3 days ago
Nevada lawmakers push through new education reform bill
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Nevada lawmakers are trying to push through a bill that aims to reform public education in the state.
Monday was the final day for bills to pass in the 2025 Nevada legislative session.
Republicans and Democrats combined two separate education bills, Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro, D-Clark County, and Republican Governor Joe Lombardo's bills which were absorbed into one piece of legislation.
Nevada Democrats unveil major education bill targeting CCSD, charter schools
The bill includes open enrollment; expanding pre-kindergarten education; making the Clark County School District's four non-voting appointed trustees into voting members; and allowing the state to take over underperforming schools.
At a hearing in the Assembly Education Committee on Monday, Interim Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Steve Canavero said the punitive parts of a new system to hold schools accountable would take effect in the 2029 school year.
'Does [the Nevada Department of Education] have the ability, the funding, the staff, and the resources to fully take over these schools on an indefinite basis?' Assem. Selena La Rue Hatch, D-Washoe County, said.
'This is the start of a build out [for the] long term. Our math would say somewhere around 2029/2030 would be when we would identify persistently underperforming schools,' Dr. Canavero responded.
The new bill would create the Public Education Oversight Board, which would support and intervene when schools, including charters, slide academically.
'The permissive interventions would be direct state takeover or working to replace key personnel at the school site,' Canavero said, in describing what the board could do.
According to the Nevada Department of Education, half of all public schools are one or two-star schools and half of third graders are also not at the level they need to be.
Yet not all lawmakers were sold on the idea of a new board, including Democratic Assem. Erica Mosca.
'I definitely have some concerns, and I've heard a lot of people have concerns around a small group having a lot of decision making in the state. Whether it's taking over a school, removing a superintendent, taking over a district,' Mosca, D-Clark County, said. She has previously worked at charter schools.
Lombardo said he is looking to remove excuses in schools when it comes to chronic underperformance.
'Remove that excuse': Gov. Lombardo's education bill aims at performance, accountability
'It's clear that there was an intention for there to be some decision making around accountability for our school districts,' Canavero said.
Tucked in the education reform was the amendment to make the non-voting, appointed CCSD trustees into voting members. That would not kick in until July of 2027.
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