Month: January 2023

North Star News – enero 2023

Posted on by Opportunity 180

North Star News (NSN) conecta a familias, padres, tutores y miembros de la comunidad con información sobre la educación del estado de Nevada.

Interactuar con la Escuela de su Estudiante

Nos complace compartir una lista de preguntas para ayudar a las familias a participar en conversación con las escuela de sus hijos. Puede utilizar estas preguntas como guía para iniciar conversaciones.

Hay muchas maneras de aprender acerca de las escuelas. Puede ver los datos de la escuela, leer información en línea y hablar con otras familias. Otra forma de aprender más sobre una escuela es establecer relaciones con los maestros, directores, y personal.

Las familias y las escuelas son socios importantes para ayudar a los estudiantes a tener éxito. Ya sea que su estudiante se inscriba a una nueva escuela este otoño o permanezca en su escuela actual, cualquier momento es bueno para hacer preguntas profundas. Esperamos que esta guía les ayude a tener conversaciones significativas con su equipo escolar.

Obtenga más información.

Actualizaciones de Transporte de CCSD

Varias zonas de transporte cambiarán en el año escolar 2023-2024 para CCSD Career and Technical Academies (CTA).


Obtenga más información.

NOTICIAS Y OTROS RECURSOS QUE PUEDES UTILIZAR

Recursos

Estamos destacando varias oportunidades para: involucrar, honrar, y apoyar a los estudiantes y sus familias en nuestra comunidad.

  • Becas para Estudiantes en su Último Año de Secundaria: Hay varias oportunidades de becas disponibles para estudiantes de último año de secundaria a través de PEF Plus. El último día para aplicar es el 31 de enero del 2023.
  • Oportunidad de Becas: Code Switch ofrece el Overachievers’ Fund para estudiantes de color con antecedentes de bajos ingresos y en grados K-12. Los fondos de la beca (de hasta $500) se pueden usar para solicitudes universitarias, cuotas deportivas, materiales escolares y otros artículos.
  • Recursos Educativos: Newspapers in Education proporciona recursos educativos gratuitos para todos los grados proporcionados por Las Vegas Review-Journal.
  • Concurso de Video: El Clark County Children’s Mental Health Consortium (CCCMHC) está organizando un concurso de video para jóvenes para promover la Semana de Aceptación de la Salud Mental Infantil: del 7 al 13 de mayo de 2023. El último día para enviar su video es el 24 de febrero de 2023.
  • Cursos de Cocina Gratis en febrero: Las familias con niños pequeños aprenderán a preparar recetas saludables. Los participantes también recibirán materiales gratuitos como: una tabla de cortar, un libro de cocina, cucharas para medir y más.Talleres: CCSD Family Academy ofrecerá sesiones de aprendizaje para adultos y familias el 25 de febrero de 2023.
  • Talleres: CCSD Family Academy ofrecerá sesiones de aprendizaje para adultos y familias el 25 de febrero de 2023.

¡Manténgase al día con las juntas escolares locales!

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COMPARTE LAS NOTICIAS

¿Tiene preguntas, comentarios o solicitudes de temas para destacar en el boletín? Simplemente responda a este correo electrónico para comunicarse con nosotros. ¿Conoce a alguien a quien le gustaría obtener más información sobre la educación en Nevada? Le invitamos a compartir este boletín con las personas de su red.

Nevada Ed-Watch: 1/27/23

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? Considered one of Nevada’s school districts, the SPCSA sponsors and oversees public charter schools. The Authority consists of seven 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? The SPCSA typically meets once a month, generally on Fridays. 

Click here for SPCSA meeting schedule and materials.

Can community members engage at SPCSA Board Meetings? While all meetings of the SPCSA are typically 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), all meetings are now held virtually due to the COVID-19 crisis. Members of the public may view the meeting online via the link on the SPCSA’s Public Notice web page and the agenda and any supporting materials can be found here. Public comment may be given on any agenda item at the beginning of the meeting, or public comment regarding any matter that is SPCSA-related may be given at the conclusion of each Board meeting. Members of the community giving public comment can utilize the following conference call line: 1-312-584-2401; extension 3952176# with a time limit of three minutes per speaker. Alternatively, public comment may be submitted in writing to 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, January 27, 2022
State Public Charter School Authority Board Meeting
Access the meeting agenda and playback.

What happened at this meeting? 

Public Comment #1 

Public comment was heard on:

  • National School Choice Week and the Las Vegas School Choice Fair (over 16,000 attendees, 85 schools/campus)

SPCSA Executive Director’s Report

  • Legislative Session Preview:
    • SPCSA will provide an “SPCSA 101” presentation to the Assembly and Senate Education Committees and a budget presentation to the Subcommittee on K-12 Education. Dates are not yet finalized.
    • SPCSA will share a recap of education and charter school related bills that have passed at the June or July 2023 board meeting.
    • The SPCSA Legislative Session memo includes a list of bills that the SPCSA is currently tracking. View the memo here.
  • Executive Order 2023-003:
    • On Jan 12, 2023, Governor Lombardo issued  Executive Directive 2023-003 which requires agencies to review regulations subject to that agency’s enforcement power and identify regulations that can be improved, streamlined, clarified, and eliminated. The report is due to the Governor’s office on May 1, 2023 and must include a list of 10 regulations that the agency recommends eliminating.
    • SPCSA is going through admin code 388A and will revisit this item at the March 2023 board meeting.
  • New Charter School Applicant Training and Guidance:
    • SPCSA worked to review and update the new charter school application ahead of the April 2023 application deadline. Staff also updated the  application guidance document with more details. 
    • SPCSA has held three unique training sessions: 1) overview of application/how the process works, application types 2) info to include in cover sheet/meeting the need, and 3) academic section of application. Recordings are available on the SPCSA website. 
    • Two training sessions will take place in February that will focus on the financial planning/budgeting and operations/addendum sections of the application.Trainings are live-streamed for virtual access. Letters of Intent are due January 30, 2023.
  • SPCSA Monitoring of Special Education Enrollment Practices:
    • Beginning next week, SPCSA staff will make random, unannounced calls to SPCSA-sponsored schools, roleplaying as a parent of a child with a disability seeking information on admission and enrollment. Staff will use a script and document school responses. The purpose of this process is to determine whether a barrier to entry exists (such as a family being denied or discouraged to apply on behalf of the student) and to ensure compliance with NRS 388A453. Schools will receive notice if no barriers are found. If barriers are found, the school will be notified and the SCPSA will conduct a second random call. The SPCSA will offer technical assistance to support schools in remediating barriers to entry. Schools have been notified of this process. 

New Schools Update

  • Eagle Charter Schools of Nevada:
    • Eagle Charter School will open as a K-5, growing to K-8. Year One planned enrollment is 540. The location will be 2025 E. Sahara Ave in Las Vegas. 
    • The school shared updates on pre-opening activities, student recruitment/enrollment, hiring, facility oversight, and charter application conditions. Explore the update.
  • Rooted School – Clark County:
    • Rooted School will open this fall with Grades 9 & 10. Year 1 planned enrollment is 180. The school has a space at Nevada Prep Charter School.
    • The school shared updates on the facilities, charter application conditions, branding and marketing, student recruitment, and staffing. Explore the update.
  • Southern Nevada Trades High School:
    • The school will open with grades 9 and 10. Planned Year One enrollment is 200 students. The school is planning its location at 1580 Bledsoe Lane in Las Vegas, and shared updates on school building construction, hiring, and community outreach efforts. Explore the update.
  • Pinecrest Academy – Springs Campus:
    • The school has submitted an amendment requesting a good cause exemption to adjust school location, enrollment cap, and grade levels served. The original campus was to open in 89107 but the school was unable to secure a lease. The temporary campus will be located at 6151 W Charleston Blvd in Las Vegas for at least the first two years. Explore the update and the recommendation memo.
    • Board approved a motion to grant the good cause exemption request and conditionally approved Pinecrest’s request to occupy a temporary facility at 6151 W. Charleston Blvd, Las Vegas, NV, 89146, through the 2024-25 SY.

Board Heard an Update from Mater Academy of Northern Nevada

The Board received a presentation from Mater Academy of Northern Nevada about their work toward ensuring student success. Mater is a K-8 school with 311 elementary school students and 182 middle students serving a diverse student population that includes 100% FRL, 38% multi-language learners, and 15% IEP. The school saw significant growth in NSPF index scores for the 2021-22 school year, attributing that growth to their focus on a “family-like” school culture, dedicated staff, high rigor and grade level expectations, instructional assistants that are trained like teachers, working with an instructional data coach, formative and summative assessments, and strong focus on social-emotional learning and supports, PBIS, and restorative justice. 

Explore the presentation.

Board Discussed the SPCSA Annual Review and Overview of SPCSA-Sponsored Public Charter Schools

There are 78 campuses currently served by the SPCSA, 85% of which are in Clark County. The current student count is just under 60,000 students, or about 12% of public school students statewide. The SPCSA goals and their respective progress include:

  • Provide families with access to high quality schools: 80% of SPCSA schools are earning an index score of 50+, and 55% are projected to be 4- and 5-star schools; SPCSA graduation rates are 86%.
    • Opportunities include continuing to close achievement gaps among students.
  • Ensure that every SPCSA student succeeds – including those from historically underserved student groups: All SPCSA student groups outperformed their state peers in 3rd-8th grade, and most outperformed their state peers in 11th grade math and ELA. Most SPCSA student groups’ graduation rates exceeded the respective statewide student group.
  • Increase the diversity of students served by SPCSA schools: Demographics show steady progress towards alignment with the state, including students who qualify for free and reduced lunch and English learners.

Explore the State of the SPCSA presentation and the organization’s strategic plan progress report.

Board Approved the Annual Report to the Nevada Department of Education

The board presented its annual report to the Nevada Department of Education, as required by NRS 388A.351. The report contains information on student and school performance, progress made on SPCSA’s strategic plan, performance framework results, and status of current schools, as well as schools scheduled to open.

Explore the report.

Board Approved the Updates to the COVID-19 Plan for the Safe Return to In-Person Instruction

Updates to the plan include:

  • Providing access to COVID-19 testing resources for interested schools, beginning in the 2021-22 school year
  • Additional academic monitoring or oversight in 13 school campuses
  • Updating enrollment

Explore the Plan for the Safe Return to In-Person Instruction.

Board Approved Participation in the National Association of Charter School Authorizers’ Leadership in Action Cohort

The Board approved the Executive Director’s and/or her designee’s participation in the National Association of Charter School Authorizers’ Leadership in Action cohort. There is no cost for participation, but the agency would be responsible for travel costs.

Explore the recommendation memo.

Long-Range Calendar (next 3 months):

Agenda items over the next three SPCSA board meetings are anticipated to include:

  • Financial Performance Framework results
  • Legislative session updates
  • Revolving loan application recommendations
  • New schools update

Explore the calendar.

The next Meeting of the SPCSA Board is scheduled for Friday, March 3, 2023, @ 9:00 a.m. 

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Nevada Ed-Watch: 1/26/23

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 5 pm both virtually and at the Edward A. Greer Education Center Board Room (2832 E Flamingo Rd, 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. Currently, members of the public can submit comments on agenda and non-agenda items through email or voice recording. Public comment can be provided in person, via email, or via voice recording. Email comments should be submitted to Boardmtgcomments@nv.ccsd.net. To submit a voice recording on items listed on the meeting agenda, call 702-799-1166. Voice recorded public comment is limited to 1 minute 30 seconds.

Thursday, January 26, 2023

Clark County School District Board of Trustees Meeting

Click here to see the meeting agenda.
Watch the meeting playback on CCSD EduVision.

What happened at this meeting?

Trustees Approved the Consent Agenda (7-0)

Consent Agenda Highlights:

Consent Agenda Highlights:

Explore consent agenda items here.

Trustees Received an Update on Graduation Rates

Trustees received a presentation on four-year high school graduation rates. Highlights included:

  • The Class of 2022 saw an increase in graduation rates from 80.9% to 81.3%.
  • Student groups that did not increase graduation rates include American Indian/ Alaskan Native, Black/African American, and students who identify as two or more Races.
  • CCSD graduation rates are consistent with statewide trends.
  • Providing high-quality Tier I instruction and Tier II and III interventions for students through MTSS and effective monitoring tools for guiding student progress should help with increases in the four-year graduation rate.

Explore the presentation in English and Spanish.

Trustees Received an Update on Winter MAP Growth

Trustees received a presentation on the Winter MAP Growth Assessment, part of CCSD Smart Balanced Assessment System. Highlights included:

  • Most grade ranges observed little improvement year-over-year in projected proficiency in SBAC and ACT
  • Exceptions to that rule included English Language Learners, whose progress is slightly decreasing.
  • Note: 2020-2021 assessments were completed remotely due to COVID, and participation rates were lower.
  • Academic rebounding continues but student achievement is lower than pre-pandemic levels and will likely take years to recover fully.

Explore the presentation in English and Spanish.

Public Comment

Members of the public shared comments regarding: 

  • Youth mental health and lack of mental health professionals within CCSD
  • Suggestions to improve Nevada’s educational system
  • Challenges within irrigation and grounds departments

The next Meeting of the Board of Trustees is scheduled for February 9, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. 

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Nevada Ed-Watch: 1/24/23

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 Nevada.

Washoe County School District Board of Trustees 

What is the Board of Trustees & what are they responsible for? The Washoe County School District Board of 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.

How often does the Board of Trustees meet? Trustees meet twice per month (second and fourth Tuesdays) at 2 pm both virtually and at the Central Administration Building Board Room, 425 E. 9th St., Reno, NV 89512.

Click here for a full list of Trustees meetings.

Can community members engage at Trustee meetings? Decision-making bodies benefit greatly from hearing public input and multiple perspectives. Currently, members of the public can submit comments on agenda and non-agenda items through email or voice recording. Public comment can be provided in person or via email. Email comments should be submitted to publiccomments@washoeschools.net. 

Tuesday, January 24, 2023

Washoe County School District Board of Trustees Meeting

Click here to see the meeting agenda.
Watch the meeting playback.

What happened at this meeting?

Trustees Approved the Consent Agenda

Consent agenda highlights include:

Explore the consent agenda here.

Trustees Received a Presentation on the FY24 Budget Update and 4-Year Financial Plan

Staff presented an update on the FY2023-2024 budget, as well as several considerations for the budget. The Nevada Department of Education will present its overall budget on January 27. Per-pupil funding will most likely not be known until later in the legislative session, and initial findings of the Governor’s budget will be presented at the February 14 Board meeting.

Factors impacting the FY24 budget:

  • Lower birth rates across the nation will impact larger school districts, meaning flat or decreased enrollment.
  • Enrollment in District school has decreased by 4.3% since the 2018-19 school year, or more than 3,000 students from pre-pandemic levels. Charter and private schools have seen increases in enrollment.
  • There will be an enrollment bubble in Grades 9-12 through the 2022-2023 school year.
  • Kindergarten students for 2022-2023 are projected to be 4,400, which means that 600+ more students will be leaving than entering the School District from FY24 – FY27. The revenue shortfall of this decreased enrollment is approximately $8 million (using the current per pupil funding formula).
  • The Nevada Public Employment Retirement System (PERS) Board has approved a rate increase, with an impact of $4.7 million.
  • The per pupil funding formula change in the budget will determine if the District has a revenue shortfall or deficit, by preliminary calculations.

Staff advised the Board to hold off on major budget changes until the legislative session ends but address critical needs in the meanwhile. A tentative budget will be presented on April 11, with final budgets presented May 23.

Staff also presented the four-year long-range financial planning to identify risks and trends. Variables including salaries, enrollment, future per pupil funding allocations, and changes in General Fund revenues. Several models were presented.

Next steps include evaluating the Governor’s proposed budget and the legislative session. The Board directed the Superintendent to continue to analyze and report back to the Board on specific budget issues, items, and other changes to the FY 2023-24 budget process.

Explore the presentation and the budget by department.

Trustees Approved the Purchase of ActivPanels and Associated Hardware

Trustees approved the purchase of classroom ActivPanels and associated hardware through a joinder contract. The total cost is estimated at $6.8 million.

Explore the proposal from Advanced Classroom Technologies and the volume price agreement.

Trustees Approved a Moratorium on Board Policy 9070

Trustees approved a moratorium on Board Policy 9070: Creation, Adoption, Revision, and Deletion of Board Policy, Administrative Regulation, and Administrative Procedures/Manuals. Staff will return with best practices and recommendations.

Explore the policy statement.

Trustees Received a Presentation on Graduation Rates, Diplomas, and Seals

Trustees received a presentation on Washoe County graduation rates and diplomas. Overall, WCSD graduation rates in 2022 were 84%, a slight improvement of 82% in 2021, flat to the five-year graduation rate, and an 18 point increase over 10 years.

Graduation gaps persist in some student groups, including those who identify as American Indian (-20 point gap), African-American/Black (-10 point gap), and Pacific Islander (-5 point gap).

Fifty-two percent of graduates obtained a standard diploma, and 48% received an advanced, honors, or Career and College Ready diploma. The average ACT score for WCSD is 17.5; Nevada’s is 17.3.

Identified needs include additional core materials, supplemental tutoring, addressing academic disparities, interventions for students who need additional supports, and assessments to monitor growth and mastery, and family and community supports. The District has responded to each of these. Student representatives also spoke about their different diploma tracks and their experiences.

Next steps include the purchase of National Clearinghouse Student Tracker service, alignment for instruction, school performance plans focusing on reducing academic disparities, vetting high-quality curriculum and instructional materials, and building foundations for fair and consistent grading practices.

Explore the presentation.

Student Representative’s Report

The Student Representative Report highlights included:

  • The Student Advisory Council has been meeting with different student groups on peer-to-peer resources, including programs regarding mental health and setting up pen pals across schools for additional connection points.
  • The Council is also exploring different student engagement tactics to ensure student voices are heard at all District high schools.

Trustee Reports

Trustee reports highlights included:

  • School visits and staff appreciation events
  • Meeting with various stakeholders in the community, including nonprofit organizations
  • Mentoring programs
  • Challenges for schools, students, and staff
  • Encouraging legislative involvement and legislator education on WCSD-related topics
  • Attending the State of the State address and inaugural activities
  • Various school programs and staff members who received statewide and national honors

Superintendent’s Report

The Superintendent’s report highlights included:

  • Thursday, February 2, is the State of the District address, from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. It is open to the public. Learn more about it here.
  • Gratitude towards staff for bringing forward ideas, concerns, and feedback
  • Thoughts on Governor Lombardo’s State of the State address

Public Comment

  • Concerns regarding bargaining unit negotiations
  • Board member agenda requests
  • Task force and public input on diversity
  • The importance of teaching history

The next Meeting of the Board of Trustees is scheduled for February 14, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. 

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Response to State of the State Address

Posted on by Opportunity 180

Opportunity 180 has released the following statement in response to Governor Lombardo’s State of the State Address on January 23:

“Opportunity 180’s North Star is ensuring every kid graduates from high school college and career ready. We appreciate Governor Lombardo affirming that ‘every Nevada child has the right to a quality education and should be college or career ready by time they graduate high school’ during his State of the State address. We look forward to working collaboratively with the Governor’s office, the 2023 Legislature,  students, families, and other stakeholders on equitable and consistent policies, pathways, and solutions that will ensure access to a high-quality public education is the reality for every single kid in Nevada.”

To watch Governor Lombardo’s entire State of the State Address, click here.

Nevada Legislative Building Photo courtesy: Chanilim714, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Nevada Ed-Watch: 1/20/23

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 9:00 AM or 2:00 PM. Click here to see the 2022 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. Members of the public may provide public comment in writing via email; public comment will be accepted via email for the duration of the meeting and shared with the State Board of Education during the public comment periods. Public comment may be emailed to NVBoardED@doe.nv.gov.

Click here for a list of all State Board Members.

Friday, January 20, 2023

Nevada State Board of Education Meeting

Click here to see the regular SBOE meeting agenda.

Click here to watch the meeting playback.

What happened at the regular meeting?

Public Comment #1

Public comment was heard on the following subjects: 

  • A recommendation for educators and high school staff to include in the Career and College Readiness assessment committee

Board Discussed the State Plan for the Improvement of Pupils

Staff provided an overview of the Statewide Plan for the Improvement of Pupils (STIP), an analysis of data regarding success strategies, and how the state is performing on goals aligned with the STIP.

  • Goal 1: Access to early care and education: Progress is mostly flat for accelerating Read by Grade 3.
  • Goal 2: Access to effective teachers: Licensed educational personnel vacancies have dropped from 12.44% for the 2021-22 school year to 9.58% for the 2022-23 school year.
  • Goal 3: Continued academic growth: Improvement has been showed among some student groups in closing pre-K-8 opportunity gaps, but gaps persist among others.
  • Goal 4: Graduate future ready and globally prepared: Disparities among graduation rates in different student groups persist, with graduation rates dropping for students who identify as Black, American Indian-Alaska Native, and two or more races.
  • Goal 5: Access to educational opportunities: Risk assessments are missing data points from the FY22 for comparisons.
  • Goal 6: Safe environments: Five schools were rated as least favorable regarding physical safety.

Staff detailed certain considerations. Some progress has been made but there are opportunities for the Department, school districts, and schools to improve. There is some key data missing due to waivers and remote learning for SY 2019-20 and SY 2020-21. This makes it difficult to track progress.

Staff concluded that several actions listed in the strategies are “not within the purview of the Nevada Department of Education.” The Department will submit a 2023 STIP Addendum, shift the focus of strategies in the STIP to ensure alignment with different NDE divisions and boards, and identify and monitors supports available.

Final approvals will be considered at the March Board meeting.

Explore the presentation.

Board Received a Presentation on Bill Draft Requests of the 82nd Legislative Session

Staff provided an overview of the Department’s bill draft requests (BDRs) for the 82nd Legislative Session, which begins in February.

  • Assembly Bill (AB) 65: A bill intended to clarify or make language more efficient in existing law. It has six parts: 1) educators may receive a summative evaluation during a third waiver year at the discretion of the supervisor or by request; 2) clarifies bullying definitions and reporting; 3) changes the process for adult-child complaints to be handled primarily within the district; 4) changes the kindergarten cut-off birthdate to August 1 and clarifies language about first and second grade students who did not attend kindergarten or first grade; 5) clarifies that work-based learning plans will be approved by superintendent; and 6) clarifies language differentiating between progressive discipline and restorative approaches.
  • AB 42: Class size reduction reporting requirements, including class size reduction reporting and eliminating alternate reporting plans; adjusts certain class size requests; and shifts variance requests to be completed once per year instead of quarterly.
  • AB 4: Adjusts the meeting timeline for the Commission on School Funding and revises membership for the Commission on Professional Standards
  • AB 25: Expands Nevada’s Good Samaritan Law protection for both public and private schools
  • Senate Bill (SB) 9: Removes end of course exams; eliminates participation in the parent report card form; adjusts timelines for reporting requirements for personnel and services report for local education agencies; increases the use of career and technical education funds that can include leadership, training, and workforce development activities; and adjusts provisions regarding the Educational Involvement Accord
  • AB 54: Clarifies language that provides school districts as a reviewer for education plans for hospitals providing education services; updates language regarding free and reduced-lunch eligible students; creates consistency among the use of “attendance” and “enrollment” and updates the definition of chronic absenteeism.

Other pre-filed bills the Department is monitoring include:

  • SB46 relating to the creation of Empowerment Districts (Carson City School District)
  • SB47 on the creation of a Public Education Working Conditions Task Force, authorizing the Board of Trustees to build, purchase, or rent residential dwellings and eliminate teacher licensure fees (Clark County School District)
  • SB56 on a Commission on School Modernization, consisting of all Nevada superintendents being tasked with undertaking a study and making recommendations to revise NRS and NAC on related matters (Washoe County School District)
  • SB65, which requires members of a school board to provide a certification for school board candidates for training and professional development, and requiring fingerprinting for Board of Trustees candidates (Clark County School District).

Additional updates will be provided throughout the legislative session.

Explore the presentation and Assembly Bill 65 text.

Board Approved the Nevada Association of School Superintendents’ iNVest in Education Proposal

The Board approved endorsing the iNVest platform, which was presented at the December board meeting.

Review the iNVest handout.

Board Discussed Goals and the Board’s Self-Evaluation Process

The board reviewed the process that has been completed thus far: training, workshops, setting a vision and mission, as well as goals aligned with that vision; and then collaboratively discussed goals and objectives in alignment with the Silver State Governance training rubric. The rubric is scored by 0-4, with zero being not student outcomes focused and four mastering student outcomes focused.

  • Adopting Vision and Goals Aligned to Student Outcomes – Discussed as Approaching the Student Outcomes Focus
  • Adopting Guardrails Aligned to Vision – Discussed asApproaching the Student Outcomes Focus
  • Devoting Significant Time to Accountability and Monitoring – Discussed as Not Student Outcomes Focused and Approaching Student Outcomes Focus
  • Including Stakeholders in the Pursuit of the Vision –  Discussed as Not Approaching Student Outcomes Focused and Meeting Student Outcomes Focus
  • Leading with One Voice in Pursuit of Vision and Goals – Discussed as Approaching Student Outcomes Focus and Meeting Student Outcomes Focus
  • Investing Time and Resources Towards Improvement – Discussed as Approaching Student Outcomes Focus and Meeting Student Outcomes Focus

Discussion included additional avenues for community engagement and future workshop content.

Explore the goals, guidelines, and rubric.

Board Discussed Future Agenda Items

The board reviewed the following items for inclusion in the 2023 calendar:

  • State Board meeting start times
  • Subcommittee findings and recommendations for the College and Career Readiness assessment
  • State Board Officers elections
  • English Mastery Council recommendations
  • Workshops for school start times

Public Comment #2

  • No public comment provided.

The next regular Board of Education meeting is scheduled at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 16, 2022.


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Nevada Ed-Watch: 1/12/23

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 9:00 AM or 2:00 PM. Click here to see the 2022 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. Members of the public may provide public comment in writing via email; public comment will be accepted via email for the duration of the meeting and shared with the State Board of Education during the public comment periods. Public comment may be emailed to NVBoardED@doe.nv.gov.

Click here for a list of all State Board Members.

Thursday, January 12, 2023

Nevada State Board of Education Meeting

Click here to see the regular SBOE meeting agenda.

Click here to watch the meeting playback.

What happened at the regular meeting?

Public Comment #1

Public comment was heard on the following subjects: 

  • Student appreciation for the Jobs for Nevada Graduates program

President’s Report

Highlights included:

  • Portrait of a Learner will inform measuring and tracking success for the state’s education system through a student-focused lens. Applications for student participants are now available.  
  • President Ortiz introduced new Board Member Maggie Carlton and thanked outgoing Vice President Mark Newburn for his service.
  • Governor Lombardo has reappointed Superintendent Ebert.

Superintendent’s Report

  • Legislative Updates: Assignments for the Senate and Assembly Education Committees have been announced. The Senate Education Committee will meet Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 1:00 p.m. beginning February 6. January 23 is the State of the State address. The Governor’s finance office budget presentation will be later that week, and the Department will be presenting the funding formula at 8:30 a.m., and the departmental budget at 10:15 a.m.
  • Principal Advisory Cabinet: This statewide group met recently to discuss a variety of initiatives.  

Board Approved Consent Agenda 

Consent agenda items included:

Explore the consent agenda items.

Board Discussed the 2023 Nevada Teacher of the Year Finalists

The Board received a presentation on the application and selection process for the 2023 Nevada Teacher of the Year awards. In 2023, 75 nominations and 16 applications were submitted. Opportunities for honorees include participating in the Superintendent’s Advisory Cabinet and the Learning Forward Annual Conference, speaking engagements, and professional learning opportunities. National opportunities include the Teacher of the Year induction program, White House Presidential Ceremony, participation in International Space Camp, and participation on the Education Commission of the States Forum on Education.

2023 finalists are Laura Jeanne Penrod (Southwest Career and Technical Academy); Jamie Tadrzynski (Canyon Springs High School); Adrienne Wiggins (Empire Elementary School); Michaela Marich (McGill Elementary School); and Connie Hall (Diedrichsen Elementary School, and this year’s Nevada Teacher of the Year).

Explore the presentation.

Board Discussed a Developmentally Appropriate Kindergarten Policy Statement

The Board received a presentation on developmentally appropriate kindergarten, reviewed a draft policy statement, and discussed next steps, centering on the goal of every child in Nevada, birth through third grade (B-3) having the right to equitable learning opportunities with educators who engage in developmentally appropriate practice. Implementation has begun in terms of a P-3 leadership certificate program, DAP kindergarten cohort statewide, and WestEd’s Transforming Kindergarten Collaborative, among other initiatives.

Next steps include formal dissemination of the memo and policy statement, developing a B-3 toolkit, sharing the toolkit with stakeholders, ongoing professional development, and integration into the Pillars of P-3 Promise and ongoing work.

Explore the presentation.

Board Discussed Nevada’s 2021-2022 Graduation Rates           

The Board reviewed Nevada’s 2021-2022 graduation rates. The statewide four-year graduation rate for 2022 was 81.72%, a slight uptick from 2021’s 81.31%. Clark County’s was 81.31% (up slightly from 2021’s 80.94% graduation rate); Washoe County’s was 84.36% (up from 2021’s 82.48% graduation rate); and the State Public Charter School Authority’s was 86.07% (down sightly from 2021’s 86.89% graduation rate).

There are disparities among graduation rates by race and ethnicity, with Black, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native students performing below the statewide average. For special populations, Career and Technical Education students outperformed the statewide rate, while English Learner, IEP, and homeless and foster-care students underperformed.

Fifty-eight percent of graduates earned a standard diploma, 15.6% earned an advanced diploma, and 26.1% earned a college and career ready diploma. One of the Board’s goals is to increase the number of CCR diplomas to 50% of students.

Dr. David Jensen offered details on how Humboldt County increased their CCR diploma rate by 20% through focusing on CTE.

Explore the presentation.

Board Discussed Community Partner Accomplishments

The Board heard updates from three community partners:

  • Jobs for Nevada Graduates: Preparing students for real-world careers, the program has a 95.89% graduation rate and most students identify as African American and Hispanic.
  • Communities in Schools of Nevada: This organization places full time-trained site coordinators on school campuses across the state to manage student and school needs. Their work leads to increases in student attendance, behavior, and course work.
  • Fulfillment Fund Las Vegas: This organization works to inspire students to continue on to post-secondary education with on-campus lessons, college tours, community service events and counseling on the high school and post-secondary levels.

Explore Jobs for Nevada Graduates’ presentation.

Board Heard an Update and Approved the Language for the Draft Request for Proposal and Entities Represented on the RFP Committee for Nevada’s College and Career Readiness (CCR) Assessment

The Board reviewed the results of the stakeholder survey regarding the CCR assessment. The top responses include aligning with widely accepted admissions requirements for college and universities and/or scholarship requirements; predicting student preparedness for CCR; reducing the total number of assessments given to high school students; and providing consistent data to compare student progress year-over-year.

A list of committee entities was also discussed, as well as the RFP scope of work. Another update will be provided in March.

Review the stakeholder survey results, the list of proposed entities to comprise the RFP committee, and the RFP scope of work.

Agenda Item 12 – Information and Discussion the State Plan for the Improvement of Pupils; Item 13 – Information Regarding the 82nd Legislature Bill Draft Requests; and Item 14 – Information Regarding the Board of Education’s Self Evaluation, were moved to an agenda for a newly-added virtual meeting on Friday, January 20, at 3:30 p.m.

Board Discussed Election of Officers

The Board discussed the process for electing a Vice President and the possibility of creating a Clerk position. Board elections will take place in March.

Board Discussed Meeting Start Times

The Board discussed the possibility of changing the start time of its regular meetings. Currently, board meetings begin at 2:00 p.m.

Board Discussed Future Agenda Items

The board reviewed the following items for inclusion in the 2023 calendar:

  • State Board Officer elections
  • English Mastery Council recommendations
  • Workshops for school start times
  • School naming conventions
  • Challenges regarding Board of Education reimbursements to schools
  • Front-loading action items directly after Consent Agenda, and put discussion items further down the agenda
  • Board meeting start times

Public Comment #2

  • New legislative guidelines for kindergarten age placement
  • Congratulations to Member Carlton
  • Timing of meetings should consider teacher and staff availability
  • Reflections on general poor performance in Nevada educational system
  • Ideas to increase teacher wages, decrease class sizes and fill job vacancies
  • CCR RFP process
  • Introduction of new staff members

The next regular Board of Education meeting is scheduled at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 16, 2022. A special board meeting, mentioned above, will be held January 20, at 3:30 p.m.


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Nevada Ed-Watch: 1/12/23

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 5 pm both virtually and at the Edward A. Greer Education Center Board Room (2832 E Flamingo Rd, 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. Currently, members of the public can submit comments on agenda and non-agenda items through email or voice recording. Public comment can be provided in person, via email, or via voice recording. Email comments should be submitted to Boardmtgcomments@nv.ccsd.net. To submit a voice recording on items listed on the meeting agenda, call 702-799-1166. Voice recorded public comment is limited to 1 minute 30 seconds.

Thursday, January 12, 2023

Clark County School District Board of Trustees Meeting

Click here to see the meeting agenda.
Watch the meeting playback on CCSD EduVision.

What happened at this meeting?

Trustees Approved the Consent Agenda (6-1-0). 

Trustees Approved the Consent Agenda (7-0)

Consent Agenda Highlights:

Explore consent agenda items here.

Trustees Received an Update on the Nevada Educator Performance Framework (NEPF) 2021-2022 System

Trustees received a presentation on the NEPF system for the 2021-2022 school year for teachers and school administrators. Presentation highlights include:

  • Staff provided an overview of NEPF domains for teachers (instructional practice standards and indicators, and professional responsibilities standards and indicators) and school administrators (instructional leadership standards and indicators, and professional responsibilities standards and indicators), as well as standards of each domain.
  • Student performance domains were removed from summative evaluation weights.
  • For the 2021-2022 school year: 2,203 teachers were rated highly effective; 12,630 were rated as effective; 39 were rated as developing; and 11 were rated as ineffective. Four hundred and thirteen teachers were exempt from receiving the full evaluation.
  • For the 2021-2022 school year: 144 administrators were rated as highly effective; 753 were rated as effective; four were rated as developing. No administrators were rated as ineffective, and 44 were exempt from evaluations.

Trustees and staff discussed aligning student outcomes to NEPF ratings, exemptions, and timing of NEPF.

Explore the presentation.

Trustees Approved a Notice of Intent to Amend CCSD Policy 4111 – Administrative Selection and Appointment (7-0)

Trustees approved amendments to Board Policy 4111 –  Administrative Selection and Appointment. Changes include amended language regarding confidential documents and specifying interviews in place of assessment activities.

This item may be heard at the February 9 meeting of the Board of Trustees.

Explore the Notice of Intent.

Trustees Approved a Notice of Intent to Amend CCSD Regulation 4111 – Administrative Selection and Appointment (7-0)

Trustees approved amendments to CCSD Regulation 4111 – Administrative Selection and Appointment. Changes include amended language regarding references, screening designations over numerical scoring on administrative screening committees, and removing language regarding writing samples and/or performance tasks.

This item may be heard at the February 9 meeting of the Board of Trustees.

Explore the Notice of Intent.

Trustees Approved a Notice of Intent to Amend CCSD Policy 6123 – Instruction in the Human Reproductive System, Related Communicable Diseases, Sexual Responsibility, and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) (7-0)

Trustees approved amendments to CCSD Policy 6123. Changes include language replacing “AIDS” with “human immunodeficiency virus;” modifying references to the Board of Trustees, curriculum, parents/guardians, and the Superintendent’s role; and specifying “two students” for representation on the advisory committee.

This item may be heard at the February 9 meeting of the Board of Trustees.

Explore the Notice of Intent.

Trustees Approved a Notice of Intent to Amend CCSD Regulation 6123 – Instruction in the Human Reproductive System, Related Communicable Diseases, Sexual Responsibility, and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) (7-0)

Trustees approved amendments to CCSD Policy 6123. Changes include language replacing “AIDS” with “human immunodeficiency virus;” modifying references to the Board of Trustees, curriculum, parents/guardians, and the Superintendent’s role; and specifying “two students” for representation on the advisory committee.

This item may be heard at the February 9 meeting of the Board of Trustees.

Explore the Notice of Intent.

Trustees Conducted a Public Hearing on and Approved the Memorandum of Agreement between CCSD and the Education Support Employees Association (ESEA) Regarding Summer Learning (6-1-0)

Trustees approved the Memorandum of Agreement between CCSD and ESEA regarding the 2023 Summer Learning Program. It provides the necessary labor resources for the program, from May 30, 2023 – June 16, 2023. The fiscal impact of this agreement is $10 million.

One Trustee abstained from voting on this item.

Explore the Memorandum of Agreement and fiscal impact summary.

Trustees Conducted a Public Hearing on and Approved the American Indian/Alaska Native Policies and Procedures for Federal Impact Aid Section 7003 – US Department of Education (7-0)

Trustees approved the filing of the application for the Federal Impact Aid Section 7003, with an anticipated project period of October 1, 2023, through September 30, 2024. There is no fiscal impact associated with this item.

Explore the item.

Public Comment

Members of the public shared comments regarding: 

  • Concerns regarding special education students and staff at Basic High School
  • IEP compliance  and retaliation at Coronado High School
  • Staff and student safety concerns
  • Concerns with Teachers Health Trust
  • Technology infrastructure
  • Concerns about educational experiences of students identifying as African-American/Black

The next Meeting of the Board of Trustees is scheduled for January 26, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. 

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Nevada Ed-Watch: 1/10/23

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 Nevada.

Washoe County School District Board of Trustees 

What is the Board of Trustees & what are they responsible for? The Washoe County School District Board of 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.

How often does the Board of Trustees meet? Trustees meet twice per month (second and fourth Tuesdays) at 2 pm both virtually and at the Central Administration Building Board Room, 425 E. 9th St., Reno, NV 89512.

Click here for a full list of Trustees meetings.

Can community members engage at Trustee meetings? Decision-making bodies benefit greatly from hearing public input and multiple perspectives. Currently, members of the public can submit comments on agenda and non-agenda items through email or voice recording. Public comment can be provided in person or via email. Email comments should be submitted to publiccomments@washoeschools.net. 

Tuesday, January 10, 2023

Washoe County School District Board of Trustees Meeting

Click here to see the meeting agenda.
Watch the meeting playback.

What happened at this meeting?

Trustees Appointed Board Officers

Trustees voted Beth Smith as President of the Board of Trustees; Diane Nicolet as Vice President of the Board of Trustees; and Joe Rodriguez as Clerk of the Board of Trustees.

Trustees Approved the Consent Agenda

Consent agenda highlights include:

  • Approval of the agreement between WCSD and the Association of Professional-Technical Administrators for a payment of an add-on differential for APTA employees returning for the 2022-2023 school year
  • Approval of hiring retired individuals for areas where a critical labor shortage exists
  • Approval of an amendment to a Memorandum of Agreement between WCSD and the Washoe Education Association providing additional compensation for unit members impacted by ongoing staffing shortages

Explore the consent agenda here.

Trustees Approved the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for FY 2021

Staff presented the audit results for FY 2021, which ended June 30, 2022. There were no corrected or uncorrected misstatements in this year’s audit, and no significant or adverse events that required the Board’s attention to complete the audit. No reportable findings were identified for the 2021-2022 fiscal year.

Total assets of the District (as of June 30, 2022) were $1.9 billion, and the General Fund summary balance at that time was $61.6 million, reflecting a total change of $3.3 million in the Fund Balance.

Explore the presentation and the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report.

Trustees Celebrated the Success of Lena Juniper Elementary School Students

Trustees heard updates from Lena Juniper Elementary School students and staff members. The school’s SBAC data reflected above average scores, and the school focuses on a sense of belonging and connection to students’ outside lives, interests, and feelings.

Explore the presentation.

Trustees Approved Modifying the Enrollment Boundaries of Several Schools

Trustees approved recommendations of the Zoning Advisory Committee to modify enrollment boundaries of Alice Smith Elementary School, Desert Heights Elementary School, Lemmon Valley Elementary School, and Stead Elementary School, effective at the start of the 2023-2024 school year.

Explore the presentation and the impacts of the rezoning efforts to these areas.

Trustees Discussed Programs and Initiatives Related to School Safety

Staff presented an overview of school safety measures from 2011- 2022, including public address systems upgrades, secure perimeters, CCTV systems, door hardware security upgrades, visitor management systems, school police support and maintenance, and single point of entries for elementary and middle schools.

Current initiatives in progress include BiDirectional Amplifier upgrades, emergency door numbering, radio and body camera upgrades, and other projects. The Safe and Healthy Schools Commission convenes 16 members with representation from students, families, emergency services, government agencies, medical/mental health professionals, and at-large community members.

Future initiatives include ongoing capital projects, facilities modernization, perimeters and SPE’s on high school campuses, firearm detection K9 services, continued joint training, safety presentations and trainings, and updating the Regional Active Assailant response plan.

Discussion included the student and community safety collaboration group, pursuing new technologies and best practices, family concerns, mental health, gun safety, traffic and bike safety, and the role of volunteer committees in school safety.

The Superintendent will take the ideas and feedback from Trustees for discussion and possible action at a future meeting.

Explore the presentation.

Student Representative’s Report

The Student Representative did not provide a report at this meeting.

Trustee Reports

Trustee reports highlights included:

  • For new Trustees, setting up visits and onboarding meetings with representatives and schools in their districts
  • Staff appreciation
  • Various school visits and events
  • Serving on Governor Lombardo’s education transition committee
  • Commemorating National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day
  • TMCC Nevada Promise scholarship program

Superintendent’s Report

The Superintendent’s report highlights included:

  • The process for determining weather-related school delays and/or closures
  • A slight delay with the District’s community-wide strategic planning process to be able to include the student survey due to be completed this month
  • Thanking Trustees for their service during School Board Appreciation/Recognition Month

Public Comment

  • Fiscal responsibility in the District
  • Addressing education quality and school safety issues
  • Student behavior and student and staff safety concerns
  • Requested Trustee action items
  • Student discipline support for teachers and staff
  • Various teacher and staff difficulties regarding staffing, safety, and burnout

The next Meeting of the Board of Trustees is scheduled for January 24, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. 

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