INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. — Members of the Washoe County School District Board of Trustees said they never voted on International Baccalaureate at Incline's schools because it is not the board's function to implement curricula or programs.

“The board is there to provide oversight,” said board President Estela Gutierrez. “We hire (Superintendent) Heath Morrison to implement changes and reform, and the board holds him acceptable.”

Opponents of IB implementation have accused the district of skipping board input.

Gutierrez said there is widespread public misconception the board is responsible for the management of the district, when in reality the board's primary function is to ensure the success of management strategies devised and implemented by Morrison and his staff.

Dan Carne, the school board trustee who reps Incline Village, echoed Gutierrez.

“The board doesn't vote on programs and curriculum,” he said. “It's not the board's role to administer the district.”

They said it “The board doesn't vote on programs and curriculum. It's not the board's role to administer the district.” — Dan Carne, WCSD trustee

Support for IB

If the board did vote on whether to implement IB, it would have at least two votes in support of the decision, as Carne and Gutierrez this week both endorsed the program as being the right fit for Incline schools.

“IB is a great strategy, but the key is how it will be supported,” Gutierrez said.

Gutierrez said the language component of International Baccalaureate will help English as a second language learners compete and excel.

Gutierrez, who grew up the daughter of migrant workers in the San Joaquin Valley, said her early educational experiences were fraught with difficulty.

“I was taught math in English and it was hard to understand the vocabulary,” she said. “I had to convert the language into Spanish before I could understand (the mathematical concepts).”

Gutierrez said IB's emphasis on acquiring a language should be bolstered by outreach to Latino community.

“The key component is reaching out to Hispanic parents,” she said.