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.
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 Wednesdays at 9:00 AM or 2:00 PM. Click here to see the 2024 meeting materials.
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.
Wednesday, June 12, 2024
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
- Teacher evaluation processes and support for NEPF changes
- Read by 3 subcommittee progress
President’s Report
Highlights included:
- Attending the Regional Convening to Support State Action to Advance the Education Professions, highlighting the work done to the funding formula, Portrait of a Learner, and competency-based learning
- Celebrating the reappointment of student board member Michael Keyes and his championship of a new student advisory committee
- Nevada System of Higher Education Updates: Establishing a predictable fee schedule for dual and concurrent enrollment, new degree and certification coursework approved, approval of a new definition of anti-Semitism, a new appointee to the State Board of Education, effective September 1
Superintendent’s Report
Highlights included:
- Approving the Cities of Henderson and North Las Vegas as charter school authorizers
- Highlighting the recent Portrait of a Learner convenings
- Attending several education-related convenings and conferences
Board Approved the Consent Agenda
Consent agenda items included:
- Approval of dual credit courses for Clark County School District
- Approval of dual credit courses for Washoe County School District
Board Appointed Members to the State Public Charter School Authority Governing Board
Board members approved Courtney Stern to serve a three-year appointment on the governing board of the State Public Charter School Authority, to replace Cindi Rivera, whose term is expiring. Resumes and applications were received for Courtney Stern, Herbie Walker, and Natasha Crupper.
Explore the criteria.
Board Took Action on Educator Scholarship Awards
The Teach Nevada Scholarship provides scholarships to students who are enrolled in the educator preparation program at a university, college, or other provider of an alternative route to licensure program in the State pursuing initial licensure. The anticipated total allocation is $5.6 million; the amount requested is $6.1 million. The Board approved the awards with an 8.1% reduction for each institution.
The Nevada Teacher Advancement Scholarship is to provide scholarships to in-service educators who are enrolled in a master’s degree program at a university or college in the State pursuing a master’s degree in education or a related field. The allocated amount is $2 million; the amount requested is $2.2 million. The Board approved the awards with a 9.4% reduction for each institution.
The Incentivizing Pathways to Teaching program provides scholarships and stipends to students enrolled in a traditional pathway educator preparation program at a State college or university pursuing initial licensure. The anticipated total allocation is $6.8 million, with potential additional DETR funding of $2.4 million; the amount requested is $9.2 million. The Board approved the awards with a 26.4% reduction for each institution. Pending additional funding from DETR, the Board approved the additional funding without reduction.
Explore the presentation.
Board Took Action on the Proposed Nevada Educator Performance Framework (NEPF) Teacher and School Administrator Rubrics Redesign
The NEPF rubrics have remained consistent since 2013, and monitoring indicated that changes were needed. There are currently 34 standards and indicators (5 instructional practice standards with 19 total indicators, and 5 professional responsibilities standards with 15 total indicators). There are mandatory and confirmatory evidence sources required for each indicator, as well as description/notes and performance level scales.
Proposed changes include converting indicators for each standard to descriptors and no longer individually scoring them, allowing for a single evidence source to be applied to multiple descriptors. On the NEPF summative evaluation tool, a scoring formula change was proposed, and NRS may need to be revised.
Following the approval of the rubric redesign drafts and NEPF tool changes, a volunteer field study with districts and schools will be held for the 2024-25 school year.
Explore the presentation.
Board Held a Public Hearing on Proposed Regulation R138-23P, Weights Assigned to Domains Used to Evaluate the Performance of Teachers and Certain Administrators
The State Board establishes a statewide performance evaluation system and prescribes tools to be used by schools to measure performance. Under existing law, beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, pupil growth is required to account for 15 percent of the performance evaluations of teachers and certain administrators.
The proposed regulation requires the domain of pupil growth to account for 15 percent of the performance evaluations of teachers and school-level administrators rather than 40 percent of the performance evaluations. This regulation also revises the weight assigned to other domains used to evaluate teachers and school-level administrators. There is no fiscal impact or estimated cost to the agency regarding these changes.
Explore the regulation language.
Board Held a Public Hearing on and Approved Proposed Regulation R064-24P, Amending NAC 389.555 and NAC 389.516 Relating to Employability Skills for Career Readiness
Changes were needed to reflect language changes made by AB 459 (2021) and industry-recognized credentials. There is no fiscal impact or estimated cost to the agency regarding these changes.
Explore the regulation language.
Board Held a Public Hearing on and Approved Proposed Regulation R074-24, Relating to the Creation of Curriculum for the Teacher Academy College Pathway Program
The regulation relates to creating curriculum that complies with the requirements of Subsection 4 of Section 3 of AB 428 (2023), which prescribes the curriculum of the Teacher Academy College Pathway Program. There is no fiscal impact or estimated cost to the agency regarding these changes.
Explore the regulation language.
Board Held a Public Hearing on and Tabled Proposed Regulation R099-23P, Relating to the Adult and Regular High School Diploma
After two failed motions, the Board tabled proposed regulations on revising courses of study required for graduation from a public high school and revising requirements of the arts and humanities credit for the receipt of certain diplomas. The item will be heard at a future board meeting.
Explore the regulation language.
Board Heard an Update on Guidance Relating to Artificial Intelligence in Schools
Several town halls have been held throughout the State relating to the committee’s charge. Some key takeaways from those sessions include:
- Concerns exist regarding the readiness of AI infrastructure in schools, including needing newer devices and ongoing concerns regarding Internet access, especially in rural areas
- Operational implications that require critical thinking skills and resources to drive AI learning
- Meaningful integration of AI in education and mitigating concerns of infrastructure improvements needed
- Access and equity relating to bridging the digital divide and ensuring equal access to AI technology
- Concerns regarding human skills replacement
- Ensuring responsible use of AI technology
- Ongoing concerns about manipulating information, transparency, and the need for cautious implementation
- Improvements to existing processes including collaboration, streamlining administrative processes, teaching digital and media literacy skills, enhancing creativity, supporting teaching and learning, and personalized learning opportunities.
Explore the presentation.
Board Heard an Update on Read by Grade 3
Staff presented responses to several questions posed by Board members, including retention policies in other states, role of the principal and autonomy of the principal in the process, identifying a uniform assessment and mandatory score a student must obtain to be promoted to fourth grade, options for assessments, staff time and capacity relating to implementation of Read By Grade 3 provisions, and taking into account instruction and intervention components that a student may or may not have received.
Staff also provided a crosswalk between Read by 3 provisions through AB 400 (2023) and AB 289 (2019). Areas of discussion and differentiation include the oversight of the Commission on School Funding, definition of the subject area of reading, assessment and identification of students for Read by Grade 3 services, parent notifications, intervention services and intensive instruction, instructional options, student retention, good-cause exemptions, literacy specialists and professional learning, reporting, local literacy plans, and grants.
Explore the draft Good Cause Exemption Flowchart and the crosswalk document.
Future Agenda Items
- Rural support
- Successful outcomes achieved by the Board
- Tracking on the Commission on School Funding
- Dual credit programs from the Nevada System of Higher Education
- Teacher exit survey
- Emergency special education licensing
- Federal and state required assessments
- School start time surveys
- Update on age requirements for developmental delays
Public Comment #2
Public comment was heard on the following subjects:
- Teacher evaluation processes and support for NEPF changes
The next Board of Education meeting is scheduled on Wednesday, July 31, at 9:00 a.m.
