Raggio asks for more detail on Guinn's school improvement plan

Nevada's Senate Finance Chairman Bill Raggio, R-Reno, raised questions Monday over a lack of detail in the governor's plan to provide elementary schools improvement grants.

Gov. Kenny Guinn announced in his State of the State speech his budget would include $100 million to provide elementary schools around the state grants for programs to improve student achievement. SB404 would create a commission to review applications from schools and issue grants.

He and his staff have said several times the idea is to streamline and simplify the process to get the money to the schools as soon as possible.

But lawmakers including Raggio have questioned the proposal because there is no detail on how the system would work, what kinds of projects are eligible and how schools would be held accountable once they got the money.

After an hour-long hearing on the proposal, Raggio told the governor's office, Department of Education and school officials to "get some specificity" on exactly how the school improvement plan would work.

Raggio said he wasn't clear whether the total $100 million was a one-time fund or intended to become part of the budget.

Deputy Chief of Staff for Guinn's office, Lisa Foster, said it was intended to be an ongoing fund that would be replenished every two years by the Legislature.

"There are 221 schools failing or on the watch list," Foster said. "We must do something different to help these schools, and current programs don't seem to be working."

She said the governor's proposal would allow schools to develop a wide variety of programs to improve performance.

Superintendent of Education Keith Rheault said all schools would be eligible to seek grants - not just those listed as failing or needing improvement. He said the basis of grant applications would come from each school's School Improvement Plan.

"There should probably be some specifics in the bill that spell out we are looking for growth in those objectives they have outlined," he said.

Raggio, however, said there are simply no details in SB404.

"You can't just say, OK, it sounds good. We need to know we are really doing something, something that will achieve the kind of goals we're talking about.

"Our concern is when a student gets out of high school, that student is going to be able to compete with the world, not just feel good," he said.

He said he wants to know what will be done if a school gets a grant but doesn't show any improvement.

Foster said the governor indicated that, if schools don't improve, "then we need to consider a change in administration."

"That's not in the bill," Raggio said.

He said supporters need to spell out how the grants will be issued, how schools will be held accountable and what will happen if no improvement results.

n Contact reporter Geoff Dornan at gdornan@nevadaappeal.com or 687-8750.