Sen. Horsford: Graduation rates a crisis

Lawmakers voiced concerns Friday over low high-school graduation rates, teacher quality in poorer schools and school improvement tracking methods during a presentation of a plan meant to upgrade education in Nevada.

The goals of the Department of Education's "Nevada State Improvement Plan" are to increase student success, close achievement gaps and prepare students for college and future careers, Gloria Dopf, a deputy state schools superintendent, told Senate Health and Education committee members.

But Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford, D-North Las Vegas, said parts of the plan dealing with measurement of student achievement weren't specific enough. He also called high school graduation rates of about 50 percent in certain counties a "crisis."

"I think the department and board need to go back and put some clear measures to these vague terms," Horsford said.

Sen. Maurice Washington, R-Sparks, said the state must focus on the long-standing problem of a lack of highly qualified teachers in poor and high-risk schools. Both Washington and Horsford told Dopf that this issue may result in future policy-making regarding teacher school assignments.

"Until we have high-quality teachers going into impoverished schools, the achievement gap will always be what it is," Washington said.

Health and Education Chairwoman Valerie Wiener, D-Las Vegas, said that labels used to measure a school's progression sometimes fail to recognize any growth if the school didn't improve enough to warrant a move into a better category.

"How do we inspire a school to move forward when they did move forward and then we label them with needs improvement?" Wiener said.

Wiener told Dopf that legislators will work with her department and that they "are ready to roll up our sleeves and make policy" to help Nevada's children.

"These are difficult conversations for us to have and I'm a firm believer that we are open to the learning experience. How ironic if we weren't," Wiener said. "This is a pivotal point for us and we are not afraid to make difficult decisions to meet the changes we want to make."

Dopf said that the state is committed to working with legislators and school districts to improve education and that she views legislators as giving both money and direction to do what is best for Nevada schools.

"We're all in it for the benefit of the youngsters and whatever barriers exist, we are committed to working through them," Dopf said.