Speech Outline: Nevada High Schools Need a Plan

Introduction

I. The state of Nevada district’s performance and education funding

A. Most of us look at high school as a steppingstone to prepare ourselves for college.

B. College is where most Americans achieve the skills and knowledge they will utilize in their future careers.

C. Nevada high schools, in this regard, are struggling to keep with the other local states.

D. According to the Department of Education, “Nevada’s graduation rate is 61.9%”

1. “The report tracked students who entered ninth grade in the 2007-2008 school year.” (Ryan, 2012)

E. As a result, Nevada’s school districts should be improved through the Nevada Plan to not only provides greater funding per student but also in a manner that is fair with local governments.

Body

II. School Funding in Nevada

A. What is the Nevada Plan?

1. The Nevada Plan is “a guaranteed amount of funding for each of the local school districts and charter schools. The revenue, which provides the guaranteed funding, is derived both from state and local sources.” (Nevada Fiscal Analysis Division, p. 2, 2011)

B. How does it compare to previous plans or actions?

1. 90% of school funding comes from local government revenue (Nevada Fiscal Analysis Division, p. 2, 2011)

2. For the past 50 years, the Nevada legislature has adjusted the tax rates for property and sales taxes to the benefit of local governments

i. This allowed for funding for Nevada schools to be less of an issue at large for the state budget

3. Ultimately, Nevada requires a plan that will stabilize per-pupil spending as well as a fixed allotment of the state budget to improve many of the statistics provided by the Department of Education.

III. How the Nevada Plan works (Simplified)

A. Basic Support guarantee is based on providing each individual student with a minimum amount of expense for their education per school year.

B. Basic Support funding makes a case for investment in education and is provided to the school's districts based on total pupil enrollment, basic support staff necessary, and incentives for special education expenses. (Details below)

a. Basic Support Ratio is calculated by determining the staffing and operating costs of the district relative to population size and density.

b. Transportation Allotment allows for districts to be reimbursed 85 percent on transportation operation expenditures over a four-year average.

c. Wealth Adjustment Factor considers the district’s local revenues and adjusts them towards the state average.

i. Crucial because the Wealth adjustment Factor improves Nevada’s standard for equity as it considers vertical pupil equity as well as horizontal pupil equity.

d. The Nevada Plan is much like “36 of the 50 {who} also use some form of foundation program.” (Chambers, et. al, p. 18, 2012)

IV. The student population is the largest and most important variable to consider for an individualschool district’s funding.

A. To protect districts during times of declining enrollment, the hold-harmless provision protects funding based on higher attendance numbers. (Nevada Fiscal Analysis Division, p. 6, 2011)

a. If a district grows, a growth increment consisting of basic support is added to the guaranteed level of funding.

b. The Nevada Plan adjusts per-pupil spending to allocate funding appropriately according to student population changes.

V. Accountability

A. The Nevada Plan’s funding is tied to the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act.

a. Four basic premises (for accountability): “results, emphasis on doing what works for scientific research, expanded parental options, and expanded local control and flexibility” (Chambers, et. al, p. 22, 2012)

b. Local control is particularly integral as the Nevada Plan also creates allowances for local resources through sales tax to not overburden local governments with funding their local schools.

B. Attendance initiatives

a. Base attendance on Average Daily Attendance (ADA) so that student attendance is maintained and secured over the course of a district’s fiscal year

b. Important to each school district as it promotes pupil retention and learning (“the notion being students cannot learn if they are

not in school” in Chambers, et. al, p. 111, 2012).

Conclusion

VI. Nevada schools have suffered the distinction of poor per-pupil spending and stagnant graduation rates for high school students as only 6 states spent less than Nevada per pupil (Takahashi 2013)

A. The Nevada Plan revitalizes educational funding

a. The Nevada Plan sets forth funding for school districts at a minimum level.

b. Incentivizes school attendance and accountability via district, state, and federal standards.

c. Promotes the opportunity for students and families in similar economic situations as well as those that are in better or worse conditions.

B. Taxpayers like us are able to contribute to our state economy and school districts as sales and property taxes are the primary source of funding for school districts.

C. Many of us are products of public and charter educational systems

D. How our participation in this education system provides more equitable opportunities for the people of Nevada education system.

References

Chambers, D. J., Levin, D. J., Wang, A., Verstegen, D., Jordan, T., & Baker, B. (2012, August 22). ) Study for a New Method of Funding for Public Schools in Nevada. ) Study for a New Method of Funding for Public Schools in Nevada. Retrieved from leg.state.nv.us/Interim/76th2011/Committee/Studies/FundingSchools/Other/NVFundingStudyReportFINAL20120822.pdf

Nevada Plan For School Finance: An Overview. (n.d.) Nevada Plan For School Finance: An Overview. Retrieved from transparentnevada.com/static/state-financial-documents/Nevada%20Plan/Nevada%20Plan%20Overview%202011.pdf

Ryan, C. (2012, August 9). Nevada’s 61.9 percent graduation rate ‘way too low’ superintendent says - Las Vegas Sun News. Las Vegas Sun News. Retrieved from http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012/aug/09/nevadas-619-percent-graduation-rate-way-too-low-su/

Takahashi, P. (2013, July 17). Survey places Silver State in bottom 10 on per-pupil education spending - Las Vegas Sun News. Las Vegas Sun News. Retrieved from http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2013/jul/17/survey-places-silver-state-bottom-10-among