EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted. Green numbers along left margin indicate location on the printed bill (e.g., 5-15 indicates page 5, line 15).

1-1 Whereas, During the past 2 years, this state has developed and enacted

1-2 sweeping reforms in the system of public education to improve the

1-3 academic achievement of pupils, including, without limitation, requiring

1-4 the adoption of rigorous academic standards of content and performance

1-5 and statewide assessments measuring the achievement of pupils in the new

1-6 standards of content and performance; and

1-7 Whereas, The rigorous new academic standards of content and

1-8 performance and other reforms made to the system of public education in

1-9 this state demand a high level of quality and performance by both pupils

1-10 and teachers; and

1-11 Whereas, As part of the educational reform, the Legislative Committee

1-12 on Education was created to evaluate, review and comment upon issues

1-13 related to education within this state; and

1-14 Whereas, Despite the significant progress made during the past 2

1-15 years, it is imperative that the educational reform be continually analyzed

1-16 and revised as necessary to ensure that the academic achievement of pupils

1-17 in this state improves; and

1-18 Whereas, Other states have been successful in adopting reforms, in

1-19 addition to the reforms that have been adopted in this state, that would be

1-20 useful for this state to consider; now, therefore, be it

2-1 Resolved by the Assembly of the State of Nevada, the Senate

2-2 Concurring, That the Legislative Committee on Education shall study

2-3 the components of the systems of public education in other states that have

2-4 proven successful and shall determine whether Nevada’s system of public

2-5 education would benefit by:

2-6 1. Setting forth clear objectives for teachers that are closely linked to

2-7 the standards of content and performance;

2-8 2. Adopting a system of both sanctions and rewards for schools and

2-9 school districts that are linked to the results of the assessments, including,

2-10 without limitation, providing financial awards to schools that have

2-11 sustained the highest level of academic success or have demonstrated the

2-12 greatest academic improvement;

2-13 3. Ranking school districts as well as schools based upon achievement;

2-14 4. Authorizing the Superintendent of Public Instruction to conduct on-

2-15 site inspections of schools as part of the accreditation program of a school

2-16 district;

2-17 5. Reducing the size of the Department of Education and further

2-18 directing the Department to focus its efforts on accountability and

2-19 assessment programs, measuring and reporting test scores and organizing

2-20 resources for schools and school districts that are performing inadequately;

2-21 and

2-22 6. Establishing a Nevada Business and Education Coalition to develop

2-23 a plan to improve the system of public education and report to the

2-24 Governor, Legislative Committee on Education and the State Board of

2-25 Education regarding the plan and the steps that are necessary to carry out

2-26 the plan; and be it further

2-27 Resolved, That the Legislative Committee on Education shall, in

2-28 consultation with the school districts in this state, review Title 34 of NRS

2-29 to identify any statutes that the Committee determines should be

2-30 recommended for repeal by the Legislature to allow schools and school

2-31 districts more local control and flexibility in determining how to satisfy the

2-32 rigorous new academic standards of content and performance; and be it

2-33 further

2-34 Resolved, That the Legislative Committee on Education shall evaluate

2-35 the statewide automated system of information concerning pupils

2-36 established by the Department of Education pursuant to NRS 386.650 to

2-37 determine the extent to which the system supports the program of

2-38 accountability for public schools, including, without limitation, whether

2-39 the system allows adequate access to testing data so that the information

2-40 can be used for diagnostic purposes and whether the system provides a

2-41 method for reports to superintendents, principals and teachers; and be it

2-42 further

3-1 Resolved, That the Legislative Committee on Education shall evaluate

3-2 methods to shift resources to disadvantaged schools, including, without

3-3 limitation:

3-4 1. Allowing individual schools the flexibility to use the money for

3-5 class-size reduction to pay for full-day kindergarten and for remediation

3-6 programs that have proven successful in improving the academic

3-7 achievement of pupils; and

3-8 2. Requiring schools that are performing inadequately to coordinate

3-9 the use of all money received for remediation with the assistance of the

3-10 Department of Education; and be it further

3-11 Resolved, That the Legislative Committee on Education shall report

3-12 any findings or recommendations for legislation to the 71st session of the

3-13 Nevada Legislature; and be it further

3-14 Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly prepare and transmit

3-15 a copy of this resolution to the Chairman of the Legislative Committee on

3-16 Education.