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.
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, October 6, 2022
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:
- No public comment was provided during this time.
Board Conducted a Public Hearing for and Approved Regulation #R132-22
The Board conducted a public hearing for and approved Regulation #R132-22, establishing requirements governing the enrollment of certain children who are admitted to a mental health facility, including parameters and regulations for a student who may or may not be enrolled in a public school when that student is admitted to a mental health facility.
Explore the proposed regulation and public hearing materials.
Board Conducted a Public Hearing for and Approved Regulation #R136-22
The Board conducted a public hearing for Regulation #R136-22, revising provisions relating to counting attendance and enrollment of students. Changes include additional definitions of instructional days and periods, school quarters, and chronic absenteeism; reporting and coding of absences; and clarifying when a student is considered withdrawn from a school.
Explore the proposed regulation and public hearing materials.
Board Conducted a Public Hearing for and Approved Regulation #R143-22
The Board conducted a public hearing for Regulation #R136-22, establishing certain requirements for the Handle with Care program, including maintaining confidentiality, training, and plans for data security.
Explore the proposed regulation and public hearing materials.
Board Conducted a Public Hearing for and Approved Temporary Regulation #T003-22
The Board conducted a public hearing for Temporary Regulation #T003-22, revising the Pupil-Centered Funding Plan’s definition of “at-risk pupil” to a pupil that “has an economic or academic disadvantage such that they require additional services and assistance to enable them to graduate with their cohorts. The term includes, without limitation, pupils who are members of economically disadvantaged families, pupils who are at risk of dropping out of high school, and pupils who do not meet minimum standards of academic proficiency.” It also specifies that the definition of “at-risk” does not include pupils with a disability, pupils also designated as gifted and talented, or pupils who are English Learners.
Explore the proposed regulation and public hearing materials.
Board Conducted a Public Hearing for and Approved Regulation #R146-22
The Board conducted a public hearing for Regulation #R146-22, revising certain provisions governing career and technical education programs, including that a school district or governing body of a charter school shall have advisory technical skills committees to consult with regularly on the program, and removing language regarding district size.
Explore the proposed regulation and public hearing materials.
Board Conducted a Public Hearing for Regulation #R147-22
The Board conducted a public hearing for Regulation #R147-22, revising provisions regarding adult high school programs and revising certain provisions regarding the award of an adult standard diploma. The revisions include specifying the age for the program and criteria to earn an adult high school diploma.
The board tabled approving this regulation, and Staff will be revising language to incorporate a transition period between when credits shift from full credit to half credit as specified on the revised regulations.
Explore the proposed regulation and public hearing materials.
Board Conducted a Public Hearing for and Approved Regulation #R159-22
The Board conducted a public hearing for Regulation #R159-22, revising the requirements of certain licensed teachers to complete training or professional development, revising the duties and responsibilities of certain licensed teachers and replacing an obsolete term. The revisions include what training a literacy specialist shall complete and roles and responsibilities of a literary specialist.
Explore the proposed regulation and public hearing materials.
Board Conducted a Public Hearing for Temporary Regulation #T005-22
The Board conducted a public hearing for Regulation #T005-22, prescribing the minimum score a pupil must attain on an end-of-course final to receive credit for that course. The regulations would lower the currently required 20% of a student’s final course grade to 5%, and would remove the Math II, Integrated Math III, and ELA II exams from being administered in the 2022-2023 school year. Only Math I, Integrated Math I, and ELA I-Reading Comprehension EOC assessments would be administered.
This item was pulled from the agenda and will be resubmitted for a public hearing and possible approval at a later date.
Explore the proposed regulation and public hearing materials.
Public Comment #2
- No public comment was provided during this time.
Recess
Public Comment #3
- Communities in Schools’ partnership and new sites
President’s Report
Highlights included:
- The 2022 Superintendent of the Year was awarded to Dr. Summer Stephens of Churchill County.
- The new National Assessment of Educational Progress Data has been released. More information on Nevada-specific data will be presented at a future meeting.
- The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium is the 3-8th grade standardized assessment. There have been additional communications and context provided to parents and families on process, improvement, and engagement tools and techniques.
- State Public Charter School Authority Board Appointment has a vacancy. Applications close on 10/20 and will be reviewed at the Board’s November meeting.
- Regent Arrascada presented a Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents report. Highlights included 20,000+ awards conferred from NSHE, and a partnership with the Department of Education on career and technical education and dual enrollment programs. NSHE’s submitted budget includes workforce development capacity building, as well as addressing teacher shortages.
Superintendent’s Report
Highlights included:
- Two Nevada schools were recognized as national Blue Ribbon Schools: Gibbons Elementary School and Drake Elementary School.
- Community in Schools opened a center at Von Tobel Middle School.
- The Department is partnering with WestEd to launch the Nevada Learning Network Conference.
- Final 2022 Commission on School Funding will publish its report in November.
Board Approved Consent Agenda
Consent agenda items included:
- Approval of FY22 Quarter 3 Class Size Reduction Report and FY22 Quarter 4 Class Size Reduction Report
- Dual Credit Request from Clark County School District (pulled for a separate vote due to one board member abstaining from voting on this item)
Explore the consent agenda items.
Board Received an Update from Workforce Connections
Workforce Connections assists adults, dislocated workers, and youth with basic career services and training, supportive services, and placement services. For employers, the agency provides workforce development assistance, busines plans, and financial tools.
It has several industry-sector partnerships that help K-12 youth get exposed to career pipelines, educating families on career opportunities, externships, mentorships, and sponsorships. It also hosts the CCSD Workforce Fellows, which provides immersion into information about Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) eligibility and services, site visits and meetings for youth providers, and partnerships with local chambers, community colleges, and employment resources. It also works with the Department of Juvenile Justice Services Promise Fellows, which operate in eight locations.
Workforce Connections also recently introduced the first EmployNV Youth Hub and Teen Zone at the West Charleston Library, with the goal of exposing youth to well-paying careers while providing them with 1-on-1 assistance with goal planning.
Explore the Workforce Connections presentation.
Board Discussed the College and Career Ready (CCR) High School Assessment RFP
The Board voted to reject the original CCR RFP recommendation and reopen the bidding process in its last meeting. During the presentation at this meeting, a revised process was outlined, including providing feedback and recommendations on a draft survey for public comment, a new public comment period, the NDE providing an update to the State Board regarding survey responses, and the State Board of Education providing feedback and recommendations on the draft RFP, rubric, and list of entities for review committee.
The Board provided feedback on several items on the CCR assessment stakeholder survey, including mentioning a “nationally recognized college entrance assessment,” ensuring the survey is approachable to different users, accessibility across devices, adding in questions regarding career readiness, and ensuring student perspectives are represented.
The Board will report feedback to staff by October 11, and a group of board members will work with staff to finalize the survey.
Explore the presentation and the survey draft.
Board Discussed Its Position Statement for the Upcoming Legislative Session
At its last meeting, the Board proposed putting forth a position statement from the Board of Education to the Legislature to stress the importance and need for additional funding to the Nevada education system, and to address the need for that additional funding as a cohesive document. It reviewed a draft of that statement, including needs for education recruitment, training, and retention; pre-kindergarten programs; educator support; and physical and technological infrastructure.
Trustees discussed the approach and content of the statement, including more specificity for outcomes and accountability, as well as strategies to continue outreach to constituents and stakeholders and unifying messaging. A second group of stakeholders will rework and refine the position statement.
Explore the draft position statement.
Future Agenda Items
Future agenda items will include the SPCSA board appointment, Commission on School Funding report (December), a joint meeting with the NSHE Board of Regents in early 2023, test scores and Nevada data, and an exploration of the term “at-risk” and how the term is applied to weights, especially after the public hearing revising the definition earlier in the meeting.
The 2023 State Board of Education meeting schedule has been posted.
Public Comment #2
Public comment was heard on the following subject:
- State agency and school district memberships in 501c6 advocacy organizations
The next Board of Education meeting is scheduled at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 3, 2022.
