Educators’ group supports Clinton

More than 50 Nevada educators launched a group Thursday to muster support for Hillary Clinton's presidential bid.

Two of the Nevada Educators Leadership Council's founders, Brian Cram and Eugene Paslov, said during a conference call Thursday that they support Clinton because the New York senator is the candidate best-suited to improve the nation's schools.

"I believe she represents the best hope for change in education," said Paslov, who was Nevada's superintendent from 1985 to 1994.

Clinton supports full-day kindergarten and changing the federal No Child Left Behind Act, which Paslov said needs to recognize student improvement in standardized test scores.

Under the federal law, which is up for reauthorization, students are tested and assessed in 37 categories. The categories include ethnicity, students whose primary language is not English, special education students and students who come from low-income homes. If students from one category fail, the entire school is deemed as failing.

Cram, who was the Clark County School District's superintendent from 1989 to 2000, said that the federal law is well-intended and that he supports school accountability. But, he said, "the never-ending testing program is counterproductive."

Cram said more emphasis need to be placed on hiring and training more teachers.

"It's critical we do a better job in helping kids in the classroom," Cram said. "We need a president that will do something about it."

The council is composed of teachers, principals, high-level administrators and politicians who were former educators. Other notable names who joined the group include former UNLV President Carol Harter, state Sen. Dina Titus and Clark County Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani.

Nevada's presidential caucuses are scheduled for Jan. 19.