Nevada

Pressing state issues affecting p-12

Nevada's legislative session made significant changes to both funding and distribution mechanisms in its 80^th biennial session. Among these changes is an overhaul of Nevada's funding formula, increases in charter school oversight, and a bill establishing collective bargaining. Assembly Bill (AB) 309 requires all districts with bargaining agreements to reserve funding for salary increases.¹ The bill's language includes an expansion on local sales tax levies to fund P-K initiatives, truancy and homeless reduction, and increase teacher recruitment. The bill allows for district-level spending flexibility. Nevada also prioritized funding increases through marijuana sales. Senate Bill (SB) 545 appropriates all tax revenue from marijuana sales to the Distributive School Account, adding an additional $120 million in funds toward K-12.² The biennial legislature was busy throughout the four month session, setting new priorities for both P-12 and higher education.

Funding priorities for p-12 education and changes to the funding formula

The biennial Nevada legislative session began on February 4, 2019, and adjourned sine die on June 4, 2019. Amongst the most pressing matter was remedying the half-century old school funding formula through SB 543.³ The act established a base level funding amount for education. Specifically section 4, sub-section 1, of the act establishes appropriations for a base per-pupil funding amount from Nevada's general fund based on projected enrollment. Subsection 2(e) of SB 543 also establishes additional weighted funding per pupil for students identified as:

• • An English learner;

• • An at-risk pupil;

• • A pupil with a disability; or

• • A gifted and talented pupil.

Currently Nevada is establishing per-pupil weights, and base funding amounts, and convening an 11-member commission that must meet by October 1, 2019. The commission is charged with making recommendations to the Governor and Legislature by December 1, 2020.⁴ The changes would replace the current funding formula beginning in the 2021-2023 biennium. There was also a major funding bill extending legislation for the education payroll tax generating funds for education.

The legislature passed SB 551 extending the payroll tax for education, appropriating $8,340,845 in FY2020, and $8,404,930 in FY2021 for school safety.⁵ Nationally school safety is a priority and Nevada is accordingly appropriating necessary funds for improvements to safety standards in its public schools. SB 551 also appropriates $35,081,155 in fiscal year FY2020, and $36,848,070 in FY2021 for innovation and the prevention of remediation. Nevada is attempting to moderate learning disparities by appropriating funds for district wide supplemental support. Accordingly, Clark County School District with the largest enrollment of students is receiving the largest allocation, $53,089,890 over the biennium. There were also two major charter school bills debated in the legislature.

Nevada's traditional public school districts have been under constant pressure from charters, and education savings account legislation. This biennium saw attempts at prohibiting further expansion. SB 551 does not contain language appropriating funds directly to charter schools/districts. The bill itself appropriates funding to the majority of the states' public school districts, but not to the Public Charter Authority. Accordingly the legislature attempted to add language to AB 462 banning new charters until 2021. The final version of AB 462 passed, however, without a full stop prohibition of charters, opting for a 5-year management plan to curtail charter growth through the Public Charter School Authority.⁶ Nevada also passed AB 78 revising the provisions for the Public Charter School Authority, abolishing the Achievement School District. This bill requires the existing Achievement Charter School to convert to a State Public Charter School Authority sponsored school, or disband. These measures are in relation to fears that Nevada's charter expansion was outpacing traditional public school expansion, and specifically over charter expansion in the Clark County School District.

Funding priorities for higher education

The Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) received a 10.88% increase in state funding for the 2019-21 biennial budget.⁷ The focus was on workforce development and expansion. The executive budget includes $18.2 million in...