GOP bills take aim at under-performing schools, teacher layoffs

CARSON CITY — Two Republican-backed bills introduced Wednesday in the state Senate seek to impose new education reforms affecting underperforming schools and teacher layoffs.

Senate Bill 195, sponsored by Senate Minority Leader Michael Roberson, R-Las Vegas, would let parents of students in underperforming schools petition the school board to make changes, including the governance structure.

Senate Bill 193, sponsored by Sen. Greg Brower, R-Reno, would require school districts to consider the evaluations of teachers and administrators when determining layoffs and is an extension of reforms passed by the 2011 Legislature.

One of those reforms created a four-tier teacher and administrator evaluation system that replaced a two-tier system. It set a schedule to base
50 percent of teacher ratings on student achievement. Another ended “last in, first out” by barring districts from laying off teachers solely based on seniority.

Under existing law, evaluations can be considered when layoffs are implemented.