02-04-2025
CCSD opposes school choice bill, while lawmakers say it empowers families
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The Clark County School District is against a bill that would let parents enroll their children at any public school regardless of where they live.
Nevada lawmakers held a hearing for Assembly Bill 533 (AB533), also known as the open enrollment bill, on Tuesday with CCSD providing the lone dissent among speakers.
'As we talk about open enrollment, I just want it to be clear that we are providing as many seats as we possibly can to any school that's underutilized,' Brad Keating, assistant superintendent at CCSD, said.
Despite CCSD's opposition, the bill has support among Democrats, Republicans and the business community.
During testimony, supporters argued the bill's lottery system for placing children in schools outside of their neighborhood will be fairer than what's currently in place.
'As an educator, as a school leader, and as a policymaker — I see the potential this bill has to change lives and to change the trajectory of so many students and close the equity gap for families,' Democratic Assem. Selena Torres-Fossett said.
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AB533 would allow children to go to any school that has the room through a lottery system. Parents would have to apply first and if they're denied, there would be a mechanism where they could appeal the decision.
Supporters said this proposal is about creating no address discrimination.
'Families will do what is best for them and I think we should empower those families to make those decisions,' Torres-Fossett said.
The Vegas Chamber, the American Civil Liberties Union, Latin Chamber of Commerce, Americans for Prosperity and NAACP all came out in support of AB533.
Keating said the district is against it.
'We're still struggling to figure out the difference between the COSA process and what this lays out in law, so we want to work with the stakeholders to figure that out,' Keating said.
COSA is Change of School Assignment. According to CCSD, there are 16,000 students under COSA.
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But unlike the new proposal, CCSD does not have a process to appeal a denial, according to the district's website.
'The reality right now is there is no equity. Those kids who are at schools where they aren't happy or not satisfied do not have other options unless they are attending a public charter school, or unless they're in a magnet program,' Torres-Fossett said.
Another point that came up with the bill was public transportation, but according to the bill's text, school trustees will create and submit a report to the state every year evaluating the issue.
Keating said the district has problems with the legislation's language on school capacity and the fact that a student's behavior will be used as a factor in their application.
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