Education bill would challenge schools

Martha Bellisle

Monday, March 31, 1997 | 5:49 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Nevada schools would face tough scrutiny of their test scores, numbers of violent incidents, drug use on campus and absenteeism under a Senate bill sought by Gov. Bob Miller.

The school accountability bill is part of the governor's 1997 education initiative list that also includes five computers in every classroom, higher academic standards and third-grade class-size reduction.

Although many of the state's schools are performing at high achievement levels, the bill states that some lag behind and need to be held accountable for slacking.

State Department of Education chief Mary Peterson said last week that the proposal moves education in the right direction.

Schools currently must report their test scores and incidents of drug use or violence under a program pushed through by Sen. Bill Raggio, Peterson said.

But Senate Bill 241 takes it a step further by outlining steps schools must take should their scores fall dramatically or violent incidents get too frequent, Peterson said.

During the governor's State of the State address, he said, "Let's send this message loud and clear: We, the leaders of this state, will no longer tolerate schools that are not meeting their commitment to Nevada's students.

"If a school demonstrates poor performance over time, has been warned, and has not repaired its problems, a state inquiry team will be impaneled."

The team, made up of teachers, parents and administrators from inside and outside the troubled district, will conduct a public investigation, asking tough questions, and make recommendations, the governor said.

Jim Mulhall, the governor's chief of staff, said making the process public will help force accountability.

"A public airing of concerns will create a spur for creating effective programs to fix the problems," Mulhall said. "Public officials rarely want attention to things that are going poorly.

"This public investigation will be triggered for school districts that show no progress."

Under the bill, the Department of Education would evaluate each public school annually to count up test scores and calculate the number of incidents involving weapons, violence, possession of alcoholic beverages or controlled substances.

It also would tally student and teacher attendance and high school dropout rates.

A school that receives three or more consecutive designations as "performing at a level which requires attention" would face the formal investigation.