Gibbons seeks U.S. funds for Nevada schools

CARSON CITY -- Gov. Jim Gibbons submitted an application Monday to the U.S. Department of Education seeking the $83 million in "Edujobs" funds allocated for the state last week by Congress and President Barack Obama.

"I am doing everything I can to get this money as quickly as possible to help Nevada children," Gibbons said in a statement.

"We need to move fast so we can get these new teachers into the schools ASAP. Nevada's young people are the intellectual infrastructure of our future and this one-time federal funding can help us do all we can to improve student performance and create jobs," he said.

Funds will be used by the state to hire 1,400 new teachers for the coming school year.

Gibbons and school superintendents -- including Walt Rulffes of Clark County and Heath Morrison of Washoe County -- have specified that teachers will be assigned to reduce class sizes through all grades and to employ math teachers, particularly for high school students.

Teachers hired will be certain of employment only for one year.

Gibbons had 30 days under the law to seek the funds. He wanted to sign the application quickly in order to obtain money to hire teachers as soon as possible.

The governor said he has received assurances from the superintendents of both Clark and Washoe school districts that the funds will be used to create new teaching jobs and not raise pay for existing teachers.