exempt

                                                  (Reprinted with amendments adopted on May 26, 2003)

 

Assembly Bill No. 266–Committee on Ways and Means

 

(On Behalf of the Nevada Association
of School Boards)

 

March 10, 2003

____________

 

Referred to Committee on Ways and Means

 

SUMMARY—Requires Superintendent of Public Instruction to prepare compilation of certain information for inclusion in biennial budgetary request for State Distributive School Account. (BDR 34‑903)

 

FISCAL NOTE:  Effect on Local Government: No.

                           Effect on the State: Contains Appropriations not included in Executive Budget.

 

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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

 

AN ACT relating to education; requiring the Superintendent of Public Instruction to prepare a compilation of certain information for inclusion in the biennial budgetary request for the State Distributive School Account; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

 

    Whereas, Section 2 of Article 11 of the Constitution of the State of Nevada requires the Legislature to provide for a uniform system of common schools; and

    Whereas, Section 6 of Article 11 of the Constitution of the State of Nevada requires the Legislature to provide for the support and maintenance of the common schools by direct legislative appropriation from the General Fund; and

    Whereas, An effective public school system which produces active and informed residents is essential to the development of an educated workforce to serve the economy of the State of Nevada; and

    Whereas, The Nevada Association of School Superintendents and the Nevada Association of School Boards have worked cooperatively to propose a long-term vision for public education,

commonly referred to as “iNVest,” in an effort to improve the academic achievement of pupils enrolled in elementary and secondary schools in this state; and

    Whereas, The Legislature believes that the elements of the iNVest proposal provide a sound blueprint when the Legislature considers methods to improve the academic achievement of pupils; and

    Whereas, The Legislature recognizes it is important that school districts:

    1.   Are provided with basic support that is adequate to ensure the effectiveness of the public schools, which to the extent practicable includes the inflationary costs for nonsalaried expenditures;

    2.  Have funding for books, supplies and equipment that is adequate to ensure the effectiveness of the public schools;

    3.  Have funding for programs designed for pupils who have limited proficiency in the English language that is adequate to ensure the effectiveness of the public schools; and

    4.  Maintain an adequate ending fund balance; and

    Whereas, The Legislature recognizes the importance for school districts to attract and retain a qualified workforce, which includes the provision of cost-of-living adjustments, adequate health benefits for employees and adequate compensation for teachers who provide instruction in high impact and special need areas; and

    Whereas, The Legislature recognizes that there are a variety of meritorious ways that the educational system can assist pupils to meet the demands of rigorous academic standards, including, without limitation, increasing the instructional time for pupils by adding additional days to the school year, providing full-day kindergarten especially for children who are at risk, and providing summer school, after-school programs and tutorial programs for pupils who need additional assistance; and

    Whereas, The opportunities available to Nevada’s pupils would be enhanced by the provision of career and technical educational courses, the enhancement of classroom discipline and the maintenance of class-size reduction; and

    Whereas, It is the intended goal of the Nevada Legislature to work in partnership with the State Board of Education, the Governor, the Nevada Association of School Superintendents, the Nevada Association of School Boards and other such dedicated organizations to continue to develop and carry out educational strategies that are designed to improve the academic achievement of pupils enrolled in the public elementary and secondary schools in this state, including, without limitation, methods to increase the financial support for public schools; now, therefore,

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

1-1  Section 1.  Chapter 385 of NRS is hereby amended by adding

1-2  thereto a new section to read as follows:

1-3  1.  The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall compile the

1-4  biennial budgetary request for the State Distributive School

1-5  Account prepared by the Department. In compiling the request,

1-6  the Superintendent shall take into account, without limitation:

1-7  (a) The projected enrollment of pupils for each school district

1-8  and for the school districts as a whole;

1-9  (b) The projected costs of salaries and benefits for existing and

1-10  newly hired teachers, and for other school district employees,

1-11  including, without limitation, the cost of merit increases and the

1-12  cost of living adjustments recommended by the Superintendent of

1-13  Public Instruction;

1-14      (c) The projected costs of supplies, equipment, services, fuel

1-15  and utilities based upon such published indices, reports and

1-16  research as the Superintendent of Public Instruction considers are

1-17  credible and reliable regarding those costs to schools;

1-18      (d) The projected cost of existing and proposed educational

1-19  programs, including, without limitation, enhancements to existing

1-20  programs that are not included in the per pupil basic support

1-21  guarantee; and

1-22      (e) The revenue that is anticipated to be available for the

1-23  general operations of school districts other than money available

1-24  from the State General Fund.

1-25      2.  The compilation prepared pursuant to subsection 1 must be

1-26  included with the biennial budgetary request for the State

1-27  Distributive School Account prepared by the Department.

1-28      Sec. 2.  This act becomes effective on July 1, 2003.

 

1-29  H