2001 REGULAR SESSION (71st) A SB427 1083
ASSEMBLY ACTION Initial and Date |SENATE ACTION Initial and Date
Adopted Lost | Adopted Lost
Concurred In Not |Concurred In Not
Receded Not | Receded Not
Amend the bill as a whole by deleting sections 1 through 3 and adding new sections designated sections 1 through 5, following the enacting clause, to read as follows:
“Section 1. 1. There is hereby appropriated from the state general fund to the Department of Education the sum of $9,950,000 for educational technology.
2. The Department of Education shall distribute the money appropriated by subsection 1 as follows:
(a) For the Commission on Educational Technology to grant money to local school districts for schools within the school district to acquire the minimal level of educational technology that is necessary to provide a networked computer for each classroom, as recommended by the Commission:
(1) For the fiscal year 2001-2002................................................................................. $1,250,000
(2) For the fiscal year 2002-2003................................................................................. $1,250,000
(b) For the Commission on Educational Technology to provide grants to local school districts for the repair, replacement or upgrade of computer hardware and software, including, without limitation, contracts for maintenance:
(1) For the fiscal year 2001-2002................................................................................. $2,500,000
(2) For the fiscal year 2002-2003................................................................................ $2,500,000
(c) For the Commission on Educational Technology to grant to local school districts for hardware, software and contracting services to provide or enhance technical support to the school districts:
(1) For the fiscal year 2001-2002.................................................................................... $625,000
(2) For the fiscal year 2002-2003.................................................................................... $625,000
(d) For the Commission on Educational Technology to grant to local school districts for pilot programs that demonstrate best practices for the use of educational technology to improve the achievement of pupils:
(1) For the fiscal year 2001-2002.................................................................................... $150,000
(2) For the fiscal year 2002-2003.................................................................................... $150,000
(e) For the Commission on Educational Technology to distribute for the KLVX Distance Learning Satellite Service $400,000
(f) For the Commission on Educational Technology to grant to the Division of State Library and Archives of the Department of Museums, Library and Arts for licenses to allow school libraries access to research databases and other on-line resources appropriate for pupils........................................................................................... $500,000
3. The sums appropriated by paragraphs (a) to (d), inclusive, of subsection 1 are available for either fiscal year. Any balance of those sums must not be committed for expenditure after June 30, 2003, and reverts to the state general fund as soon as all payments of money committed have been made.
4. Any remaining balance of the appropriation made by paragraphs (e) and (f) of subsection 1 must not be committed for expenditure after June 30, 2003, and reverts to the state general fund as soon as all payments of money committed have been made.
Sec. 2. 1. To receive a grant of money pursuant to section 1 of this act, a school district must:
(a) Complete forms provided by the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
(b) Submit a written request to the Commission on Educational Technology that identifies the schools within the school district which need educational technology and the financial needs of those schools to obtain the educational technology.
(c) Submit a plan to the Commission on Educational Technology for the use of educational technology to improve the instruction and academic achievement of pupils, based upon the most recent version of the plan adopted by the Commission pursuant to NRS 388.795 for the use of educational technology in the public schools of this state. A school district may, as part of its plan and upon approval of the Commission, elect to use refurbished computers that do not meet the technical standards established by the Commission.
(d) Submit a plan for evaluation in accordance with guidelines submitted by the Commission on Educational Technology that includes the effectiveness of the use of educational technology in improving the academic achievement of pupils.
(e) Provide any additional information requested by the Commission on Educational Technology.
2. The Commission on Educational Technology shall determine the amount of money that must be distributed to school districts based upon the needs of each school district and the wealth of the school district relative to the other school districts in this state.
3. A school district that receives a grant of money pursuant to section 1 of this act shall:
(a) Account for the money separately; and
(b) Use the money to supplement, and not replace, the money that the school district would otherwise expend for educational technology.
4. A school district that receives a grant of money pursuant to section 1 of this act shall not use the money to:
(a) Settle or arbitrate disputes or negotiate settlements between an organization that represents licensed employees of the school district and the school district.
(b) Adjust the schedules of salaries and benefits of the employees of the school district.
5. On or before January 1, 2003, each school district that receives a grant of money pursuant to section 1 of this act shall submit to the Department of Education and the Commission on Educational Technology a written report in the format required by the Department. The report must include, without limitation:
(a) A statement of the amount of money distributed to the school district pursuant to section 1 of this act;
(b) A record of the manner in which the money was expended;
(c) The purposes of each such expenditure; and
(d) Any other expenditures for similar purposes from other money available to the school district.
6. On or before February 1, 2003, the Department of Education shall submit a written summary to the Governor, the Commission on Educational Technology and the Director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau for transmission to the 72nd session of the Nevada Legislature. The written summary must include, without limitation:
(a) The name of each school district that received a grant of money pursuant to section 1 of this act; and
(b) A compilation of the reports submitted to the Department pursuant to subsection 5.
Sec. 3. 1. There is hereby appropriated from the state general fund to the legislative fund created by NRS 218.085 the sum of $50,000 for use by the Legislative Bureau of Educational Accountability and Program Evaluation to hire a qualified, independent consultant to conduct an evaluation of educational technology.
2. The Legislative Bureau of Educational Accountability and Program Evaluation shall, after consulting with the Commission on Educational Technology, use the money appropriated by subsection 1 to hire a qualified, independent consultant to conduct an evaluation of the effectiveness of educational technology in improving the achievement of pupils, to identify issues relating to the implementation of educational technology and to identify best practices relating to the use of educational technology to improve the achievement of pupils.
3. The consultant shall provide to the Legislative Committee on Education, upon the request of the Committee, an interim report of the progress of the consultant. On or before February 1, 2003, the consultant hired pursuant to subsection 2 shall submit a written report of the results of his evaluation to the Legislative Bureau of Educational Accountability and Program Evaluation. On or before February 19, 2003, the Legislative Bureau of Educational Accountability and Program Evaluation shall submit a copy of the written report and any recommendations for legislation to the Director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau for transmission to the 72nd session of the Nevada Legislature.
4. Any remaining balance of the appropriation made by subsection 1 must not be committed for expenditure after June 30, 2003, and reverts to the state general fund as soon as all payments of money committed have been made.
Sec. 4. 1. There is hereby appropriated from the state general fund to the Department of Education the sum of $10,000,000 to provide signing bonuses to teachers who are newly hired by school districts for the 2001-2002 school year and the 2002-2003 school year. A newly hired teacher may not receive a signing bonus until he has taught for a school district in this state for at least 30 days. A teacher may not receive more than one signing bonus pursuant to this section. A teacher who teaches for a school district in this state before the effective date of this act and who subsequently transfers to another school district in this state is not eligible to receive a signing bonus pursuant to this section.
2. A school district that wishes to provide signing bonuses to its newly hired teachers shall submit information to the Department of Education, in a format prescribed by the Department, concerning the number of teachers who are newly hired by the school district to teach for the 2001-2002 school year and the 2002-2003 school year. A school district shall submit a request for each fiscal year that it wishes to provide signing bonuses pursuant to this section.
3. The Department of Education shall use the money appropriated by subsection 1 to provide signing bonuses to teachers who are newly hired for the 2001-2002 school year and the 2002-2003 school year. The Department shall analyze the total number of newly hired teachers for the 2001-2002 school year and determine the total amount of money to be allocated for fiscal year 2001-2002 in a manner which will ensure that an adequate amount of money is available for signing bonuses for fiscal year 2002-2003. If necessary, the Department shall adjust the amount of each signing bonus for fiscal year 2001-2002 to ensure that an adequate amount of money is available to provide signing bonuses to newly hired teachers for fiscal year 2002-2003. The amount of a bonus paid to each teacher:
(a) In fiscal year 2001-2002 must not exceed $2,000.
(b) In fiscal year 2002-2003 must not exceed $2,500.
4. No additional money will be appropriated by the Legislature for the purpose of providing signing bonuses for teachers for the 2001-2003 biennium.
5. Any remaining balance of the appropriation made by subsection 1 must not be committed for expenditure after June 30, 2003, and reverts to the state general fund as soon as all payments of money committed have been made.
Sec. 5. This act becomes effective upon passage and approval.”.
Amend the title of the bill to read as follows:
“AN ACT relating to education; making appropriations to the Department of Education for educational technology and for signing bonuses for teachers; making an appropriation to the legislative fund for use by the Legislative Bureau of Educational Accountability and Program Evaluation for an evaluation of educational technology; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.”.
Amend the summary of the bill to read as follows:
“SUMMARY—Makes appropriations for educational technology and signing bonuses for teachers. (BDR S‑1349)”.