LETTER: Clark County teachers union needs to be part of the solution

In his May 10 commentary, John Vellardita of the Clark County Education Association uses terms such as “bold and visionary,” “tough decisions” and “strategic workforce development plan” to address Nevada’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic (“Time for state’s elected leaders to lead”). He rightly advocates diversifying the economy and attracting businesses in a bipartisan manner.

The immediate challenge, however, is our education system, which ranks at the bottom nationally. Mr. Vellardita wants to magically take our abysmal standing from last to first in the nation. He is silent on how to accomplish this beyond the need for revenue.

In the past five years, several meaningful plans have been proposed, but none has been implemented. Evidently, they have been rejected by Mr. Vellardita. Read by Three would have ended social promotions, but the Nevada education establishment is neither bold nor tough. Expanding school choice and allowing Education Saving Accounts gives parents far too much power. No vision here.

There was a time when students had to pass proficiency exams to graduate. There was a time when a diploma actually meant something. Reinstating proficiency exams would be good beginning toward a workforce development plan. More than half of Nevada graduates are not ready for college-level work in math and English and have to take remedial classes in college. Businesses do not want to invest where the workforce is inadequately educated.

Mr. Vellardita’s vague generalities for “workforce development” are meaningless. Certainly, adequate funding is necessary for education. What is crucial are specific, bold and visionary steps to accomplish any meteoric rise in public education. As executive director of the CCEA, he needs to actually lead.