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, December 15, 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:
- Exempting speech language pathologists from certain competency testing
- Legislative priorities for the Board
- Alternate pathways to teacher licensure
- Nevada’s ranking in the Education Law Center’s “Making the Grade” report
- Teacher pay and recruitment
- Disproportionate opportunities for students of color
- High school start times
- Operational effectiveness in school districts
President’s Report
Highlights included:
- Five schools were recognized as Purple Star schools for their support to military families.
- With the election of Governor-Elect Lombardo, there may be some shifts within the Board of Education.
- There is a budget surplus, which several members of the board and external partners, including legislators, are working on to benefit education in Nevada.
- The UNLV College of Education Alumni of the Year was Superintendent Jhone Ebert.
- NSHE Board of Regents approved new programs at UNLV, including two new Master’s programs for educators. New anti-bias and anti-discrimination regulations were also passed. Regents also approved the renewal of the MGM employer-sponsored higher education program. New board officer positions within NSHE have also been announced.
Superintendent’s Report
- Several school and district visits have taken place in Elko, Lander, Humboldt, Pershing, and Lyon Counties, and Owyhee Combined School.
- Megan Peterson is the new Deputy Superintendent for Student Investment.
- 1,458 responses have been submitted to the college and career readiness assessment survey.
Board Approved Consent Agenda
Consent agenda items included:
- Approval of Commission on Professional Standards in Education Regulations
- Approval of school bus materials
- Approval of Nevada Career and Technical Education Course Catalogue 2023-2024
Explore the consent agenda items.
Board Discussed Possibly Implementing Later Start Times for High School
The Board discussed potentially implementing later start times for high school students. Benefits of later start times include better mental and physical health, improved academic outcomes, reduced risk of car accidents and injuries, and less tardiness.
Board and several superintendents in attendance discussed the need for additional stakeholder input on needs, cost and availability of transportation, student wellness, and piloting the program. The state will gather feedback on this topic to make a decision at a later date.
Explore the benefits document.
Board Approved a Position Statement for the 2023 Legislative Session
The Board approved its position statement on additional funding from the 2023 legislative session, to get student funding to an optimal level. The three large areas of priority identified by the state in this position statement are educator recruitment, training, retention, and support; Pre-K programs; and infrastructure (both physical and technological). After discussion, additional language was provided on competency-based learning and workforce development goals.
Explore the position statement.
Board Discussed Goals and Benchmarks of the State for Improving Student Achievement
Representatives of the Nevada Association of School Superintendents (NASS) presented a summary of the most recent math and ELA outcomes, graduation rates, and CTE outcomes, and potential alternate metrics for student achievement, including student-led conferences, student goals, service activities, and extra- and co-curricular activities. NASS representatives detailed the iNVest priorities for the 2023 legislature:
- Funding districts and schools to hire and retain high-quality staff in a competitive labor market, including increasing salaries, new pathways to the education profession, leadership pathways, standardized curriculum and professional development for teachers, and improved working conditions (Estimated cost: $1.7 billion)
- Increasing equitable education opportunities, including fully funding student weights, expanded CTE, STEM/STEAM, and other innovative programs, and 1:1 connectivity and access to WiFi (Estimated cost: $976 million)
- Improving needed supports for students and families, including addressing mental health needs, family empowerment programs, and extra- or co-curricular activities (Estimated cost: $1 billion)
NASS representatives asked the Board to adopt the iNVest platform at its next meeting.
Washoe County School District reported that they have adopted their legislative platform in alignment with iNVest priorities and the State’s position statement, and the district will be embarking on a strategic planning process in 2023. There is a need for greater systemic coherence and modernizing statues and regulations and policies.
Nevada Association of School Boards reported that their annual conference welcomed 130+ attendees, and that the organization is expanding its training and tracking programs, and rebuilding its website. The representative also spoke about the need for enhanced collaboration and the need to focus on student outcomes.
Nye County School District reported that resources and funding levels, as well as state support for school performance plans, are challenges for the District, as well as adequate staffing for teachers and support staff.
Explore the presentation, appendix, and iNVest platform document.
Board Deferred a Presentation on Developmentally Appropriate Kindergarten Policy
This item will be heard at the January board meeting.
Future Agenda Items
The board reviewed the following items for inclusion in the 2023 calendar:
- Graduation rates presentation
- Silver State Governance Training
- Board evaluations
- Board meeting start times
- Priority bills for the 2023 Legislature
- High school start times workshop
Public Comment #2
Public comment was heard on the following subjects:
- Disproportionality among students in discipline and student progress
- Pay rates for support employees
- Public comment periods at Clark County School District meetings
- District accountability
The next Board of Education meeting is scheduled at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 12, 2022.
