SB404 Education Funding
SB404 - Education Funding
Remarks by Senator Dina Titus on Amendment 05-23-05
We commend the Governor's commitment to excellence in education, but we believe that the way to fix education problems and meet the needs of Nevada's children is not by creating more bureaucracy. We further believe that all schools should receive funding, not just those that have failed to meet certain standards; it is equally important in our mind, and in all the professional literature on the topic, to save those schools that are on the brink and reward those schools that are doing well - like watering the green spots.
So we bring this amendment, which keeps the Governor's proposed funding in place, but makes it easier and quicker to get dollars directly to the classroom. All the schools in Nevada have already written school improvement plans. They know what the problems are and they have identified ways to address them. They don't need to go through another lengthy grant application process.
Specifically, this amendment eliminates the Governor-appointed
commission, calls for the State Superintendent to draw up regulations, and creates three categories of funding: remediation, prevention, and innovation.
1) Remediation - to help those elementary schools doing the poorest. We propose $25 million for schools identified under "No Child Left Behind" as needing improvement. The sum of $13 million, which the
Governor has proposed for high school remediation to assist students to pass proficiency exams, will now be rolled into the trust fund, but remain earmarked for that same purpose.
2) Prevention - to help those schools on the brink - to push them back to success and prevent them from falling over into the failing category. We propose $25 million for schools on the "watch list" or identified
as "failing to make adequate yearly progress".
3) Innovation - The remaining $50 million would be for creative programs at any school that would assist in higher achievement by pupils, including, but not limited to full day kindergarten and programs for Englishlanguage learners.
http://www.leg.state.nv.us/titus/docs/05_23_2005_EducationlFundng_SB404.pdf