Month: April 2020

Nevada Ed-Watch 4/30/20

Posted on by Opportunity 180

The Ed-Watch series is designed to increase access to information on decisions being made regarding public education in Clark County and Nevada.

Nevada State Board of Education

What is the State Board of Education & what are they responsible for? The Nevada State Board of Education adopts regulations based on Nevada laws, which are passed down to individual school districts in Nevada to implement. The Board has 11 total (7 appointed and 4 publicly elected) members.

How often does the State Board meet? The Nevada State Board of Education meets once per month on Thursdays at 9:00AM. Click here to see the 2020 Board Meeting Schedule. Click here to visit Hope For Nevada’s #NVEd Calendar.

Can community members engage at State Board Meetings? A time for public comment is provided at the beginning (for agenda items) and at the conclusion (on any matter) of each Board meeting. There is a time limit of three minutes per speaker. Members of the community providing testimony must fill out a visitor card, available on-site the day of the meeting.

Click here for a list of all State Board Members.

Thursday, April 30, 2020
Nevada State Board of Education Meeting

Click here to see the meeting agenda

What happened at this meeting?

Public Comment

Members of the public provided testimony via email submission regarding: 

  • Support to approve lower student-to-counselor and student-to-school psychologist ratios. 
  • Concerns about the impact of overcrowded classrooms on the health and safety of students and educators. 

Superintendent’s Report

State Superintendent Ebert report highlights:

  • The Nevada Dept of Education has released their Path Forward Plan for the reopening of schools in Nevada. 
  • The plan includes the formation of the Reopening of Schools Committee, which will “develop and implement a framework for a safe, efficient, and equitable return to school. This framework will be needed to assist districts and charter schools with prevention, response, and recovery strategies to meet the changing conditions created by the COVID-19 pandemic.” 
  • Although the Reopening of Schools Committee is not inclusive of parents, educators, and support staff– it was noted that districts and charter schools will be responsible for creating committees to create local reopening plans that adhere to guidelines from the state. Guidance will be provided to districts and charters to ensure that those stakeholders are included in their local committees. 
  • Star ratings as well as TSI and CSI designations from the 2018-2019 school year will carry over into the 2019-2020 school year. 

Public comment: Members of the public shared concerns that there are no parents, teachers, or support professionals on the Reopening of Schools Committee. 

Board Approved the Consent Agenda

Consent Agenda Highlights:

  • Approval of Appointment Terms for Tonia-Holmes Sutton and Don Soifer to the State Public Charter School Authority Board 
  • Instructional Materials for the Carson City School District 

Board Heard Update on the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act Funding

On March 27, 2020 in response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic,
the President signed into law the CARES Act to provide $2 trillion in
economic relief to the country, which includes funding for education.

Presentation Highlights: 

  • The Nevada Department of Education is receiving $117 million from the federal government. 
  • 90% of these funds will go to Local Education Agencies (LEAs) (districts and charter schools), and will be distributed based on FY 19 Title I distribution formulas. LEAs may use the funds for any activity authorized under the following: 
    • Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as reauthorized by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) 
    • Individuals with Disability Education Act (IDEA) 
    • Perkins CTE Act 
    • Adult Education and Family Literacy Act 
    • McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act 
  • Other allowable uses of these funds include other activities to help with the response to COVID-19 closures (including preparedness and response efforts, sanitation, professional development, and distance learning).
  • The Department will hold an allowable 10% for department use related to COVID-19, and .5% for administrative costs. 
  • The Department received federal approval to waive all state-mandated summative testing for the 2019-2020 school year. 

Click here to see the presentation. 

Board Approved Amendments to Work-Based Learning Plans 

The board approved amendments to work-based learning plans for the Clark County School District and the Washoe County School District due to school and business closures. The amendments will help students stay on track to receive College and Career Ready diplomas. 

Click here to see the CCSD amendments.

Click here to see the WCSD amendments.

Board Approved Teach Nevada Scholarship Awards

The board approved 97 Teach Nevada scholarships for students engaged in Alternative Routes to Licensure (ARL) as well as traditional teacher training programs. The board also provided approval for the Department to award additional scholarships using any remaining balance– pending the final budget closing and FY 21 allocations. 

Click here to see the presentation.

Board Approved Non-Binding Recommended Ratios for Specialized Instructional Support Personnel 

Senate Bill 89 requires the State Board of Education to develop non-binding recommendations for the ratio of pupils to specialized instructional support personnel. In addition to non-binding ratios, the board directed the Department to continue collaboration with stakeholders to develop a required 15-year plan, including the exploration of using Medicaid reimbursement funds for school based health services. 

The board approved the following ratios:  

  • School counselors 1:250
  • School psychologists 1:500
  • School social workers 1:250

Click here to see the presentation.

Requests for future agenda items: 

  • Presentation from Teach Plus on an analysis of teachers leaving the profession
  • Status of Class Size Reduction post COVID-19

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Nevada Ed-Watch 4/23/20

Posted on by Opportunity 180

The Ed-Watch series is designed to increase access to information on what decisions are being made regarding public education in Clark County and Nevada.

Clark County School District Board of Trustees 

What is the Board of Trustees & what are they responsible for? The CCSD Trustees are publicly elected decision-makers for the school district. They are responsible for providing oversight to the Superintendent and establishing District-wide policy. Trustees are accountable to work with their communities to improve student achievement.

Click here to learn more and see a list of current Trustees

Click here to Find your Trustee District

How often does the Board of Trustees meet? Trustees meet twice per month (second and fourth Thursdays) at 5pm at the Edward A. Greer Education Center (Board Room): 2832 E. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, NV 89121.

Click here for a full list of Trustees meetings and agendas

Click here to visit Hope For Nevada’s #NVEd Calendar

Can community members engage at Trustee Meetings? Decision-making bodies benefit greatly from hearing public input and multiple perspectives. Community members can sign up to speak after the agenda has been posted– by calling the Board Office at (702) 799-1072 at least 3 hours before the scheduled meeting, or signing up in-person at the beginning of the meeting. Prior to each agenda item being voted on, speakers can share their perspective after the Board’s discussion and prior to the vote.

Thursday, April 23, 2020

Clark County School District Board of Trustees Emergency Meeting

Click here to see the meeting agenda

What happened at this meeting?

Public Comment

Members of the public submitted comments online regarding:

  • Concerns about salaries and health benefits for substitute teachers 
  • Concerns about the job security of support staff for the 2020-2021 school year  

Consent Agenda Highlights: 

  • Contract with the National Equity Project to train 10 leadership coaches and 150 school site employees to improve equity and social-emotional development. Due to COVID-19, the training will be held via webinar. Trustees discussed the importance of collecting data to measure the program’s effectiveness. (approved 5-2).

Trustees Heard Updates about the District’s Response to COVID-19

Presentation Highlights: 

  • Schools will be operating via distance education for the reminder of the school year, and food service is expected to continue through at least June 30th. 
  • CCSD is performing wellness checks for students they have not been able to contact since the transition to distance education. On day one, contact attempts were made for 189 students, with 62 students reached. The district expects to expand upon the wellness checks in the coming weeks. 
  • CCSD is continuing to distribute ChromeBooks to students. Elementary school deployment is in progress. CCSD is also piloting a central ChromeBook deployment process, including the identification of “hot spot” locations where staff have the most challenges reaching students.
  • School Principals are creating site-specific plans for staff and employees to retrieve items from school buildings at the close of the year. 
  • CCSD formed a group to develop strategies for what school will look like next year. District staff shared that they are considering: 
    • Administration of the NWEA MAP Growth assessment early in the school year to inform student learning plans
    • Staggered bell times 
    • Staggered attendance schedules
    • Blended learning 
    • Alternative processes for coordinating lunch, recess, and student activities

Click here to see the presentation.

Trustees Heard a Tentative Budget Summary 

CCSD’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) shared updates on the CCSD budget forecast. There have been no significant changes to the budget, pending direction from the Governor’s office regarding changes in revenue and the economic impact of COVID-19. Due to a lack of such information, the final budget that will be presented to the board in May will not be reflective of all changes needed in response to COVID-19. 

Each year, CCSD submits a final budget for the upcoming school year in June, followed by an amended budget in December. The district anticipates an additional iteration of the budget– between the June final budget and the December amended budget– to account for revenue adjustments. Trustees expressed concerns about potential budget cuts in the coming years. 

Click here to see the presentation 

Trustees Approved a Notice of Intent to Update CCSD Policy 

Trustees approved a Notice of Intent regarding non-substantive changes to CCSD Policy 4340,  Discipline: All Employees. The policy will come before the board for approval during the May 14th meeting. 

Click here to see the policy. 

Superintendent Communications

Dr. Larsen-Mitchell was announced as the new Deputy Superintendent. The outgoing Deputy Superintendent, Dr. Gullett, is transitioning into a new role as Superintendent of Schools for Marion County Public Schools in Florida.

Requests for Future Agenda Items:

  • Status update on the payroll system 
  • Status update on the implementation of EthicsPoint system 
  • Consideration to form a community group to assess the digital divide in the community
  • Demographic data on the students who have not been successfully reached from district outreach
  • Information of student registration for the 2020-2021 school year
  • Memo that outlines the financial impact of COVID-19 on district finances

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Nevada Ed-Watch 4/24/20

Posted on by Opportunity 180

The Ed-Watch series is designed to increase access to information on what decisions are being made regarding public education in Clark County and Nevada.

State Public Charter School Authority (SPCSA)

What is the SPCSA & what are they responsible for? The SPCSA sponsors and oversees public charter schools across the State of Nevada. The Authority consists of nine appointed members responsible for overseeing educational and operational standards, and holding sponsored schools accountable to the academic achievement of students.

How often does the SPCSA Board meet? SPCSA members meet once monthly– on Fridays.

Click here for SPCSA meeting schedule and materials.

Can community members engage at SPCSA Board Meetings? All meetings are held publicly at the Nevada Department of Education building in Carson City and the Nevada Department of Education building in Las Vegas (1st floor boardroom). Members of the public are invited to attend at either location. A time for public comment is provided at the conclusion of each agenda item and at the conclusion of each Board meeting. There is a time limit of three minutes per speaker. Members of the community providing testimony must fill out a visitor card, available on-site the day of the meeting.

Alternatively, public comment may be submitted in writing at publiccomment@spcsa.nv.gov, and any such public comment received prior to the meeting will be provided to the Authority and included in the written minutes of the meeting.

Click here for a list of all SPCSA Members.

Click here for a list of all SPCSA sponsored schools.

Friday, April 24, 2020
State Public Charter School Authority Board Meeting

Click here to see the meeting agenda 

What happened at this meeting? 

Board Heard Updates Regarding COVID-19

Staff members shared updates regarding the SPCSA’s response to COVID-19, including:

  • All SPCSA schools are actively implementing a distance learning program, with 98% attendance and participation among students.
  • All schools are required to contact students once per week, but are generally contacting students daily.
  • SPCSA staff have been checking in weekly with schools to monitor their progress.
  • Due to the cancellation of assessments for all public schools statewide, schools will not receive ratings under the Nevada School Performance Framework (NSPF) or the Alternate Performance Framework for the 2019-20 school year. SPCSA staff will conduct school evaluations virtually to maintain an accountability mechanism for its schools.
  • The SPCSA budget will be impacted by approximately 4% this fiscal year, and between 6-14% next fiscal year. There is no anticipated direct financial impact on staffing or programming. The SPCSA encourages schools to also plan for the impact of COVID-19 on their budgets.

SPCSA Executive Director’s Report: 

Report Highlights: 

  • The staff is working with former ASD schools to ensure a full transition to the SPCSA by July 1, 2020, and to complete contracts for approval in May. 
  • Updates on approved Fall 2020 expansions for American Preparatory Academy, Mater Academy of Nevada, and Nevada State High School. The schools are virtually working through student recruitment and enrollment efforts during COVID-19 closures. Another status update will be provided during the May 29th board meeting.
  • Updates on Pinecrest Academy of Northern Nevada, which was approved as a new charter to launch in Fall 2020. 
    • The school will present its final transportation plan for approval in May. Click here to see the school’s marketing plan, enrollment updates with a zip code analysis, and transportation plan.
    • The school is revising their recruitment efforts in response to challenges presented by COVID-19 closures. The board requested updates on the school’s outreach efforts for the target at-risk student population.
  • An updated version of the New Charter School Application is live, and an applicant training was conducted to walk applicants through the new application. The application was updated to reduce redundancies, reflect current state statutes, and align to the SPCSA’s strategic growth plan.

Board Approved a Revolving Loan Application for GALS

SPCSA staff shared its recommendations for the approval of a revolving loan application submitted by Girls Athletic Leadership School (GALS). Staff noted the school’s strong business plan for repayment as well as its plans to serve an at-risk community.

Click here to see the staff recommendation memo.

Board Approved Charter Contract Amendments

The board approved the following amendments:

  • Las Vegas Collegiate’s proposed facility change within the same 89106 zip code. The school also requested an amendment to its enrollment cap and transportation plan.
  • Pinecrest Academy of Nevada proposed a dual enrollment program for eligible students.

Board Heard Updates about SPCSA Growth Management Plan Feedback

SPCSA staff shared input that was received by the Legislative Committee on Education regarding recommended updates to the SPCSA Growth Management Plan, including:

  • Indicating progress of monitoring schools and closing schools in the event of underperformance
  • Adding details regarding the methods by which the SPCSA staff communicates with school districts 
  • Including the priority of diversifying staff to be representative of the communities they serve 
  • Clarifying standards to prevent the expansion of schools that are not in good standing

Click here to see the presentation.

Board Heard Updates on the Biennial Review of Statutes and Regulations

Beginning in February, the SPCSA will begin preparing for the next legislative session. SPCSA staff discussed a draft statute request, due in May, to amend new school application timelines. 

Board Discussed Updates to Long-Range Calendar

The Board discussed scheduling board training as well as adding a May board meeting.

Click here to see the board meeting calendar.

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Nevada Ed-Watch 4/16/20

Posted on by Opportunity 180

The Ed-Watch series is designed to increase access to information on what decisions are being made regarding public education in Clark County and Nevada.

Clark County School District Board of Trustees 

What is the Board of Trustees & what are they responsible for? The CCSD Trustees are publicly elected decision-makers for the school district. They are responsible for providing oversight to the Superintendent and establishing District-wide policy. Trustees are accountable to work with their communities to improve student achievement.

Click here to learn more and see a list of current Trustees

Click here to Find your Trustee District

How often does the Board of Trustees meet? Trustees meet twice per month (second and fourth Thursdays) at 5pm at the Edward A. Greer Education Center (Board Room): 2832 E. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, NV 89121.

Click here for a full list of Trustees meetings and agendas

Click here to visit Hope For Nevada’s #NVEd Calendar

Can community members engage at Trustee Meetings? Decision-making bodies benefit greatly from hearing public input and multiple perspectives. Community members can sign up to speak after the agenda has been posted– by calling the Board Office at (702) 799-1072 at least 3 hours before the scheduled meeting, or signing up in-person at the beginning of the meeting. Prior to each agenda item being voted on, speakers can share their perspective after the Board’s discussion and prior to the vote.

Thursday, April 16, 2020

Clark County School District Board of Trustees Emergency Meeting

Click here to see the meeting agenda & Addendum

What happened at this meeting?

Public Comment

Members of the public submitted testimony online regarding:

  • Concerns about the safety of students and faculty due to coronavirus (COVID-19)
  • Concerns about salaries and health benefits for substitute teachers 
  • Concerns about the impact of COVID-19 closures on employee compensation
  • Support for closing schools through the rest of the school year 
  • Concerns about the transition to distance education 

Consent Agenda Highlights: 

Trustees Denied the Extension of Emergency Authority for the Superintendent (5-0-2)

At the March 23rd board meeting, trustees  approved a limited Grant of Authority permitting Superintendent Jara to approve contracts and purchase items that are essential to the operation of the District during COVID-19 school closures. This request would extend the emergency Grant of Authority through April 30th. Two trustees abstained from the vote, and five trustees voted against the extension. 

Click here to see the resolution.

Click here to read about this in The Nevada Independent.

Trustees Heard Updates about the District’s Response to COVID-19

Presentation Highlights: 

  • CCSD has implemented three different modalities for students to engage in distance education: online learning, paper work packets that can be accessed at food distribution sites, and educational TV programming through Vegas PBS. During the week of March 30th, 258,361 students were engaged in some form of distance learning. There are about 325,000 students enrolled in CCSD schools. 
  • CCSD is encouraging parents to reach out to their child’s school counselor for resources on how to talk to their kids about COVID-19. 
  • CCSD is implementing two-way communication between teachers and families to track attendance. Parents who have not heard from their school are encouraged to call the school. 
  • 55,000 Chromebooks have been deployed to middle and high school students. 145,000 additional Chromebooks are in the process of being distributed to elementary school students. 
  • Considerations for the upcoming school year include exploring opportunities for summer learning, as well as  front-loading quarter 4 academic content to the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year. District staff are also developing a balanced assessment system for the upcoming school year, and considering administering MAP Growth assessments (grades 3-8) to measure academic progress. 

Click here to see the presentation.

Trustees Approved Collective Bargaining Agreements

Trustees approved agreements with the Education Support Employees Association (ESEA) and the Clark County Educators Association (CCEA) that temporarily allows employees to “donate” unused sick leave to other employees impacted by COVID-19. Additionally, Trustees approved additional pay for ESEA support staff who worked during the first week of closures (3/15/20 through 3/21/20). Additional pay will also be extended to employees that volunteered to work during closures and those who are actively serving the public, such as food service and custodial workers. The total cost of these agreements is $800,000.00.

Click here to see the ESEA additional pay agreement.

Click here to see the ESEA sick leave agreement.

Click here to see the CCEA sick leave agreement.

Superintendent Communications

Superintendent Jara has met with high school seniors, and is scheduled to meet with high school principals to make a determination about graduation for the class of 2020.  The district will continue to provide information with families regarding any action taken in response to the coronavirus. 

Requests for Future Agenda Items:

  • A memo that outlines the financial impact of COVID-19 on the district.

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