce teacher professional development and training

Reduce student support services such as the number of counselors and other non-teaching staff
to the extent allowed by law

Increase class sizes in Grades 4-12 by 1-2 students per classroom

Defer purchase of textbooks and computers in the classroom

7. In the event that WCSD and the Board of Trustees had to cut in the area of operations, the following specific
cost reduction measures may be considered. Please indicate the program that should receive cuts first by
indicating 1, then the program that should receive cuts next by 2 and then the next program after that which
should receive cuts by indicating 3.

Increase elementary and middle school walk zones by mile

Eliminate transportation for high school students

Suspend field trip transportation

Reduce/cut central services positions, such as accounting staff and computer programmers,
and other central services costs such as replacement of central service computer systems.

Reduce the number of school administrators/executive management

For the next year, defer some purchases of buses and other fleet vehicles to replace aging
vehicles

For the next year, defer some repairs and maintenance to current aging school facilities and
only perform the most critical maintenance.

8. To what extent would you support the school district continuing to reduce its reserves in order to balance the
budget? Currently, total General Fund reserves amount to 10% of the operating budget or roughly one month
of operating costs.

Strongly oppose somewhat oppose somewhat support strongly support

9. Last year, Washoe County School District increased class sizes by two students per class for grades 4-12, in order
to reduce costs. Even with this increase, the Districts student-to-teacher ratios are either lower or comparable
to other school districts in Nevada. Which statement below best represents your view of class sizes overall in
Washoe County School District:

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 a. The average class size is appropriate and should remain unchanged.
b. Class sizes should be reduced, regardless of the increased cost.
c. If the District needed to increase average class sizes again this year, that would be acceptable.
d. Dont have an opinion on this.

Demographic Information

Our last questions are about you and your household, and are optional. Again, all of your responses to this survey are
completely anonymous and will be reported in group form only.

10. Which of the following best describes you?

Parent or Guardian of Child in WCSD
WCSD Student
Employee of WCSD
Other Washoe County resident
I prefer not to answer

11. What is your residential zip code?

12. How many years have you lived in Washoe County?

Less than 2 years
2-5 years
6-10 years
11-20 years
More than 20 years
I prefer not to answer

13. How much do you anticipate your households total income before taxes will be for the current year?
Less than $25,000
$25,000 to $49,999
$50,000 to $99,999
$100,000 to $149,999
$150,000 or more
I prefer not to answer

14. What is your gender?

Male
Female
I prefer not to answer

15. What is your race?

American Indian or Alaskan Native
Asian, Asian Indian or Pacific Islander
Black or African American
White, non-Hispanic
Hispanic or Latino

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 Other
I prefer not to answer

Thank you for taking time to participate in this survey. We appreciate your efforts to help us as we continually strive to
improve our District for our 64,000 students.

Is there any part of the Washoe County School Districts budget that you would like to learn more about? Do you have
more questions regarding the budget? If so, please see the Districts web page on its budget at
https://www.washoeschools.net/site/default.aspx?PageID=6401, or call (775) 348-0312.

Washoe County School District will also conduct its annual Town Hall meeting this spring to review the results of this
community survey and the proposed Fiscal Year 2018-19 budget. For more information on this meeting, please refer to
the Districts main page at www.washoeschools.net or call (775) 348-0312.