Education
Standardized testing is a flawed yardstick for assessing educational success
Listening recently to a local political candidate denigrate public education in Nevada was very disheartening. Not because of character flaws or perceived inability of the candidate. He, like most voters, believes that national and state school rankings based on standardized test scores accurately measure school quality and effectiveness. Improving public education seems to be on […]
Former CCSD trustee among candidates seeking to join State Board of Education
Eleven people sit on the Nevada State Board of Education. Four are elected by voters — one from each congressional district. The other seven are appointed by the governor or various public bodies. Terms for all four elected board members are up this year, but only three elections will be held, and only two will […]
UNLV sees record enrollment after years of steady decline
For higher education, one of the biggest challenges leftover from the pandemic years is getting students to sign up. In recent years enrollment at many Nevada higher education institutions — like higher education institutions nationally — has plateaued compared to pre-pandemic levels. But at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas the tide has finally turned. […]
Board of Regents primary attracts crowd of candidates, despite new shorter terms
Voters in Nevada will soon need to narrow down which candidates can advance to the general election for the chance to govern Nevada’s public system of higher education. Nevada’s System of Higher Education (NSHE) — which spans four community colleges, two universities, a research institute, and a state college — is overseen by an elected […]
Weed and A’s baseball stadium land before state’s high court
The Nevada Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday on whether a referendum on public funding for the proposed A’s stadium in Las Vegas should be allowed on the November ballot, and whether the Board of Pharmacy’s listing of cannabis as a Schedule 1 substance is at odds with the Nevada Constitution. Attorney Bradley Schrager, representing former […]
Clark County School Board attracts a crowd of candidates
It is a time of transition for the Clark County School District and its school board, with a new top leader and several new trustees expected to be decided this year. The Clark County School Board technically oversees just one employee, the superintendent, who they hire (and sometimes fire and sometimes rehire). CCSD is currently […]
$100m Nevada Facilities Fund a ‘watershed moment’ for charter schools, leaders say
Nevada charter schools are clamoring to access the millions of dollars in financing now available to support capital projects, such as buying or expanding school buildings. The Nevada Facilities Fund is a $100 million revolving loan fund setup by the State Infrastructure Bank to provide long-term, low-cost facility financing for charter schools that serve under-resourced […]
UNLV failure to remove pro-Palestine protestors from lecture violates policy, groups say
Faculty, student, and Jewish organizations are calling on UNLV President Keith Whitfield to investigate whether three pro-Palestinian protesters who disrupted a lecture last week and the failure of campus police to remove them from the event was in violation of the school’s free speech policies. The protesters interrupted guest lecturer Asaf Peer, a physics professor […]
Public education needs educational leaders not politicians
We are now entering “superintendent season.” Where political savvy often takes precedence over effective educational leadership in getting and keeping a district superintendent position. The two largest public school districts in Nevada are seeking superintendents because of recent resignations. Superintendent search firms are advisable as most board members lack the ability to discern quality educational […]
Embattled CCSD superintendent receives $250k buyout in ‘compromise’ resignation
Jesus Jara’s tumultuous time as superintendent of the nation’s fifth largest school district has come to an end. The Clark County School Board voted 5-2 on Thursday to allow the embattled leader to resign and receive a $250,000 buyout — equivalent to six months of his salary. The trustees also voted to appoint Deputy Superintendent […]
Biden unveils latest round of student loan cancellation to aid 153,000 borrowers
President Joe Biden expanded his push to eliminate student loan debt Wednesday, saying during a speech the initiative is part of a campaign promise to address the “broken” system. “While a college degree is still a ticket to a better life, that ticket is too expensive,” Biden said. “And too many Americans are still saddled […]
‘Heartbreaking’ findings in survey of Nevada LGBTQ+ students
Nevada LGBTQ+ students say they don’t feel safe talking with school staff and face discrimination based on their sexual orientation and gender identity, according to new findings from Silver State Equality. The LGBTQ+ advocacy group recently released the results of its “2023 Nevada LGBTQ+ Student Survey and Listening Campaign” report, which collected stories from Nevada […]