Sandoval’s education improvement plans draw praise, concerns

CARSON CITY — Gov. Brian Sandoval’s ambitious plans to reform and improve Nevada’s public education system have much to like, but plenty to be concerned about as well for parents, lawmakers, teachers, the business community and school officials.

Sandoval has proposed new or increased spending on multiple programs, from all-day kindergarten to schools with high levels of low-income pupils to gifted and talented students.

He also announced his support of legislation to approve a temporary rollover of bonding authority for the construction and maintenance of local schools, with state oversight.

Democrats pushed for this proposal in 2013 and have made it a top priority for the 2015 session as well.

But for the many special interest groups — from the teachers union to school boards to conservative lawmakers — there are negatives as well, from the price tag to potential changes to Nevada’s collective bargaining law.

Most officials are taking a wait-and-see approach to Sandoval’s agenda.

First the price tag: Sandoval wants to extend a package of sunsetting taxes, impose a new business license fee based on gross receipts, hike the cigarette tax and make other changes to generate more than $1.1 billion in tax revenue in part to help pay for his educational plans.

Then there are the controversial proposals to abolish elected school boards and replace them with appointees. Sandoval also wants to give local governments the ability to break up the Clark County School District, the largest in the state, into smaller entities.

Another proposal would allow the state to take over failing schools and run them as charter schools through a new Achievement School District, with a suspension of collective bargaining rules.

There are also school choice proposals, including an Opportunity Scholarship program that would give tax credits to businesses that provide tuition-based scholarships for at-risk students to attend private schools, that will prove divisive.

Finally there are the accountability issues that will directly affect teachers and the Nevada State Education Association.

“Our new investment must come with performance measures and accountability,” Sandoval said in his State of the State address. “We will only pay for programs that make a difference in the lives of students.”

Sandoval said he will support legislation to enact “true collective bargaining reform” in the public schools.

“In 2011, I asked the Legislature for a more balanced approach to contract negotiations,” he said. “Most bills never had a hearing. I again stand ready to work with you to ensure that employee compensation is fair, but also recognizes the need for reform.”

Sandoval will also introduce legislation to strengthen “pay for performance” to reward the best teachers and principals and to attract them to teach at under-performing schools.

On the tax front, a group of anti-tax Assembly Republicans will be an obstacle to Sandoval’s plans. Any tax measures will require a two-thirds vote, or 28 members of the Assembly, to pass. Republicans have 25 seats and Democrats have 17.

If 15 Republicans band together to oppose tax increases in the Assembly, it will be an eerie repeat of the “Mean 15” who opposed Gov. Kenny Guinn’s tax plan in 2003.

Assembly Speaker designate John Hambrick, R-Las Vegas, said Sandoval will face a challenge in winning approval of his tax plans in the Assembly although he praised his plans for public education.

That challenge was made clear by a statement from some conservative members of the GOP caucus, including Victoria Seaman of Las Vegas, who said: “The breaking up of the school districts into smaller, more manageable districts is a positive move, as is reforming collective bargaining.

“Other education budget proposals are worth considering, but I can’t support a $1.2 billion increase, $882 million just for education, being paid for by burdening small business with increased business licensing fees,” she said.

StudentsFirst Nevada, a bipartisan movement of parents, teachers and small-business owners, welcomed Sandoval’s comments on school choice.

“The governor’s proposal to increase high quality school options for families through the creation of opportunity scholarships for low-income students and the creation of an Achievement School District are both vital steps forward,” said State Director Andrew Diss. “As the governor said, ‘We must draw a line in the sand and say enough is enough.’”

Clark County schools Superintendent Pat Skorkowsky said the district is ready to stand up to the demand for accountability as Sandoval’s education plan is debated in the Legislature.

“We are just so excited about the tone of this speech and how we are going to move education forward in Nevada,” he said.

Victor Joecks, executive vice president of the conservative think tank Nevada Policy Research Institute, sounded an alarm on Sandoval’s plans.

“Gov. Brian Sandoval’s State of the State speech was full of promises and platitudes, but Nevada students, parents and taxpayers should be very worried about the details glossed over and left out of his speech,” he said. “Most concerning is that Sandoval offered many specifics on how he would expand government, but comparatively few details on the reforms he promised would accompany that spending.”

Joecks said only fundamental education reforms, such as enacting school choice, will help students in Nevada’s failing schools. He called Sandoval’s plans for ending social promotion and overhauling the governance of failing schools promising.

In a statement, the Nevada State Education Association said it supports Sandoval in his efforts to improve public education for all students.

“Teachers and Education Support Professionals want to meet the expectations placed on them to ensure students have the tools they need to succeed, but educators need the state and districts’ support to meet those challenges,” the association said.

Teachers association President Ruben Murillo Jr. questioned Sandoval’s call for collective bargaining reforms, however.

“As the governor pointed out, state workers have sacrificed for Nevada over the last several years — so have 24,000 educators who spend over $26 million out of their own pockets annually to help fund their classrooms,” he said.

Senate Minority Leader Aaron Ford, D-Las Vegas, said he liked a lot of what Sandoval said about education.

“I’m glad to hear the governor talk about so many Democratic ideas,” he said. “The educational plan is a prime example. We’ve espoused many of those things over the past decade so we’re delighted to welcome him to the table in that regard.”

Ford withheld judgment on the tax proposal, saying he wants to make sure it is fair, sustainable and stable and does not adversely affect average Nevadans.

Sandoval’s agenda will be vetted when the session begins Feb. 2. It ends June 1.

Contact Sean Whaley at swhaley@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3900. Find him on Twitter: @seanw801.