LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — On Monday, the Nevada Department of Education and Nevada Commission on School Funding, along with Applied Analysis, provided an overview on the state’s education.
Kristofer Huffman, the Chief Strategy Officer for the Nevada Department of Education, laid out academic information.
“So, we were looking at not only student achievement information, but giving numbers related to the student population,” said Huffman.
His goal is to get students to the national average when it comes to student academic proficiency.
“Ideally we would like to get above that national average. It’s really difficult to put it into a specific number on where we need to be,” added Huffman. “It’s just that we’re looking at the progress that’s been made so far and what Governor Lombardo’s spending budget looks like.”
A bigger question is how to fund our education system to meet those goals.
Guy Hobbs, the chairman of the Commission on school funding, reviewed a ten-year plan.
“You’re talking about hundreds of millions of dollars needed each year of new revenue so it’s a very daunting task,” said Hobbs.
Hobbs proposed to fund education through property, sales, room and even a cannabis tax option. However, at least two-thirds of the legislature would have to approve them.
“Just to spend to the national average will require us to spend 2 billion dollars more ten years from now than what we’re spending today,” explained Hobbs. “That means we have ten years to monitor the economy and what kind of revenue sources and tax sources might work the best because the last thing you want to do is impact the people you want to pay them.”
Jeremy Aguero with Applied Analysis discussed how funds should be distributed per pupil.
“The dollars must follow the students, so if the school district we’re looking at on the screen were to have been created it should get the exact same amount of money that it would otherwise have received,” said Aguero.
While also hitting on school safety, enrollment, resources and more.
“There is a cycle here and we need to take every step we can to ensure we support our families and that they support our students,” added Aguero.
While this was just a presentation from the Las Vegas City Council, the legislature will decide on education funding.
