(Jan. 14) -- A Las Vegas based non-profit organization is giving Nevada mostly failing grades in the areas of education and other issues when it comes to children.
The Children Advocacy Alliance says Nevada's scores are near the bottom and show little change in the past two years. The alliance also says when it comes to educating Nevada's children; they've seen little or no improvement since 2002.
According to the Children Advocacy Alliance, the picture looks like this:
- When it comes to student achievement, Nevada schools received a D grade based on composite SAT scores.
- Nevada scored an F, in per pupil spending, teacher to pupil ratios, and the rate of high school dropouts.
- Nevada ranks 49th in the nation when it comes to students who are high school age, but not in school.
- But the highest grade given to Nevada school children was in the area of physical fitness, where students received a B+.
Mary Ella Holloway is president of the 11,000-member Clark County Education Association. She says, "I believe the children are doing better than a D when it comes to achievement. There's a lot of good things going on in Nevada as far as education. We have a lot of teachers who are nationally board certified."
Meanwhile, the Children Advocacy Alliance says Nevada's phenomenal growth is to blame, in part, for so many children falling behind in their studies because of overcrowded classrooms and a shortage of books and other supplies in some school districts.
The alliance seeks to improve the lives of kids in Nevada, hoping to reform the Child Welfare System here.
