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 2019 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, May 2, 2019
Nevada State Board of Education Meeting
Click here to see the meeting agenda
What happened at this meeting?
President’s Report: Welcome New Members
The President’s Report included:
- Welcoming the New State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Jhone Ebert.
- Welcoming a newly appointed board member, Dr. Katie Dockweiler, who replaced Tonia Holmes-Sutton’s position.
- Recognizing the Board’s student representative, Ashley Macias, for her service throughout the 2018-2019 school year.
Superintendent’s Report: Board Heard Legislative Updates
Superintendent Ebert provided updates on the following legislation that the Department of Education is following:
- AB78 – Revises provisions with the State Public Charter School Authority
- SB467 – Extends Zoom and Victory programs
- SB89 – Related to school safety
- AB289 – Read by Grade 3 provision updates
- SB84 – State Pre-K programs & funding
The Board also heard updates on the Americans with Disabilities Act agreement. In June 2016, the Department of Education entered into agreement with the U.S. Office of Civil Rights to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Department has fully implemented their accessibility plan.
Board Approved the Consent Agenda, which included:
- Appointing members to the Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC).
- Approving instructional materials from the Clark County, Carson City, and Washoe County School Districts.
Board Heard Updates on The State Plan to Improve Student Achievement
The Board heard a presentation on the 2019 State Plan to Improve Achievement of Pupils (STIP).
The following 2019 focus areas were approved by the board:
- Strong Start (early childhood education)
- High-quality standards, curriculum, instruction & Support,
- Annual administration of aligned assessments and accountability
- Data-informed continuous improvement
- 3-stars in 3 years
- College and career readiness
- Educator readiness and equitable distribution
- Family engagement
- Internal systems and effectiveness
- Funding and reporting
- Student and adult development of social and emotional competencies
- Multi-tiered system of supports & department climate
Click here to see the presentation.
Superintendent Ebert stated that she will be conducting a listening tour to hear from parents, staff, community members, and Board members to understand needs of all stakeholders. This will inform the 2020 STIP.
Board Approved Recommendations for Changes to the Nevada Educator Performance Framework
The Board approved some recommendations from the Teachers and Leaders Council (TLC). The TLC is presenting to the legislature to change the Nevada Educator Performance Framework (NEPF) in the following ways:
- Remove “developing” when used in conjunction with “ineffective” (approved)
- Fund a statewide tool for NEPF implementation (approved)
- Support for Regional Professional Development Programs (RPDP) for ongoing professional development related to NEPF results (approved)
- Funding for a study to validate the NEPF (approved)
- Drop Student Learning goals from 40% to 20% in the first year, and then to 15% for every year thereafter. (NOT approved)
The Board voted to approve these recommendations, with the exception of the recommendation to amend the weight of the Student Learning Goals. Rather than a staggered approach to changing the Student Learning Goals, the Board recommends 15% to start, to avoid putting systems into place that would have to be amended after the first year.
Click here to see the presentation.
Board Approved Quarterly Teacher-Pupil Ratio Variance
Currently, state law prescribes pupil-to-teacher ratios (17:1 for grades 1-2, and 20:1 for grade 3). However, due to lack of available financial support for pupil-to-teacher ratios and other good causes, some schools were approved for variances. Click here to see the variance report.
Board Heard a Presentation on the Perkins V: Strengthening CTE for the 21st Century Act
The Board heard a presentation on the updated Perkins V: Strengthening CTE for the 21st Century Act. The purpose of the Act is to improve Career and Technical Education, and to allow more flexibility for states to meet the unique needs of students, educators, and employers. A draft state plan will be presented to the Board in late fall or early winter for adoption and endorsement.
Click here to download the presentation.
Future Agenda Items:
- Data Insight Partners presentation on improvements in achievement amidst changing student demographics.
Sign up to receive a notification when a new Ed-Watch post is published: