Miller misses deadline on education council

Tuesday, Aug. 26, 1997 | 9:31 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Gov. Bob Miller has missed his own deadline for appointing members of a new state council charged with drafting higher achievement standards for public school students.

Miller, responsible for choosing four members, said Monday his choices will be announced "this week for sure." He is more than a month behind schedule.

The Council on Academic Standards, a key part of an educational reform package passed by the Legislature and signed by Miller, will have nine members.

The governor initially called the legislation the most important of the 1997 session and promised the appointments would be made by July 25 so the council could get to work. But instead he attended the National Governors' Association meeting in Las Vegas and then went on a two-week vacation in Florida.

Two members have already been chosen by Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno. They are Sen. Ann O'Connell, R-Las Vegas, and Elaine Wynn, wife of Mirage Resorts Chairman Steve Wynn.

The other two members will be chosen by Assembly Speaker Joe Dini, D-Yerington.

Miller must name two school professionals and two parents of students in the public schools. He also chooses the chairman.

When Miller left on his vacation at the end of July, his press secretary, Richard Urey, said the governor hoped to have his choices in the first week of August. He said Miller would be "calling people from the road" to talk about the selections.

The council must submit its recommendations on performance standards by September 1998 for mathematics, science and English.

The state Board of Education meets Sept. 5 to consider proposed regulations for English. A committee has been working for three years to draft the guidelines.

Keith Rheault, assistant superintendent of public instruction for Nevada, said the education board will turn over its work to the new council so it won't have to start cold.

The council also must recommend standards in social studies, computer education, the arts, health and physical education by September 1999.

The recommendations will be forwarded to the state Board of Education for final approval.

Rheault said the English standards that have been drafted are tougher than the current ones and are similar, in some ways, to Virginia, a leader in the movement for higher performance by students.

Gov. Bob Miller