Nevada Legislature 2013: Closing Thoughts and Reflections

One hundred and twenty (and a half) days goes very quickly. The pace of the legislature is grueling. The platform the Washoe County School District Board of Trustees adopted prior to the 2013 set clear priorities, and progress was made in many of those key areas.

• Capital Projects Funding: Assembly Bill 46 was signed into law by the Governor. Although it was not approved in its original form (most bills are not), it gives WCSD the opportunity to present information about our capital projects situation to the Washoe County Commission. We know the Washoe County Commission will have to go through a public process and gather all the information in order to make an informed decision, and we look forward to being proactive throughout that process. We hope you will continue your advocacy around this issue.
• Operating Funds: WCSD can expect to see an increase in the per pupil funding, which will help to address the District’s structural deficit. While it does not fully restore funding, this was a welcome increase given the severity of the cuts endured by the District during the economic recession.
• Early Literacy: Additional funds for the expansion of state-funded full-day kindergarten, reduction of kindergarten class size, and precedent-setting appropriations dedicated for our youngest English language learners will be very important as our District continues to emphasize the importance of early literacy. 
• Human Capital: With bipartisan and broad-based support, the recommendations of the Teachers and Leaders Council were adopted to address the modifications to the evaluation system for teachers and administrators. This included additional funds to provide training for teachers and administrators on how the new evaluations will work. In fact, professional development was a common theme and additional resources were allocated for that reason.
• College and Career Readiness: Significant progress was made to align the PreK-20 education system, including emphasis on early childhood standards through eventual replacement of the high school proficiency exam by end-of-course and college readiness exams. Additional investment in the statewide longitudinal data system was also made to provide better data-based decision making tools.

It is certainly not a glamorous process and not all the outcomes are exactly as we would have liked, but on the whole, the legislature demonstrated its commitment to build a strong public school system as a fundamental right and an economic development priority. Thanks to the dedication of our staff, Washoe County School District was regarded as a gold standard within the state and a leader in many areas. Personally, I am proud to represent our district and proud of what we accomplished this session. And, in fact, I’m already looking forward to the 2015 session.

The Home Stretch

This week, we entered the final 30 days of the 2013 Legislative Session. This is the time when things really start to pick up, and we begin to see a lot of votes and action in the Legislature. Even though we are two-thirds through the session, there is still a ton of work left to do!


 Many proposals remain outstanding, including some big issues for education. Here's a quick look at just a few of the major pieces of legislation we are still watching:

 AB 288 - Eliminates the high school proficiency exam and replaces it with a new assessment system
(https://nelis.leg.state.nv.us/77th2013/App#/77th2013/Bill/Overview/AB288)

 AB 161 - Reading proficiency by grade 3 requirements (https://nelis.leg.state.nv.us/77th2013/App#/77th2013/Bill/Overview/AB161)

 AB 162 - Class size reduction bill (https://nelis.leg.state.nv.us/77th2013/App#/77th2013/Bill/Overview/AB162

 AB 163 - Early childhood education programs (https://nelis.leg.state.nv.us/77th2013/App#/77th2013/Bill/Overview/AB163)

 SB 182 - Full day kindergarten (https://nelis.leg.state.nv.us/77th2013/App#/77th2013/Bill/Overview/SB182)

 SB 407 - Implementation of the Teachers and Leaders Council of Nevada recommendations for evalutions; schedule for implementation of the statewide performance evaluation system (https://nelis.leg.state.nv.us/77th2013/App#/77th2013/Bill/Overview/SB407)

Rules and Procedures Matter

During the last two weeks, the legislative process proved that you have to know the rules to master the game.

 Legislators faced a deadline on Friday, April 12. Bills had to pass out of their first committee to continue through the process. If they didn't get the votes or a hearing, the bill died. WCSD continues to monitor many different bills (ranging from education policy issues to other topics that could impact the operations side of the school district) that survived the deadline. Check out the bills that weren't so lucky here.

 The April 12 deadline set us up for a week of numerous and long floor sessions in the Senate and Assembly. Bills were introduced, amended, and passed to the next committee for further discussion. Some bills even received a full vote by the Senate or Assembly. All this activity is leading up to yet another deadline tomorrow (Tuesday, April 23) when bills must get passed out of their first house to move forward.

Unless, the proposed legislation is exempt from this deadline, which usually means the bill has a fiscal impact. Exempt bills can stay alive throughout the process even if they miss the scheduled deadlines. The list of bills receiving an exemption is growing, and you can see that list here.

 As more deadlines draw near, we get a clearer picture of what the end of the session will look like and the impact it could have on WCSD.

AB 46 Lives On

The energy is high and momentum is positive on the district’s most important piece of legislation this session: AB 46.

It took an important step in the legislative process today and you can read more about the details here

Half Time Show

Day 60. This is a big day in the Nevada Legislature, for a couple reasons;

 First, it’s the halfway point of our statutorily limited 120 session, wich means, instead, instead of breaking for half time, things are speeding up exponentially as we approach the first important deadline on April 12. By April 12, all bills have to be passed out of their original committee assignment. Without a long civics lesson, if bills don’t have enough support to get passed in their first committee, they die and will no longer be viable in the 2013 legislative session.

Second, our legislators quit earning a paycheck. They still get reimbursed for their expenses, but they no longer earn a salary for being an elected official. Fortunately, I don’t think many, if any, of our state legislators run for office because of the salary they make while in office. That said, they do regularly remind us that they are working for free after day 60.

The days are long now, but important discussions about ELL, high school proficiency exams, evaluations, student health services, and early childhood programs consume the hours in the legislative building.

It’s time to get the team ready for the second half. Go WCSD!

Education bills are the minority majority

The number of bills proposed that could impact Washoe County School District grew exponentially Monday of this week as it was the last day for legislators to introduce their final language on how to change the law. While many of those bills could outline changes to the educational system, many are much more broad based, but would include our district. We follow many issues that may seem unrelated to education, but indirectly impact the district in other ways. Examples of these areas include child welfare, employment practices, contracts and purchasing, nutrition, social services, and transportation. So in the midst of trying to address all the educational needs we have around our own platform of early childhood, family engagement, college readiness, etc., we are actively participating in conversations on issues to reduce barriers and ensure that we don’t waste resources on unnecessary or onerous requirements operationally.

By the numbers 
Bills we are tracking: 150
Days left in session 74

Alphabet Soup – TLC, RPDP, STEM. Huh??

Alphabet Soup – TLC, RPDP, STEM. Huh??

Even for educators familiar with the lexicon, the acronyms in this world can be overwhelming. Everywhere I turn there is another acronym that needs explaining. This week at the legislature is no exception.

Yesterday, legislators received information from the Teachers and Leaders Council (TLC) that is creating the system for future teacher and administrator evaluations.

And, they heard an overview of the Regional Professional Development Program (RPDP) that deliver professional development to many of our teachers.

Tomorrow, the Senate Education committee will hear from a statewide panel of experts on the value of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs being implemented across the state, including here in Washoe County.

I anticipate there will be hearings about CCSS, SDLS, and the SPF in the near future. Stay tuned to find out about those exciting acronyms.

I’m sure there is a dictionary somewhere that has all the acronyms defined, and if you have it, please send it my way. Until then, I’ll be decoding them through the legislative process.

Education Week Wraps Up

Education Week Wraps Up

It was an exciting, but exhausting week for education advocates. We had hearings go well in to the evening on Monday and Wednesday in joint education hearings. Policy issues were heard and elicited significant public response around expansion of full-day kindergarten, expanding pre-K for our most at-risk students, limiting the practice of social promotion, and tightening and better reporting around class size reduction. Additionally, the first hearing on the district’s main budget, the Distributed School Account (DSA), was heard in a joint meeting of Senate Finance and Assembly Ways and Means.

There was a healthy amount of debate about the positive impacts and potential unintended consequences of all these issues, but one thing was clear – everyone wants to improve student achievement. That is a good sign.

Next week we will tackle additional education policy issues. There will be a presentation about the Teachers and Leaders Council as well as the Regional Professional Development Program (RPDP). WCSD is participating in all these discussions and representing the values of our board platform. There will also be a presentation about the increasing emphasis of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs.

There will also be a widely publicized hearing about what’s been deemed The Education Initiative (TEI) – an initiative petition largely facilitated by the Nevada State Teachers Association (NSEA). This initiative petition calls for a 2% margins tax on businesses generating over $1 million in revenue, and the money generated from this tax is intended to be added to the education budget in our state.

I’m already looking forward to updating you next week on the highlights of these discussions. Thanks for following this discussion. While Carson City may seem eons away, many of these decisions will ultimately impact the school and classroom level. Get engaged and take this biennial opportunity to have your voice heard by your legislators. Don’t know who they are? Find out here!

A Strong Start for AB 46

To say we are off to a fast start is a great understatement. Last week was a very active week, led by the first hearing of our bill, AB 46, that would secure additional funding for capital projects. It was an incredibly proud moment when a bi-partisan panel of the Northern Nevada legislative leaders sat next to each other, supporting the bill and asking their colleagues for their support. Our community also came out to support us a big way. Supporters of the bill filled the room in a show of support from business, labor, education, real estate, economic development and professionals from many fields. It was the first step in a long process, but it was a great kickoff on this piece of legislation.  Additional discussion about a proposed amendment to the bill will take place at the Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday, February 26th at 3 p.m.

We also participated in a discussion that outlined the significant budget shortfalls that we have endured the past five years. It was a sobering hearing and I believe it gave the new legislators much needed history on the budget statewide since the recession began.

The week of February 25 proves to be another important week with four important pieces of legislation being heard in joint meetings of Assembly and Senate Education committees. There will be an important emphasis on early childhood education including hearings on Monday about a proposal to provide mandatory, full day kindergarten for all children in the state as well as a proposal for pre-K programs at all of our at-risk schools. Wednesday will offer a chance to discuss the a proposal of class size reduction funding as well as a proposal to limit social promotion by enhancing early identification and intervention efforts.

The hallways at the legislative building are full of both philosophical and practical discussion about the needs of our education system, and I believe we will have ample opportunity to weigh with the needs and values of the Washoe County School District.

Digital Learning Day

Even though it’s only the first week, I believe we experienced a high point already. It was officially “Digital Learning Day” at the legislature on Wednesday and there was an exciting infusion of students in a world dominated by adults. The Assembly foyer was packed full of students in all age groups set up on various digital devices to help advance their education. Students and teachers from Spanish Springs High School in Sparks showcased the C3Media Academy that trains students in print, web, and video production. In partnership with KNPB Channel 5, students from Reno High School showcased their Redhouse Project where students generate community awareness by producing public service announcements for local non-profit agencies. I always love it when our legislators get to interact with our students – it brings a much more personal feel to a process many find dehumanized. In fact, WCSD students conducted very professional interviews with Senators Smith and Kieckhefer as well as Assemblymen Kirner and Bobzien as part of their video project. Check out the final products here  and here

Instead of asking students to turn off their digital devices when they come to school, we need to provide them with sufficient access and infrastructure so we are able to encourage them to use technology in the most productive and efficient way. At the Nevada legislature the building nearly shuts down and people stop working when the wireless network goes down. It seems that here, of all places, support for educational technology should be a no-brainier. If we expect Nevada high school graduates to be prepared for the digital workplace we live in, we should allow them the opportunity to experience it through our public school system.

First Day of 2013 Session

First day of school session

The first day of the legislative session is much like the first day of school. Most participants (elected officials, staff, and lobbyists) have a fresh haircut and wear their new outfit. New friends are made, old friendships rekindled, and there is an air of excitement and optimism. Today was no exception. There was a lot of pomp and circumstance, but the work began. Many bills were introduced on the floors of the Senate and Assembly, including Assembly Bill 46. AB46, sponsored by Washoe County School District, was introduced and assigned to the Assembly Taxation Committee. And so, we are off and ready to participate in the legislative process with the best interest of our students in mind. We hope you’ll stay along for the ride.

Preview: Wednesday, February 6th is Digital Learning Day so look forward to some informative and fun updates about how our district and students bring awareness to digital learning.

WCSD Board of Trustees Release Legislative Platform

 The WCSD Board of Trustees has engaged in some very meaningful conversations about their legislative agenda in the months past and has unanimously agreed to adopt their 2013 Legislative Platform . 

This document is focused around the most important policy discussions that are anticipated this session. It is closely aligned with our strategic plan, Envision WCSD 2015- Investing in Our Future, and is designed to reflect the values system of WCSD, which strives to improve academic outcomes for all our students. This will serve as the guide for the positions we will take on proposed pieces of legislation.

It is grouped in subject areas that address funding (both capital and operating) as well as our continued support of early literacy, family engagement, and college and career readiness. Additionally, it focuses on human capital and the need for an evaluation system and robust professional development as well as the desire to have as much decision-making power as close to the local level as possible.

We believe we’ve addressed and weighed in on many of the expected “hot topics” like social promotion, expansion of full-day kindergarten, as well as the improvement of the high school proficiency exam.

It is impossible to address every piece of legislation that may affect the district so we have a process in place for the board, or its legislative subcommittee, to consider any proposal that isn’t addressed in the board platform.

Calm Before the Storm

Although the legislative session won’t start until February 4th, there is a significant amount of preliminary work being done by those involved in public policy. The Washoe County School District Board of Trustees adopted a final legislative platform at It’s meeting on Tuesday, January 22nd (watch for more on this next week), the governor’s proposed budget was presented to the Legislative Budget Subcommittee and the State Board of Education held its monthly meeting.

Details of what Governor Sandoval described in his State of the State speech was presented by the Nevada Department of Education staff to the Legislative Budget Subcommittee. He is proposing an additional $135 million directed toward K-12 education over the biennium. The increase is mainly related to ongoing employee salary and benefits but also directs some resources towards education initiatives. The governor is proposing $20 million for Full Day Kindergarten expansion; $14 million for ELL Program Enhancement; $2 million to expand Teach for America in Clark County School District; and $1.5 million Jobs for American’s Graduates. We look forward to working with the legislature as they consider and potentially modify this budget proposal.

The State Board of Education also met to consider several critical issues including the consideration of the Teachers and Leaders Council report which is making recommendations on administrator and teacher evaluations. They also discussed the State Improvement Plan and legislative advocacy plans of the newly-seated State Board.

As you can see, education policy and advocacy activities are ramping up and there will be much more to report in the coming weeks. Keep checking back for more information and pictures.

Governor’s State of the State Address Marks Unofficial Kick Off to Legislative Session

Welcome to the legislative blog for the Washoe County School District.  Nevada’s citizen legislature meets every other year to discuss the state’s budget and make policy changes ultimately intended to improve the quality of life for Nevada residents.  The 77^th legislative session begins February 4, 2013 and is scheduled to conclude after 120 days on June 3, 2013.  This statutorily limited time period creates an intense and exciting time for Nevada citizens and groups to eliminate barriers and adjust the law to best meet our needs.

Washoe County School District (WCSD) plays a key role in the legislative process as a majority of the state’s budget goes to support education.  As the second largest school district in the state, serving approximately  63,000 children, any educational or financial policy change stands to have a significant impact on the district.  We participate in formal committees providing official testimony on behalf of WCSD as well as more informal policy discussions about how to achieve the best possible student outcomes.  We work to develop many key relationships  and serve to act as a reliable source of information with our state’s policymakers.

The Washoe County School District Board of Trustees will adopt a legislative platform that reflects its vision for our children and supports policies that will help us in achieving the goals set forth in Envision WCSD 2015 – Investing In Our Future, our strategic plan.  

While the legislative session doesn’t legally begin until February, the Governor’s State of the State address is generally accepted as the unofficial kickoff to the biennial policy debates.  The Governor made it clear during his speech on Wednesday evening (January 16) that education is one of his top priorities.  He announced that his proposed budget includes additional funding for a limited

expansion of full day kindergarten, programs for English Language Learners (ELL) and a statewide longitudinal database program.  The WCSD budget analysts are currently reviewing and analyzing the Governor’s budget for the impact on our district and we will know more in the coming weeks.  The Governor’s budget will be reviewed in detail by both the Senate Finance and Assembly Ways and Means committees, and there could be significant modifications by the time the final budget is approved.  We will continue to monitor those discussions closely and keep you posted on any significant developments.

Other likely areas of heavy discussion will be around early literacy initiatives, including social promotion and reading by third grade, as well as professional development and assessment alignment.   Please continue to monitor this blog for regular updates as the legislative session unfolds, and we all work hard to achieve our goal of Every Child, By Name and Face, To Graduation.