October, 8th 2025

• The Nevada State Board of Education met in August to discuss a range of items impacting students, schools, and districts across the state. Public comment began the meeting with several speakers expressing support for the Board’s effort to develop a legislative policy agenda, noting the importance of active engagement in education funding and reform.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
• During the President’s Report, the Board welcomed Susan Neal, the new member representing Elko County School District. The Board also recognized Dr. Victor Wakefield as Nevada’s incoming Superintendent of Public Instruction and thanked Dr. Steve Canavero for his service as Interim Superintendent. Updates were shared by Vice President Tim Hughes on innovation and accountability work, and Member Orr announced that the At-Risk Funding Subcommittee would meet the following Tuesday to further refine funding metrics for vulnerable student groups.

• In his final Interim Superintendent’s Report, Dr. Canavero provided insight into the state’s preparedness for a possible federal government shutdown. Thanks to advance planning and early grant drawdowns, Nevada remains financially stable for now, though future impacts will be monitored if the shutdown extends. Dr. Canavero also announced that NSPF results—typically released in mid-September—were made available early this year on August 15. The results showed improvements across the board, including in ACT scores, math and English performance, graduation rates, and among all student groups and grade levels. The Department also continues working on science of reading initiatives and regulatory implementation related to Senate Bill 460. Member Ford expressed interest in joining the accountability metrics subcommittee, which is collaborating with the Center for Assessment on system redesign.

• The Board unanimously approved the full Consent Agenda, which included new and renewed dual credit agreements between Clark County School District and Nevada State University, UNLV, and UNR. Class size reduction variances for the fourth quarter of FY25 were approved as well, with Member Hughes requesting more district-specific breakdowns in future reports. Private school license renewals were also approved without further discussion.

• In a vote of support for Career and Technical Education (CTE), the Board approved the adoption of new textbooks and instructional materials for a wide range of CTE pathways. Materials were aligned with Nevada academic standards and selected with input from educators, administrators, and parents. Approved subject areas included biomedical science, accounting, diesel technology, industrial maintenance, teaching, and more.

• One of the meeting’s major discussion items was the development of a Board Policy Agenda for legislative engagement. Board members voted to move forward with creating a guiding document that will help focus advocacy efforts on key student-centered issues. The agenda will also provide a strategic foundation for collaboration with the Legislature once the new Superintendent is onboard. A subcommittee was formed to begin this work, which includes Members Braxton, Ford, and Dawson-Owens, with the first meeting expected in December.

• The agenda item regarding Nevada’s representative on the WestEd Board of Directors was deferred until the November meeting, allowing time for the incoming Superintendent to be part of the discussion.

You can find the meeting materials HERE, the agenda HERE, and the video recording HERE. The next meeting will be held on November 12th at 9 AM.