Education
Opposition to school “dragnet” policy unites rival groups
From guidelines involving gender-diverse students to stances on education savings account, the ACLU of Nevada and Power2Parent’s opinions on policies could not be further from one another. For once, the groups are united to oppose a Washoe County School District policy that requires parents to provide a government-issued photo identification. Board Policy 1505 uses IDs […]
Charter school authority talks diversity: ‘We have to get better’
Students at state-sponsored charter schools performed better on standardized testing than students within traditional school districts in all demographic categories except one: low-income students. That data point emerged Friday amid a discussion on diversity by the appointed board that authorizes the majority of the state’s charter schools. It underscores growing criticism of charter schools from […]
Titus goes to bat again for hungry kids
For close to two-thirds of Clark County students, the free or reduced-price breakfasts and lunches they receive at school may be the most nutritious meals, or even their primary source of food, throughout the week. “That’s more than 203,000 students who face hunger at home and come to school unprepared to learn,” says Rep. Dina […]
Regents will ask Legislature to reform higher ed salary structure
K-12 teachers aren’t the only ones not satisfied with salaries. Many within the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) are frustrated by its lack of an in-rank salary advancement structure and they want legislators to tackle the issue during the upcoming 2019 session. They argue salary compression — only slight differences between salaries for new […]
So now what?
Things might be more cut and dried if Sheldon Adelson and Adam Laxalt had won. Democrats, with hefty majorities in the state Legislature, would have been able to thwart all the truly egregious Adelson/Laxalt policy proposals. Next year’s legislative session would have been full of sound and fury, likely signifying, in the end, nothing much […]
Election 2018: Who should win, according to Nevada children
Much has been written — and will continue to be written ad nauseum — about the “youth vote,” typically meaning voters between the ages of 18 and 24, and their potential to disrupt the political establishment and bring baby boomers to tears. Forget about them for a moment. Let’s talk about literal youth! More than […]
Charter school authority under fire for lax oversight
The Nevada State Public Charter School Authority is supposed to conduct evaluative site visits at each of the dozens of schools it oversees. None have been conducted. And staff have no immediate plans to start them. This position was reiterated during an Oct. 24 Interim Finance Committee meeting where legislators asked the charter school authority […]
Who are these people? An overview of CCSD, NSHE races
The Nevada Republican Party last week warned that the outcome of top-ballot races will have a tremendous impact on the state’s education policy, especially in regards to K-12 charter school growth and voucher programs. Both gubernatorial candidates have released education policy plans and gone on the offensive attacking one another over them. For all that […]
Guinn Center to district charters: Be more like state-sponsored ones
The Guinn Center on Wednesday released a report on district-sponsored charter schools. Among their recommendations: Clark County and Washoe County school districts should consider transferring oversight of their underperforming charter schools to the Nevada State Public Charter School Authority or Achievement School District. Short of that, the report recommends school boards encourage their low-performing charters […]
Las Vegas City Council crushes 5th graders’ hopes
A fifth-grade class at Garehime Elementary School got a taste of how local government works, or doesn’t, Wednesday when it made a case before the Las Vegas City Council for naming the black-tailed jackrabbit as the official city animal. “I thought this would be noncontroversial and a no-brainer,” said City Councilman Stavros Anthony. “Since I’ve […]
Nevada at bottom, again; but what exactly is the ACT testing?
Of the 20 or so states where all or nearly all high school graduates take the ACT, Nevada high school grads had the lowest average score in 2018. ACT Inc. released its annual score report Wednesday. Nationally, “college readiness” in math among 2018 graduates fell to its lowest mark since 2004. “Readiness” in English has […]
NV GOP promises more charter schools, vouchers if key races won
At an education forum Tuesday night, Nevada Republicans issued a warning to their base: School choice policies will be difficult to pass if Democrats control both the state legislature and the governorship. It’s a rallying cry that works equally well for the Democrats, and it highlights the growing partisanship of education politics, especially at the […]