Tag: nde

Nevada Ed-Watch 12/12/19

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 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, November 12, 2019
Nevada State Board of Education Meeting

Click here to see the meeting agenda

What happened at this meeting?

Board Approved the Consent Agenda

Consent Agenda Highlights:

  • Approval of Dual Credit requests for:
    • Somerset Academy for courses at the College of Southern Nevada
    • Pinecrest Academy for courses at the College of Southern Nevada
    • Nye County School District for courses at Great Basin College

Board Heard Presentations About Barriers and Progress Towards Nevada’s Student Achievement Goals

The Board heard from the Superintendents of the Clark and Washoe County School Districts, as well as a representative from the Nevada Council to Establish Academic Standards, about challenges and growth towards improving student achievement across Nevada.

The Interim Superintendent of the Washoe County School District shared the following needs for improving achievement in Washoe:

  • Alignment of school years, legislative years, and calendar years to address operational challenges related to timing of fund disbursements.
  • More flexibility in licensure reciprocity for educators who come to Nevada from another state. 

A representative of the Nevada Council to Establish Academic Standards shared concerns about:

  • Major changes in schools not suiting the interests of educators
  • Low academic achievement rates 
  • Alignment of standardized tests to the standards of the Nevada Department of Education

The Superintendent of the Clark County School District (CCSD), shared the following updates:

  • Support for the County Commission seeking additional funding through AB 309, specifically to address chronic absenteeism among students
  • Concerns about the lack of investments made in the professional development of school leaders.  
  • CCSD is working on developing exit surveys to address the retention rates of teachers and substitute teachers. 
  • CCSD is also working on ways to expand the teacher pipeline through partnerships with local colleges and universities.

The Board Heard a Presentation on Teacher Attrition and Absenteeism 

The average daily teacher attendance rate for schools and districts is defined as the percentage of teaching staff in classrooms on an “average school day” within the reporting school year. In 2018-2019, the average teacher attendance rate was 95.6%, which has been consistent over the past 3 years.

Teacher attrition refers to the number or percentage of educators who exit employment with a Nevada school district in a given year. The teacher attrition rate in 2018-2019 was 8.9% (2,326 teachers, with 13 out of 17 counties reporting). There was an average of 9.0% attrition over the past three years. 

The Office of Educator Licensure will come back to the Board with a comparison of these rates to average national rates. More information was requested from the board about the reasons behind teacher attrition. 

Click here to see the presentation.

The Board Heard Presentations about Student Chronic Absenteeism 

The Board heard from representatives of the Safe and Respectful Learning Environment, Parental Involvement and Family Engagement, and the Assessments, Data, and Accountability Management departments.

The following information was shared with the Board regarding chronic absenteeism:

  • In 2018, Nevada aligned its definition of chronic absenteeism to the federal definition, which states that students who are absent 10% or more of their enrolled school days are considered chronically absent.
  • The chronic absenteeism rate in Nevada in 2018-2019 was 19.2%. Nevada’s public charter schools had a chronic absenteeism rate of 8.44%. The Clark County School District had a chronic absenteeism rate of 20.38%.
  • Students with disabilities have the highest rate of chronic absenteeism in Nevada, followed by students who are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.
  • Research shows that by 6th-grade, chronic absenteeism is a leading indicator that a student will drop out of high school. By 9th-grade, chronic absenteeism becomes a greater predictor of dropout rates than 8th-grade test scores.
  • School and family resources available include Attendance Works, a national and state-level initiative to reduce chronic absenteeism. Additionally, there is a new pilot program underway with Hazel Health to provide tele-health services in partnership with District Schools.

Click here to see the presentation.

The Board Approved the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) State Plan

A representative of the Nevada Office of Career Readiness, Adult Learning & Education Options presented the updated Career and Technical Education Program State Plan (Perkins V) to the Board. A key update to the plan was requiring each Local Education Agency (LEA) to complete a local needs assessment.

The strategic goals of the plan are:

  • Goal 1: Improve the quality and alignment of career and technical education programs.
  • Goal 2: Ensure equity of opportunity and access for all students in career pathways aligned to high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand occupations.
  • Goal 3: Ensure employers have a pipeline of skilled talent.
  • Goal 4: Ensure programs have a pipeline of high-quality CTE teachers in aligned programs.
  • Goal 5: Increase the number of  high-quality work-based learning (WBL) opportunities available for secondary, postsecondary, and adult students (e.g., internships, apprenticeships) statewide.
  • Goal 6: Raise awareness of the need and opportunity for a stronger education-to-workforce pipeline for students, parents, educators, and Nevada employers.
  • Goal 7: Expand opportunities for high school students enrolled in career and technical education programs to earn early college credit.

Next, the Perkins V State Plan will go to the Governor’s office for a 30-day review prior to being submitted to the Governor’s Workforce Development Board in January 2020.  

Click here to see the presentation.

The Board Heard a Presentation About Silver State Governance (SSG) Training

The Board heard about Silver State Governance (SSG) training, which provides coaching for Board members to ensure a majority of their time is spent focused on student outcomes. Governing Boards that spend at least 50% of their time focusing on student outcomes are the most likely to see progress.

The Guinn Center conducted an audit of Nevada schools, which found that within some districts, only 10% of time spent was focused on student outcomes. Nevada’s State Board of Education was the only Board that spent nearly 50% of its time on student outcomes.

SSG is launching a pilot this weekend for Lincoln and Lyon County school Boards and Superintendents. 

Click here to see the presentation.

The Board Discussed the 2020 Census

In 2016, Nevada received $6.2 billion in federal funds based on census data, including hundreds of millions of dollars for education. However, it is estimated that in 2010, 6,000 children in Clark County alone were not counted– which reduced funding allocated to Nevada.  

Click here to see the presentation.

The Board Heard Information on Graduation Rates for the 2018-2019 School Year 

A representative of the Office of Assessment, Data, & Accountability Management presented to the Board about the 2018-19 school year graduation rates. The Class of 2019 had the highest graduation rate in Nevada history. The statewide high school graduation rate of 84.11 percent is 3.26 percentage points higher than it was in 2017.

In Clark County, there was an 85.8% graduation rate in 2019, slightly exceeding the state’s average rate of 84.1%.

Graduation rates by student race and ethnicity:

  • White: 87.33%
  • Hispanic: 82.95%
  • Black: 72.18%
  • Students with an IEP: 67.1%
  • Homeless Students: 65.7%
  • Students in Foster Care: 44.2%

Click here to see the presentation.

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Nevada Ed-Watch 11/14/19

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 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, November 14, 2019
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 regarding:

  • Support for the Perkins V State Plan for strengthening Career and Technical Education (CTE) in Nevada
  • Support for teacher incentive funds to be distributed this fiscal year 

Board Approved the Consent Agenda

Consent Agenda Highlights:

President’s Report

The President congratulated two Nevada teachers who were recognized with Milken Educator Awards– Ben Nguyen (Clark County School District) and Nicolas Jacques (Carson City School District).

Milken Educator Awards honor early- to mid-career educators with strong potential for professional and policy leadership– as evidenced by effective and innovative instructional practices, student learning results, and other criteria.

Superintendent’s Report

Superintendent Ebert provided the following updates:

  • Acknowledgment of Nevada Department of Education Staff members for helping  districts and schools implement the Nevada Educator Performance Framework.
  • Gratitude for those who have been involved in the statewide listening tours, including students. 
  • Acknowledgment of the National Board Certification program for strengthening teacher skills. 

Board Heard a Presentation on the 2018-2019 Nevada Educator Performance Framework  (NEPF)

The Teachers and Leaders Council presented the results of the 2018-2019 Nevada Educator Performance Framework (NEPF). Board members discussed ways to ensure the NEPF is a true representation of teacher and administrator performance, and that the tool continues to be used as a growth and development tool. 

2018-2019 Teacher Evaluation Results:

  • Ineffective: 0.16% 
  • Developing: 1.62%
  • Effective: 69.92%
  • Highly Effective: 27.06%

2018-2019 Administrator Evaluation Results: 

  • Ineffective: 0%
  • Developing: 0.73%
  • Effective: 73.92%
  • Highly Effective: 25.35%

The presentation also included results for Other Licenced Education Professionals (OLEP), which includes Audiologists, School Counselors, School Nurses, School Psychologists, Speech-Language Pathologists, and Teacher Librarians.

The board voted to update exigent score ranges for school audiologists in the 2019-2020 school year. All other score ranges will remain the same.

Click here to see the presentation

Board Approved the Fund Distribution Process and Amounts for Teacher Incentives

Senate Bill 555 (SB555) allows for districts to apply to the Department of Education to receive funding for incentivising teachers to teach in Title 1 schools. The board approved the process for fund distribution. 

Below is an outline of the incentives.

New Hire Teacher Incentives:

New hire teachers are employed for the first time at a District or State Public Charter School Authority (SPCSA) Title I or underperforming school for the 2019-2020 school year. 

  • Total number of teachers districts requested funds for: 1,270.5
  • Total available funds for the biennium: $2,500,000
  • Total available funds for Fiscal Year 2020: $1,250,000
  • Total amount of funds requested by districts: $3,295,000
  • Actual teacher incentive amount for FY20: $983 per teacher 

Transfer Teacher Incentives: 

Transfer teachers were employed at a District or SPCSA non-Title I or underperforming school (for the 2018-2019 year) and TRANSFERRED to a District or SPCSA Title I or underperforming school for the 2019-2020 school year.

  • Total number of teachers districts requested funds for: 834
  • Total available funds for the biennium: $2,500,000
  • Total available funds for Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20):  $1,250,000
  • Total amount of funds requested by districts for FY20: $2,102,500 
  • Actual teacher incentive amount for FY20:  $1,498 per teacher 

Current Teacher Incentives: 

Current teachers were employed at a District or SPCSA Title I or underperforming school (for the 2018-2019 school year) and are CURRENTLY employed at a District or SPCSA Title I or underperforming school for the 2019-2020 school year.

  • Total number of teachers districts requested funds for: 7,559
  • Total available funds for the biennium: $5,000,000
  • Total available funds for Fiscal Year 2020: $2,500,000
  • Total amount of funds request: $7,644,966
  • Actual teacher incentive amount for FY20: $330 per teacher

The board approved a request to the Interim Finance Committee to move Transfer funds to Current funds. This request, if approved, would bring the total Current teacher incentive amount from $330 to $382 (an additional $52). 

Click here to see the presentation.

Board Heard a Presentation on the Perkins V State Plan

Staff from the Office of Career Readiness, Adult Learning & Education Options provided an overview of the structure of the Nevada Perkins V State Plan to strengthen Career and Technical Education (CTE). The plan emphasizes access for all students to high-quality CTE programs, employer engagement, high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand occupations and industries, and state and local flexibilities. 

Click here to see the structure outline. 

Board Heard an Update on the Commission on School Funding 

Updates included:

  • Election of Guy Hobbs as Vice Chair of the Commission 
  • Two new administrative positions for the Commission have been filled 
  • The Interim Finance Committee approved a request of $900,000 to contract with subject matter experts to assist the Commission. Click here to read about this in the Nevada Independent. 

The State Board of Education is required to establish regulations for the methodology of setting funding weights, cost adjustment factors, and administrative caps. 

Click here to learn more.

Upcoming Commission meetings: 

  • December 19-20, 2019
  • January 9-10, 2020
  • February 20-21, 2020
  • March 19-20, 2020
  • April 16-17, 2020
  • May 14-15, 2020
  • June 11-12, 2020

Board Heard a Presentation on the Status of the Nevada Ready Pre-K program

Presentation highlights: 

  • The Preschool Development Grant has served 8,055 children across 11 counties from 2016 to 2019. In 2018-2019, about 10% of those children served have disabilities. 
  • Out of the 89 preschool centers rated via the Quality Rating Improvement System, there were:
    • 5 one-star centers
    • 23 two-star centers
    • 13 three-star centers
    • 28 four-star centers
    • 20 five-star centers
  • 41 individuals received TEACH Nevada grants for their higher education studies in Early Childhood Education 
  • The Brigance Screening Assessment is being implemented in all early childhood centers. 

Click here to see the presentation.

Potential Future Agenda Items:

  • Discuss the Census 2020 Complete Count and its impact on the education system

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Nevada Ed-Watch 10/10/19

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 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, October 10, 2019
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 regarding:

  • Concerns that AB462 does not limit the growth of public charter schools in Nevada
  • Commending public schools that were recognized in Opportunity 180’s 2018-19 Top Schools Report 
  • Congratulating the 2020 Nevada Teacher of the Year, Gail Hudson 

Board Approved the Consent Agenda

Consent Agenda Highlights:

President’s Report

The President’s Report included:

  • Welcoming Kevin Melcher to the State Board of Education. Kevin Melcher is filling the remainder of David Carter’s term, who resigned this summer. 
  • Commending Advanced Technologies Academy High School, Frias Elementary, and Hunter Lake Elementary for being recognized as National Blue Ribbon schools.
  • Expressing gratitude to everyone involved in an education stakeholder meeting with Bobby Scott, Chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce. 

Superintendent’s Report

Superintendent Ebert provided the following updates:

  • Appreciation for the superintendents of each county school district as Superintendent Ebert continues a state-wide listening tour. 
  • Superintendent Ebert and Scott Stump, Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education Commission on School Funding, visited East Career and Technical Academy and Morris East High School.
  • The Nevada Department of Education is seeking input on the State Plan to Strengthen Career and Technical Education (CTE) for the 21st Century Act (also known as Perkins V). Members of the community can submit public comment from October 1- November 1, 2019 on the draft State Plan. The deadline was extended to December 1, 2019– specifically for public comments on the state-determined levels of performance. A draft plan will be presented to the state board during the November meeting, and will be brought back for approval during the December meeting. 
  • Regulation workshops and public hearings are being conducted to implement bills that were passed during the 2019 legislative session regarding Safe and Respectful Learning Environments. 
  • The Commission on School Funding held its first meeting, elected a vice-chair (Guy Hobbs), and developed two (2) workgroups– which will meet on October 10, 2019 at 8:30 AM. Members of the Commission will present updates to the board during the November meeting.

Board Honored Nevada Teacher of the Year and Finalists 

The purpose of the Nevada Teacher of the Year process is to celebrate excellence and strengthen the teaching force. This year, 28 educators were nominated, 11 completed applications, and 5 were sent to the superintendent for final selection. 

2020 Finalists: 

  • Jeanine Roser
  • Kathy Durham 
  • Patricia Martin
  • Nicolas Jacques

2020 Nevada Teacher of the Year: Gail Hudson 

Click here to see the presentation.

The Board Heard an Overview of MAP Assessment Data

The NWEA MAP assessment is administered in kindergarten through 2nd grade. It is a computerized, adaptive assessment that measures how quickly students are growing in English Language Arts and Math. 

Below is a summary of state-wide average NWEA MAP results for the 2018-19 school year.

  • Kindergarten 
    • At or below the 40th percentile: 41.3%
    • Above the 40th percentile: 58.7%
  • First Grade
    • At or below the 40th percentile: 41.8%
    • Above the 40th percentile: 58.2%
  • Second Grade
    • At or below the 40th percentile: 40.7%
    • Above the 40th percentile: 59.3%

It was also noted that the Read by Grade 3 program provides resources, such as professional learning workshops, opportunities for peer-to-peer networking.

Click here to see the presentation. 

Board Heard a Presentation on Statewide Assessment Results 

The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) is administered in 3rd through 8th grade. The SBAC measures whether students are performing on grade level (or proficient) in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math.

Below is a summary of state-wide average SBAC results for the 2018-19 school year.

  • English Language Arts
    • Elementary Schools: 49.25%
    • Middle Schools: 47.62% 
  • Math
    • Elementary Schools: 42.6%
    • Middle Schools: 32.1% 

The Nevada Science Exam is administered in 5th, 8th, and 10th grade. The exam measures whether students are performing on grade level in science. Below is a summary of state-wide average Science Exam results for the 2018-19 school year.

  • 5th Grade: 24.6% proficient
  • 8th Grade: 36.8% proficient
  • 10th Grade: 26.8% proficient

The ACT is administered in 11th grade to assess high school student proficiency based on cut scores established by the Nevada Department of Education. Below is a summary of state-wide average ACT results from the 2018-19 school year. 

  • English: 46.7% proficient
  • Math: 25.5% proficient

The WIDA is an annual assessment for K-12 students who are English Language Learners. In the 2018-19 school year, 11.7% of these students were proficient. 

Click here to see the presentation, which includes disaggregated data by student subgroups.

Board Heard an Overview of the Comprehensive Support Intervention (CSI) and Targeted Support Intervention (TSI) Processes

This is the third of a three-part presentation series on school improvement.

Summary of the Comprehensive Support Intervention (CSI) process:

  • During the year that a school is designated as CSI, schools create a School Performance Plan in partnership with stakeholders (principals, teachers, parents, and other school leaders).
  • CSI School Performance Plans must be reviewed and approved by the school’s district first, then by the Nevada Department of Education. School Performance Plans must include:
    • Goals for student performance against long-term goals determined by the state
    • Evidence-based interventions
    • A school-level needs assessment
    • Resource inequities, which may include a review of district- and school-level budgets
  • The 3-year period following a school’s designation as CSI is spent implementing its plan. At the end of the 3-year period, the school will be evaluated for exit from CSI designation.

Summary of the Targeted Support Intervention (TSI) process:

  • During the year that a school is designated as TSI, schools create a School Performance Plan in partnership with stakeholders (principals, teachers, parents, and other school leaders). 
  • TSI School Performance Plans must be reviewed and approved by the school’s district or Local Education Agency (LEA). Plans must include:
    • A description of how the district or school will improve student outcomes for each group of students that prompted TSI status
    • Indicators for student performance against long-term goals
    • Evidence-based interventions
    • A continuous improvement plan to ensure the success of interventions
  • The 3-year period following a school’s designation as TSI is spent implementing its plan. At the end of the 3-year period, the school will be evaluated for exit from TSI designation. 

Click here to see the presentation.

Click here to see the Nevada Ed-watch summary of the July 17th meeting, when the first part of this discussion took place (an overview of the state’s accountability system and school designations)

Click here to see the Nevada Ed-watch summary of the August 29th meeting, when the second part of this discussion took place (an overview of the criteria for CSI and TSI designation).

Board Heard an Update on the SPCSA Academic Needs Assessment and Growth Management Plan 

In compliance with Assembly Bill 462 (AB462), the SPCSA completed an Academic and Demographic Needs Assessment to identify geographic areas of the state that are most in need of high quality school options. 

Following the approval of the Academic and Demographic Needs Assessment, the SPCSA is developing a plan to manage the growth of charter schools. The plan must include new charter schools as well as additional campuses, grade level expansion or other increased enrollment, and any likely charter renewals that the Authority will approve. 

The SPCSA must submit an initial Growth Management Plan by January 1, 2020.

Click here to see the presentation.

Click here to see a press release about the Academic and Demographic Needs Assessment. 

Board Approved the Business Process for Teacher Incentive Programs

According to Senate Bill 555 (SB555), districts may apply to receive funding for incentivizing teachers to teach in Title 1 schools. The State Board of Education will distribute funds to districts based on the number of teachers that incentives are being provided to. The board adopted the following business process to address this:

  1. The Nevada Department of Education will release a teacher incentive application available to districts on or before August 31.
  2. School districts will be able to apply for teacher incentive funds on or before October 31, 2019.
  3. Upon receiving district applications, the Department will calculate the distribution of funds available and makes a recommendation of awards
  4. The State Board of Education will approve recommendations
  5. The Department will issue formal award letters
  6. The Department will reserve the right to make technical adjustments 

Click here to see the presentation.

Potential Future Agenda Items:

  • Chronic Absenteeism Data
  • Updates on the Perkins V State Plan 
  • Updates on the Early Learning Development Grant  
  • Board Member Training 
  • Census 2020 Complete Count and its impact on the education system

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Nevada Ed-Watch 9/27/19

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.

Nevada Department of Education Commission on School Funding  

What is the Commission on School Funding and what are they responsible for? The Commission on School Funding is an appointed board created in compliance with Senate Bill 543 (2019) that oversees the development of Nevada’s new K-12 public school funding formula. The Commission is responsible for providing guidance to school districts and the Department of Education on the implementation of the Pupil-Centered Funding Plan. The Commission must present their recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature by December 1, 2020. 

Click here to learn more and see current Commission Members. 

Can community members engage at Commission Meetings? Community members can sign up to speak at the Commission meetings. Members of the public can comment on agenda items during the first public comment period, and non-agenda items during the final public comment period. 

Friday, September 27, 2019
Commission on School Funding Meeting

Click here to see the meeting agenda

What happened at this meeting?

Public Comment

Members of the public provided testimony to the commission regarding:

  • The necessity of the commission to advance education funding in Nevada 
  • Appreciation for Commission members’ dedication to the Pupil-Centered Funding Formula
  • Ensuring that the commission’s processes remain transparent 

The Commission Committed to Four (4) Operating Rules of Engagement
Commission members committed to the following four Rules of Engagement for the operation of all Commission on School Funding meetings:

  1. Honor our time
  2. Respect the work
  3. Value each other
  4. Focus on improvement

Click here  to read more about the Rules of Engagement.

The Commission Heard an Overview of Open Meeting Law Responsibilities 

Highlighted Open Meeting Law responsibilities:

  • Any commission deliberation must occur transparently and in public. 
  • Technology can be used as a supplemental tool to convene a meeting, however there must still be a physical location for the public to participate in the meeting.
  • No more than five (5) members (quorum) may deliberate on a topic outside of an open meeting.

The Commision Elected Guy Hobbs as Vice-Chair 

Guy Hobbs was elected by commission members to serve as Vice-Chair of the Commission.  

The Commission Heard an Overview of the Pupil-Centered Funding Plan

Nevada Department of Education staff presented an overview of the Pupil-Centered Funding Plan, including the roles and responsibilities of the Commission, the department, and the Governor’s finance office (summarized below).

Responsibilities of the commission include:

  • Compare the original Nevada Plan to the Pupil-Centered Funding Plan
  • Project 2019-2021 funding distribution using the Pupil-Centered Funding Plan
  • Review 2019-2021 school district budgets that were prepared using the Pupil-Centered Funding Plan 
  • Make recommendations for needed changes to the Governor and Legislature 
  • Recommend revisions to the Nevada Department of Education, which could include:
    • Cost adjustment factors
    • Necessarily Small School Adjustment
    • Small District Equity Adjustment
    • “Average School” reports

Click here to see the presentation 

The immediate next steps for the commission include: 

  • Determine how to fulfill their mission within established timeframes
  • Identify information needed to facilitate the decision-making process
  • Propose recommendations to improve the implementation of the Pupil-Centered Funding Plan
  • Propose statutory changes to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of public education funding

The Commission Established Two (2) Work Groups 

Work groups were established to manage the workload and meet critical timelines of the commission. Work groups must be comprised of five (5) members each. Each group must include one (1) Chief Financial Officer of a district with 40,000 or fewer pupils, and one (1) Chief Financial Officer of a district with 40,000 or MORE pupils. 

Two (2) work groups have been identified based on the key responsibilities and deliverables outlined in Senate Bill  543.

Work Group 1: Formula and Distribution

This work group reviews base funding, the weights for categories of pupils, cost adjustment factors, and the distribution processes.

Members: 

  • Dr. David Jensen (Work Group Lead)
  • Mark Mathers
  • Guy Hobbs
  • Paul Johnson 
  • Punam Mather

Work Group 2: Reporting and Monitoring 

This work group identifies the evidence required to monitor the implementation of the Pupil-Centered Funding Plan (PCFP) and determines recommendations to address any deficiencies.
Members: 

  • Jim McIntosh (Work Group Lead)
  • Jason Goudy
  • A.J. Feuling 
  • Dr. Lisa Morris Hibbler 
  • Dusty Casey 

Click here to learn more about the structure of the work groups.

Requests for Future Agenda Items:

  • See a presentation on the basic definitions of SB 543 terms 
  • Hear insights from the Applied Analysis data team regarding the original inception of the Pupil-Centered Funding Plan

Click here to read about this meeting in the Nevada Independent.

Click here to read about this meeting in the Las Vegas Review-Journal

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Nevada Ed-Watch 8/29/19

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 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, August 29, 2019
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 regarding the following:

  • Parent support for a teacher who is potentially facing licensure suspension. 
  • Education stakeholders continuing to focus on critical issues like class size reduction and increasing public education funding. 

Board Approved the Consent Agenda

Consent Agenda Highlights:

  • Licensure approval for new and renewing private schools
  • Approval of instructional materials for the Carson City School District
  • Approval of Dual-Credit courses for various school districts 
  • Approval of Beacon Academy’s Work-Based Learning application

President’s Report

The President’s Report included:

  • Recognition of Mrs. Gail Hudson of Hummell Elementary School (CCSD), who was named Nevada Teacher of the Year (Click here to read about this in the Las Vegas Review-Journal)
  • Recognition of Diana Hollander, the department’s Director for Pupil Transportation, who received the Peter J. Grandolfo Memorial Award of Excellence (Click here to read about this in School Transportation News)

Superintendent’s Report

Superintendent Ebert provided the following updates:

  • SB543 (Funding Formula) 
    • Dr. Karlene McCormick-Lee was appointed to chair the Commission on School Funding by the Governor.
    • The other nominated members of the Commission on School Funding (in alphabetical order) are:
      • Dusty Casey, Oasis Academy (nominated by assembly Minority Leader Titus)
      • A.J. Feuling, Carson City School District (nominated by the Nevada Association of School Superintendents)
      • Jason Goudie, Clark County School District (nominated by the Nevada Association of School Superintendents)
      • Guy Hobbs, Hobbs Ong & Associates, Inc. (nominated by Majority Leader Cannizzaro)
      • Dr. David Jensen, Humboldt County School District (nominated by Senate Minority Leader Settelmeyer)
      • Paul Johnson, White Pine School District (nominated by the Nevada Association of School Superintendents) 
      • Punam Mather, Punam Mather LLC (nominated by Majority Leader Cannizzaro)
      • Mark Mathers, Washoe County School District (nominated by the Nevada Association of School Superintendents)
      • Jim McIntosh, City of Henderson (nominated by Speaker Frierson)
      • Dr. Lisa Morris-Hibbler, City of Las Vegas (nominated by Speaker Frierson)
    • The Interim Finance Committee recently approved two new positions at the Department of Education to support Commission on School Funding. The commission must hold its first meeting by October 1, 2019.
    • Click here to read about this in the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
    • Click here to read about this in the Nevada Independent.
  • Statewide Listening Tour
    • Superintendent Ebert and members of the Department team will be touring all 17 Nevada school districts and the State Public Charter School Authority (SPCSA) to understand their barriers and successes. Feedback heard from district and SPCSA stakeholders will inform the new State Plan for Student Improvement (STIP).
  • New Office Announcement: Office of Inclusive Education
    • This office includes the Special Education, Indian Education, and Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) departments. 

Board Heard Updates from the English Mastery Council

The Board heard a presentation about the progress the English Mastery Council (EMC) has made since its inception in 2015. The purpose of the EMC is to make recommendations to the Superintendent, State Board of Education, and the Commission on Professional Standards to ensure students learning English receive a high-quality, equitable education. Board members requested an executive summary that outlines the impact of the EMC’s recommendations on student achievement. Additionally, the board and EMC representatives agreed to increase the frequency of updates on the EMC at State Board meetings. 

During the 2019 legislative session the following updates were made to the EMC: 

  • The council meeting timeline was extended through June 2022.
  • The EMC now also focuses on students who score at or below the 25th percentile in English Language Arts proficiency (in addition to students who are learning the English language).

Click here to see the presentation. 

The Board Approved Appointees to the State Public Charter School Association Board 

The two appointees to the State Public Charter School Association board are Donald Soifer and Dr. Tanya Holmes Sutton.

The Department screened SPCSA board member applications for the board’s consideration based on the following criteria:

  1. Local public charter school board experience
  2. National public charter school board experience
  3. Instructional or administrative experience in the public charter school sector
  4. Instructional or administrative experience in the traditional public school sector
  5. Experience serving students most in need of school options

Board Heard Updates on Read by Grade 3 Initiative

The board heard a presentation on the history and most recent updates to the Read By Grade 3 initiative following the 2019 legislative session. 

Substantive updates to the Read by Grade 3 policy:

  • Grade 3 retention requirements have been removed and replaced with mandatory intervention and intensive instruction for all students who are not on grade level in reading.
  • Student reading plans will be regularly assessed to measure reading growth and efficacy of interventions.
  • Reading intervention services and intensive instruction are expanded to include all grades in an elementary school.

New appropriations:

  • Read by Grade 3 dollars will no longer be competitive. Rather, funds will be allocated across the entire state through the weighted funding formula.
  • $31.7 million is allocated in each year of the biennium (2019-2021), which is a 54.5% increase from the previous biennium.
  • Ensures that all Nevada elementary schools have an assigned literacy specialist who will work with the school principal and teachers, serve as a resource for professional development, and strengthen the skills of reading teachers to improve student achievement.

Click here to download the presentation. 

Board Approves 3rd Quarter Class Size Reduction Waivers

Currently, state law prescribes pupil-to-teacher ratios (17:1 for grades 1-2, and 20:1 for grade 3). However, due to a lack of available financial support for pupil-to-teacher ratios and other good causes, some schools were approved for variances.

In order to address the class size overages, rather than continue to approve waivers, members of the board suggested a sub-committee to address these overages and ensure that the most at-risk students are receiving quality instruction. Member Newburn will identify criteria for sub-committee participants and propose a timeline at a future board meeting.

Click here to see the report.  

Board Heard Educator Licensure Updates

The board heard from the Educator Licensure Department regarding the online licensure approval system and new licensure regulations following the 2019 legislative session.  

  • The current processing timeframe for licensure application review and approval is four weeks, a significant reduction from 2018.
  • Parent Involvement and Family Engagement Course requirement for licensure:
    • The state has developed a standardized course approval process, with 24 approved courses offered through 12 higher education institutions
    • The state is distributing a voluntary survey to teachers to understand how the course impacted their practice.
  • Expedited application processing available for spouses of active duty military members
  • Now accepting ARL programs from outside Nevada
  • Awardees of the Teach Nevada Scholarship must obtain an endorsement to teach English as a second language
  • Licensure reciprocity in Nevada for foreign teachers who have completed an equivalent program of preparation in their home country

Click here to see the presentation.

Board Heard a Presentation About School Improvement

The board heard a presentation about options within their legal authority to hold chronically underperforming schools accountable for their performance. The Nevada Department of Education has a federal mandate to hold schools accountable under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). 

Schools that receive a Comprehensive Support Intervention (CSI) designation are eligible for interventions. Schools that meet any of the following criteria will receive a CSI designation:

  • Schools performing in the bottom 5%, based on their Nevada School Performance Framework (NSPF) Index Score
  • 1-star schools
  • High schools with an average 4-year graduation rate below 67%
  • Schools that did not exit Targeted Support Intervention (TSI) designation after a three-year improvement plan 

For schools that receive the CSI designation, the following “More Rigorous Options”, or interventions, were approved in Nevada’s ESSA Plan. They are listed in order of increasing intensity: 

  • Additional State Support
  • Innovation Zones and Managed Partnerships
  • Receivership and Extraordinary Authority Districts
  • Charter Conversion
  • Closure

The board noted that though the Achievement School District is no longer in statute, there are still other avenues for charter conversion to occur. The board expressed their desire to keep all options available, but prefer to implement intervention options in order of increasing intensity.

The board will hear the final part of the presentation at the October board meeting, focusing on specific CSI designated schools.

Click here to download the presentation.

Click here to see the Nevada Ed-watch summary of the July 17th meeting, when the first part of this discussion took place (an overview of the state’s accountability system and school designations).

The Board Approved Teacher Licensure Revocation and Suspension

The board approved license revocation for one educator who was found guilty of sexual misconduct with students. The board also approved a 30-day suspension for one educator who provided inappropriate coaching for students during testing.

Potential Future Agenda Items:

  • A report to address the distribution of student scores for Read by Grade 3
  • Continued updates on SB543, including an invitation for members of the commission to the next board meeting

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