Education
Progress report
Nevada is beginning to embrace school choice
Could there be education reform in Nevada's future? There is certainly evidence that school choice is now getting a longer look than ever before among Silver State legislators and educators. The past year has seen marked progress for the concept of school choice. Take charter schools, for example.
Education bureaucrats’ unquenchable thirst
No spending amount will ever be ‘adequate’
Over the last decade the various teachers unions across the country have expanded their operations into the courtroom. Unions have threatened, and even successfully litigated, "adequacy" lawsuits across the country, to force states to increase funds to K-12 education. On Tuesday, Lynn Warne, president of the Nevada State Education Association, threatened such an adequacy lawsuit. But what exactly is "adequate" funding?
How much do we need to spend on education?
More, is the only answer we hear
One of the biggest Trojan horses for tax hikes has always been public education, wielding the potent cry: "It's for the children!" Thus armed, politicians like Barbara Buckley and political activists like Erin Neff regularly argue that public education needs more revenue to improve, meaning, of course, more taxes. They get away with it because how much revenue is actually available to public education is not generally well understood.
Funding Fantasies
Nevada K-12 education spends more than you think
In the debate over Nevada's education funding, a fundamental question remains: How much are Silver State taxpayers actually spending on the education of their youth?
Blueprint for a bailout
Will CCSD change the rules to benefit its preferred architectural firms?
Is the Clark County School District preparing an economic bailout for its five favorite architectural firms? Known as the district's "prototype" firms, these local companies have long monopolized new school construction in the district. The reason, according to the school district, is that these firms own the "cookie cutter" design templates that the district uses for all new school construction.
Opportunities lost?
Would Harry Reid send his children to D.C. public schools?
On March 10, President Obama gave a major education speech before the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. In that speech, he stated clearly: Secretary Duncan will use only one test when deciding what ideas to support with your precious tax dollars: It's not whether an idea is liberal or conservative, but whether it works.
Nevada needs more charter schools
We can improve education and save money at the same time
Contrary to what some in the public education establishment regularly imply, charter schools in Nevada are public schools. Tuition is free and any student may be admitted regardless of race, religion, sex or academic ability.
A change is in order
School board vs. advisors on spending loopholes
When taxpayer money is being spent, is it really too much to ask that an independent oversight mechanism be established? If you listen in on recent meetings of the Clark County School District Bond Oversight Committee (BOC), you might think so.
Spending for spending’s sake
Simply throwing money at education is not the solution
Many believe that increasing per-pupil spending will improve education in Nevada and that Nevada spending per student ranks only 43rd in the nation. These individuals further assume that our public schools' low achievement and ostensibly low spending must be linked.
Failure Is No Longer an Option
Florida’s Decade of Education Improvement Proves Reform Works
Florida has experienced a significant increase in student achievement over the past 10 years, while Nevada's educational performance during that same time has remained relatively flat. Nevada could replicate Florida's success by implementing similar measures.
