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 Section 1. 1. The Department of Education shall establish a pilot

1-2 program to facilitate the increased availability of school social workers in

1-3 school districts that apply to participate in the program.

1-4 2. The goal of the pilot program must be to employ 10 school social

1-5 workers to assist pupils in grades 6 to 12, inclusive, whose educational or

1-6 behavioral development is restricted as a result of social or emotional

1-7 issues, family circumstances or living in environments that impede their

1-8 individual abilities to learn. The Department of Education shall determine

1-9 from among the applications which school districts are most in need of such

1-10 a program and establish a program in those districts. The Department shall,

1-11 if appropriate applications are submitted, take such actions as are necessary

1-12 to assign at least one school social worker to a rural school district, one to a

1-13 northern school district and one to a southern school district. The program

1-14 established by the Department must include standards for evaluating the

1-15 program and describe the services that are to be provided by the school

2-1 social workers. The emphasis of those services must include prevention,

2-2 rehabilitation and intervention regarding such issues as gangs, teen

2-3 pregnancy, child abuse and neglect, adolescent suicide, domestic violence

2-4 and dropping out of school.

2-5 3. The Department of Education shall submit a report of the progress

2-6 of the program:

2-7 (a) On or before March 15, 2000, to the Director of the Legislative

2-8 Counsel Bureau for transmission to the Legislative Commission; and

2-9 (b) On or before January 15, 2001, to the Director of the Legislative

2-10 Counsel Bureau for transmission to the 71st session of the Nevada

2-11 Legislature.

2-12 4. As used in this section, "school social worker" means a social

2-13 worker who:

2-14 (a) Holds at least a master’s degree from an accredited graduate school

2-15 of social work;

2-16 (b) Holds the appropriate license as required by the Board of Examiners

2-17 for Social Workers; and

2-18 (c) Holds an endorsement as a school social worker issued by the

2-19 Superintendent of Public Instruction.

2-20 Sec. 2. 1. There is hereby appropriated from the state general fund to

2-21 the Department of Education the sum of $1,000,000 for the establishment

2-22 of a pilot program pursuant to section 1 of this act.

2-23 2. The money appropriated in subsection 1 must not be used:

2-24 (a) To pay the salary and benefits of an employee who does not meet the

2-25 qualifications set forth in subsection 4 of section 1 of this act;

2-26 (b) To settle or arbitrate disputes between a recognized organization

2-27 representing employees of a school district and the school district or social

2-28 service agency; or

2-29 (c) To adjust the district-wide schedules of salaries and benefits of the

2-30 employees of a school district.

2-31 3. Any remaining balance of the appropriation made by subsection 1

2-32 must not be committed for expenditure after June 30, 2001, and reverts to

2-33 the state general fund as soon as all payments of money committed have

2-34 been made.

2-35 Sec. 3. This act becomes effective on July 1, 1999.