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.
Nevada State Board of Education
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.
Wednesday, September 6, 2023
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
- Concerns regarding high school start times
- Support for later high school start times
President’s Report
- Welcome back for the 2023-24 school year
- Moment of silence for kids who lost their lives over the summer
- Various board member updates, including attending the National Association of Latino Elected & Appointed Officials conference and a new board member’s role as a student success facilitator
- Nevada System of Higher Education Update: plans for increased collaboration between NSHE and the Department; community college faculty being selected for a workforce development framework advisory group; reconfiguring the teacher education data dashboard this fall; developing pathways for teacher pipelines; and upcoming topics at the NSHE board meeting
Superintendent’s Report
Highlights included:
- Nevada Department of Education Regulatory Process: Pursuant to executive order, the Department held its first regulation workshop last week, with another workshop at the end of September, and monthly thereafter until all items have been heard.
- Accountability – AB 400 & AB 98: Bill language specified for the Department to develop metrics to examine several academic items, as well as staff recruitment and retention. The Governor’s staff has asked the Department to focus on specific grade levels (third grade reading, middle school mathematics, and high school college and career readiness), and the new metrics will not replace any performance measures already in place.
- Commission on School Funding: The Commission had its first meeting of the legislative interim. Former State Senator Joyce Woodhouse was appointed to serve on the Commission on Innovation and Excellence. Presentations were heard on the Pupil Centered Funding Formula, review of the scope of the committee, and agenda-setting for the remainder of the interim. The next meeting of the Commission is September 28. The Chair of the Commission is Guy Hobbs, and Sen. Woodhouse was appointed as Vice-Chair.
- Saturday, September 9 will be the Nevada Teaching and Learning Conference, for PK-12 educators. It will be held online.
- The National Equity Project will be conducting several educational workshops.
- Nevada Department of Education Updates: Lisa Ford has rejoined the Department as Chief Strategy Officer.
Board Approved the Consent Agenda
Highlights included:
- Approval of the Private School Consent Agenda
- Approval of several programs of study
- Approval of instructional materials for English Language Arts
Review the consent agenda.
Board Approved a College and Career Ready (CCR) Assessment Recommendation
The Board heard from the CCR Assessment RFP Selection Committee on their recommendation to use the ACT as a standard CCR assessment for all 11th grade students in Nevada. The Board approved this request, and the Department will now work with the vendor to finalize the selection process and coordinate implementation statewide.
Explore the presentation.
Board Reviewed Draft Regulation Language for High School Start Times
The Board reviewed a draft of the proposed regulation language for staggered and potential later start times for high schools that currently begin prior to 8:00 a.m. The new language stipulates that schools starting before 8:00 a.m. must provide alternate options to students and families. A waiver will be available for schools facing unique challenges. Implementation will occur in the 2024-25 school year, with a gradual approach. Each school will be required to submit an annual report to the Board detailing the progress of implementation by November 15 of each school year.
Board members discussed local school autonomy, survey language to gauge options among schools and school districts, starting rate of implementation, ensuring schools are equitably served by school start time options, ensuring schools have appropriate recourse to the State Board, logistical implications (including transportation), clarifying language, and concerns around unintended consequences.
Next steps include submitting the language to the Legislative Council Bureau, and then moving through the public hearing process.
Explore the draft language.
Board Celebrated the Early Educator of the Year Awardees
The Board recognized Rebecca Howell of Bernice Mathews Elementary School (Washoe County School District) and Bethany Johnson of Bold and Bright Academy (Las Vegas) as the 2023 Nevada Early Educators of the Year.
Explore the presentation.
Board Received a Presentation Teacher Licensing and Teacher Pipeline
The Board received an update on teacher licensing and the teacher pipeline. Recruitment supports include the Teacher Academy College Pathway (AB 428), Teach Nevada scholarships, and incentivizing pathways to teaching. Retention supports include educator recognition, elevating educator voice, and various scholarships, stipends, and support for professional development.
The presentation also reviewed the licensure process, operations, support, and the number of applications processed. While initial licenses increased slightly in 2022, the number of renewal and additional endorsement licenses decreased from 2021.
There are several licensing pathways: traditional (four years of coursework or the accelerated Paraprofessional Pathways Project); alternative route to licensure (currently 10 providers with 22 unique endorsement areas); business and industry; and standard licensure holders (opportunities to add middle or secondary endorsement by exam or special education via Interim Route to Certification). Nevada also offers full reciprocity for out of state applicants, and Nevada has joined the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact. There is also a Visiting International Teacher License. The CTE Teaching and Training Program of Study began in 2017-2018 school year and now has 45 schools in eight school districts participating.
AB 428 from the 2023 Legislative Session will establish a “grow your own” educator program for Nevada high school students, removing barriers to entry by giving students the opportunity to begin their educator career debt-free, and aiming to reduce attrition in the pipeline, with the goal of producing qualified and diverse PK-12 teachers in Nevada. The Nevada Teacher Academy begins in middle school, where the program is introduced; in high school, internships, dual credits, NSHE admission, and wraparound services are included in the pathway. In higher education, students can opt for a paraprofessional employment offer, early teaching employment offers, services, and other support programs. Once in the classroom, tuition abatement can be offered to eligible educators.
Board members discussed background check processes, wait times around licensing, fee structures and alternates, improving efficiencies, potential bill draft requests for the 2025 Legislature, substitute teacher pathways, attrition in teacher certification pathways, additional data to inform how students move through teacher pathways, and student outcomes.
Review the presentation.
Board Discussed Future Agenda Items
Suggestions for future agenda items include an update on the Statewide Plan for the Improvement of Pupils, transportation, Silver State Governance, School Organization Team structure and training, restorative justice, the Student Advisory Board, Read by Three cut-off scores, and school closures as a result of staff absences.
Public Comment #2
- Diversity in teacher pipelines
- Concerns regarding school start times determined on a state level, versus a local level
- SOT training
- Restorative justice practices
The next Board of Education meeting is scheduled on Wednesday, October 4, at 2:00 p.m.
