School District Budget Still Taking Shape, No Decisions Yet

The Churchill County School District is still in the early stages of building its 2026-27 budget, with trustees getting their first look at priorities during last week’s board meeting—but no decisions have been made.

Superintendent Derild Parsons and Comptroller Amanda Hammond told the board the current process is informational, not final, as staff works to assemble a balanced budget ahead of state deadlines.

“This is just an update,” Parsons said. “We’re not asking for action tonight.”

The district recently held a budget advisory committee meeting, where principals and department leaders submitted requests and identified priorities. Those requests span programs and staffing, but officials emphasized that there is no guarantee any of them will make it into the final budget.

“We know the financial situation,” Parsons said, noting that even high-priority requests may not be funded.

The business office is now working through those requests while developing a tentative budget, which must be submitted to the Nevada Department of Taxation in April. 

Right now, the district is still waiting on guidance from the state on a few outstanding questions that could impact timing. Administrators are hoping for a short extension that would allow them to present a more complete draft to the board in late April rather than rushing an earlier version.

If approved, that timeline would give trustees more time to review details before the required public hearing in May and final adoption in June.

Hammond said the goal is to present a tentative budget that closely reflects the final version, rather than making significant changes later.

“I’d like to get the tentative budget as close as I can to what we actually submit,” she said, adding that summary documents will be provided to help trustees understand what has been added or removed.

While the numbers are still being finalized, district officials said progress is being made, and financial data is coming together.

At the same time, trustees raised concerns about how proposed requests align with district priorities. One area highlighted during the discussion was middle school math performance, with board members noting a lack of targeted proposals addressing ongoing declines.

Other priorities discussed included maintaining programs like music and art, as well as positions that support career readiness for high school students.

Even so, the reality remains that not all needs can be funded.

“This is a complicated, multifaceted process,” Parsons said. “We’re responsible for bringing you a balanced budget.”