Panel sets statewide education standards for certain grades

Saturday, Jan. 17, 1998 | 4:55 a.m.

The action, taken on a 5-2 vote Friday by the Council to Establish Academic Stardards for Public Schools, affects students in the second, third, fifth and eighth grades.

The council decided that "performance indicators," as opposed to standards, would be established for pupils in other grades.

The vote ended a three-hour debate over whether all pupils, especially first graders, should be assessed to see if they are progressing in math and reading.

Some members argued that first graders are too young to be assessed, while others said they wanted to know as soon as possible whether their children were learning as expected.

Assemblywoman Vonne Chowning, D-North Las Vegas, a council member, led the fight for standards at each grade level, especially in reading in the first, second and third grades.

"Reading is absolutely critical," she said. "It is the linchpin of success in all areas.

"If we do not step up to the plate now and establish tough standards, we're going to pay for it later."

Sen. Bill Raggio, R-Reno, also urged the council to set standards in every grade.

Raggio, a key architect of the education reform package that created the council and set its agenda, said he was disturbed that council members even felt the need to debate the issue.

The council should follow its mission statement to create easy-to-understand standards at every grade level, he said.

"Let's not depart from our mission statement because it's easy or because it pleases someone," Raggio said.

But council member Scott Craigie, a former teacher and former chief of staff to Gov. Bob Miller, questioned the need for standards at all grade levels.

First-grade pupils don't always learn at the same rate, he said.

Following the vote, Raggio said he was satisfied with the outcome because of the inclusion of performance indicators for grades in which standards will not be adopted.

Raggio said the difference between the two types of measures was more semantics than substance.

"I think it's important in the early years that we get a real valid indicator for parents and students, as well as the teachers," he said.