Senate Bill No. 142–Committee on Finance

 

(On Behalf of Washoe County School District)

 

February 15, 2001

____________

 

Referred to Committee on Finance

 

SUMMARY—Makes appropriation to Washoe County School District for creation of pilot program to expand kindergarten instruction at selected elementary schools. (BDR S‑456)

 

FISCAL NOTE:            Effect on Local Government: No.

                                    Effect on the State: Contains Appropriation not included in Executive Budget.

 

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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

 

AN ACT relating to education; making an appropriation to the Washoe County School District for the creation of a pilot program to expand instruction in kindergarten at selected elementary schools; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

1-1    Section 1. 1.  There is hereby appropriated from the state general

1-2  fund to the Washoe County School District the sum of $1,918,717 for the

1-3  creation of a pilot program to expand instruction in kindergarten at selected

1-4  elementary schools.

1-5    2.  The Washoe County School District shall select 17 elementary

1-6  schools that the school district considers to be “at-risk” to participate in the

1-7  pilot program. The Washoe County School District shall:

1-8    (a) Extend the school day for kindergarten instruction to 180 minutes

1-9  per kindergarten session at each school that is selected for participation in

1-10  the pilot program.

1-11    (b) Designate four teams of reading and math curriculum experts,

1-12  consisting of two teachers per team, and assign the teams to the schools

1-13  selected for participation in the pilot program so that each school will

1-14  receive the services of a team on a rotational basis 1 day per school week.

1-15    3.  For each school that participates in the pilot program, each team of

1-16  reading and math curriculum experts shall assist:

1-17    (a) Pupils who are enrolled in kindergarten in acquiring prereading and

1-18  premath skills;

2-1    (b) Teachers who provide instruction in kindergarten with methods to

2-2  teach prereading and premath skills,

2-3  to ensure that the pupils are prepared to achieve the academic standards

2-4  required by the State of Nevada and the Washoe County School District.

2-5    4.  The money appropriated by subsection 1 must be used to pay for:

2-6    (a) The salaries, training or other compensation of teachers and other

2-7  educational personnel, teachers’ aides and administrative support related to

2-8  the operation of the pilot program;

2-9    (b) Additional instructional materials required for the pilot program;

2-10  and

2-11    (c) Any other additional operating costs attributable to the operation of

2-12  the pilot program.

2-13    5.  The money appropriated by subsection 1 must not be used to:

2-14    (a) Settle or arbitrate disputes or negotiate settlements between an

2-15  organization that represents licensed employees of the school district and

2-16  the school district.

2-17    (b) Adjust the schedules of salaries and benefits of employees of the

2-18  school district.

2-19    6.  The Washoe County School District shall, at its own expense,

2-20  administer criterion-referenced tests in reading and math to those pupils

2-21  who participated in the pilot program during the 2001-2002 school year as

2-22  follows:

2-23    (a) In the spring semester of 2003 when the pupils are enrolled in the

2-24  first grade.

2-25    (b) In the spring semester of 2004 when the pupils are enrolled in the

2-26  second grade.

2-27    7.  To assist the Washoe County School District in the evaluation of the

2-28  pilot program, the school district shall compare the results of the tests

2-29  administered pursuant to subsection 6 with the results of the criterion-

2-30  referenced tests administered to pupils in the first grade during the spring

2-31  semester of 2001 and in the second grade during the spring semester of

2-32  2002 at those schools selected for participation in the program.

2-33    8.  During the 2001-2003 biennium, the Washoe County School

2-34  District shall submit periodic reports on the progress of the pilot program

2-35  to the Legislative Committee on Education. The Washoe County School

2-36  District shall submit a report evaluating the pilot program to the Legislative

2-37  Committee on Education on or before September 30, 2003, which includes,

2-38  without limitation, an evaluation of the test scores of the pupils who took

2-39  the tests required pursuant to paragraph (a) of subsection 6 and a

2-40  comparison of those test scores with the test scores of pupils enrolled in the

2-41  first grade during the spring semester of 2001, as required by subsection 7.

2-42    9.  Any remaining balance of the appropriation made by subsection 1

2-43  must not be committed for expenditure after June 30, 2003, and reverts to

2-44  the state general fund as soon as all payments of money committed have

2-45  been made.

2-46    Sec. 2.  This act becomes effective upon passage and approval.

 

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