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.