Ed Made Easy Blog
Each month, our Student Member to the Board of Education creates a blog documenting their experience during the Nevada Board of Education meetings.
Michael Keyes
Student Member to the Board of Education
March Board of Education Meeting
Healthier School Start Times
We heard from Patricia Haddad, Director of Government Relations for Clark County School District, on school start times. She reiterated to the board once again that she firmly believes that start times need to be left up to the local districts. We also heard from the Nevada Association of School Superintendents voicing their opinion that the state board cannot dictate school start times because the state is so different.
The Board’s legal council came back with two possible options to regulate start times. Option one would require all school districts with an alternative schedule to have classes start on or after 8 a.m. This would allow more flexibility for a waiver system, but the huge drawback is that it would not apply to metro areas, a large part of the problem. This means it wouldn’t affect the Las Vegas or Reno metro areas. The second option would be to add to the criteria for obtaining a course credit for a class that it must start before 8 am. This would not allow for a waiver system for school districts. I was adamantly opposed to this option, as students with a 4-day school week would be required to stay at school until an unrealistic time. We’ve heard from many students from districts that the 4-day school week is opposing later start times, and the State Board has heard their comments and adjusted the regulation accordingly with the waiver section.
Through a lengthy discussion, the board decided to go ahead with the survey, collect the data, along with zip codes, and then show that survey data to legislators. If the data shows that students and families want a later start time, the board will look into putting in a Bill Draft Request to have a bill in the 2025 legislative session to have accountability for district start times. Pursuing legislation instead of regulation gives the board much more flexibility, although it may be harder to pass. I will stay on top of this topic and ensure it doesn’t get lost in the board’s other duties. If you have any thoughts or questions about this topic, please email me at nevstuco.sboeducation@gmail.com.
Dual Credit Discrepancies
On our consent agenda, we had a dual credit request from the Douglas County School District. While I was reviewing the materials, I was confused about a lot of things on this list simply because it was a lot different from what credits translate in my district. I submitted the following question to the Department ahead of the meeting, “Why are Meteorology, Stellar Astronomy, and Physics courses considered electives when Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, and Anatomy classes are considered science courses? I know that I have an Astronomy course at my high school that is a science credit, so what is the difference between taking it at the high school and college levels? I’m also currently taking a Physics 100 course that counts as a science credit; why, then, is it listed here as an elective? On the other hand, Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II are elective credits at my school but listed as science on this list. Why are different students getting different credits for the same classes across the state, and is the department doing anything to streamline this process to make sure that every student is getting the same opportunities and credit for the work they do?” While I did get a technical response from the Department that each district decides what the credits are equated to, it still left me with the bigger problem. Students receive different credits for the same classes, which isn’t fair or equitable. We decided that the department and the Board will start working towards a solution for this, starting with the Nevada System for Higher Education coming to our next meeting with a presentation about Dual Credit and Enrollment in the state. We approved DCSD’s request as it is more important to provide these opportunities to the students while also working towards a solution to the bigger issue.
School Board Elections and Charter Schools
We heard from candidates for the State Board of Education and Washoe County School District about their support for charter schools. The State Board of Education holds its elections in the same year as the presidential election, and I look forward to bringing you more information on the candidates as we approach the election if I am still serving in my role. The Nevada State Education Association submitted a public comment critiquing charter schools, saying that they lack accountability, there has been slight improvement, and they disadvantage lower-income students. We later received a presentation about the State Public Charter School Authority’s student achievement compared to the state. You can view that here.
Read by Grade 3 Subcommittee
Kathern Lee, during public comment, spoke out about the Read by Grade 3 (RBG3) subcommittee that was formed in the meeting. She is an associate professor at UNLV, a dually licensed health service provider, and a school psychologist. To give some background, AB400, passed in the 2023 legislative session, reinstated a 2015 policy that requires third-grade students to be retained if they don’t meet a specific cutoff score on a state-mandated test. The State Board of Education is to decide the cutoff score, which is the purpose of the subcommittee. Dr. Lee voiced that she is adamantly opposed to this bill, citing the inefficiency of school retention, specifically on minorities in school. It just exacerbates the current injustices placed on children. She urged the Board to contact UNLV and other institutions to inform regulation.
Although not mentioned above, the board received a presentation from the Northeastern, Northwestern, and Southern Regional Professional Development Program; discussed the rating process for instructional materials; received the President’s Report and Superintendent’s Report; and approved the 2024 STIP Addendum (found here).
You can find the entire meeting materials HERE, the agenda HERE, and a full recording of the meeting HERE. The next meeting will be held on May 1st at 2 p.m.
October Board of Education Meeting
School Start Time Public Comment
We heard from various Clark County School District officials during the public comment period, such as the Executive director of transportation, the CCSD’s chief operating officer, the CCSD general council, and more. CCSD’s general council, Luke Pushing, asked, “By what authority are you going to disrupt the fifth largest school district?” We also heard from many superintendents, all voicing their opposition to the regulation. All cite it to be a local control issue. We heard from two CCSD police officers that pushing back school start times will be dangerous for kids on the road; however, some studies show that having a later start time can reduce the number of car crashes.
Contrary to many previous comments from students, we received many public comments from students saying they don’t believe this regulation should go into effect. These public comments came from schools on the four-day school week, specifically Spring Creek HS. They say that because of the length of their day, they would get out of school at an unreasonable time. However, in the proposed regulation, the State Board has included a waiver system. Although it has not been officially created yet, according to the Board’s discussions, a four-day school week would be a reason for a waiver.
On the other hand, we heard from Sherri Roos, a parent and member of Start Schools Later. She notes that “This is not a matter of local control but of public health and well-being.” She said that sleep is just as important as air, water, and food, and you cannot educate sleep-deprived youth. She was using the metaphor of being unable to build a house on a bad foundation.
School Start Time Board Discussion
During this meeting, the State Board of Education voted to forward the draft regulation to the Legislative Council Beuro with the change of the implementation year to the 25/26 school year, where they will make final adjustments and put it into formal regulation. When the State Board receives the official language, they will host a regulation hearing where changes can be made. This will probably happen no earlier then December. If approved by the Board, it will be sent to the Legislative Commission, which will review it and solidify it as an official regulation. It is important to note that this does not mean it is put into effect, no regulation has become offical yet.
Through the want of more public input, the Board also agreed that they would host a state-wide community survey to solidify their understanding of the public’s opinions on this problem. I also suggested that we make some sort of informational campaign so that community members can truly understand what this regulation does and doesn’t. Member Carlton presented that because we are moving forward with this regulation, the Board is finally starting to get people’s attention and opinions; therefore, we plan on moving forward with the regulation process while simultaneously hosting the survey. View the regulation language here.
State Student Advisory Board
During the meeting, I was able to present a proposal to form a State Student Advisory Board. I had gotten this idea from one of Pennsylvania’s Student Members and thought it would be a great thing to do in Nevada. Some benefits I presented were: diverse perspectives, real-world learning, inclusivity, accountability, fostering civic engagement, and transparent governance. It was decided that it would be formed under Superintendent Ebert’s authority. I am working with Superintendent Ebert and CSO Lisa Ford to bring this vision to life. View the document presented here.
Read by Grade 3, MAP Assessment Data, and Star Ratings
The Board received a presentation on the Read by Grade 3 program and MAP Assessment Data for the past few years. Additionally, we learned more about school Star ratings and how they are found. Both elementary schools and middle schools get their star rating based on academic achievement, growth, English language proficiency, closing opportunity gaps, and student engagement. While in high school, it is based on academic achievement, graduation rates, English language proficiency, college and career readiness, and student engagement. View the entire presentation on Read by Grade 3 and Map Assessment data here. View the entire presentation on Star ratings here.
NSHE College Dashboard
The Board got a presentation on NSHE’s (Nevada System of Higher Education) new College Dashboard. It is very in-depth and is interesting to explore. It includes the number of Nevada HS graduates, where Nevada High School Graduates go after graduation, NSHE capture rate, and more. You can find the dashboard here. You can find the presentation here.
You can find the entire meeting materials HERE. You can also watch a full recording of the meeting HERE. The next meeting will be held on November 1st at 2 p.m.
October Meeting Time Stamps
Roll, Pledge, Introduction: 0:00-3:13
Public Comment Period One: 3:13-59:10
Vice-President’s Report (Board Member Updates, NSHE Update): 59:10-1:02:45
Superintendent’s Report (Transportation Update, Acing Accountability: Senate Bill 98, Nevada Department of Education Updates): 1:02:45-1:16:03
School Start Times: 1:17:47-1:46:42
Student Advisory Board Proposal: 1:46:42-2:06:41
Clark County Reorg Training 2:15:13-2:28:33
Read By Grade 3 and MAP Assessment Data:2:28:33-3:05:51
Smarter Balanced Assessment Results and Star Ratings 3:05:51-3:47:35
NSHE College Dashboard Presentation 3:47:35-4:12:03
Future Agenda Items: 4:12:03-4:15:31
Public Comment Period Two: 4:15:31-4:39:33