Nevada teachers adjust to ensure students meet tougher standards

Tuesday, Oct. 26, 1999 | 10:10 a.m.

Directors of four regional teacher-training centers in Washoe, Douglas, Elko and Clark counties said one or two teachers at every Nevada school now are being trained in the new standards and will take their information back to colleagues next spring.

The northwest center, including Washoe, Pershing and Storey counties, will be drawing partially from Washoes team of 100 teacher-trainers already working in the schools. Working with teachers at each school site will give them the support and time to learn how to do what it will take to improve student achievement.

"Sometimes the people who need professional development are those who don't sign up, and then you have other people who sign up for everything," said Lynn Sawyer, director of the northwest teaching center who works in the Washoe County School System.

"We're trying to get everybody involved in professional development and on the same page," Sawyer added Monday.

Earlier this year lawmakers set aside $7 million to create the regional teacher-training centers. State and local school officials said paying for substitutes and stipends to allow teachers the time to study the new standards and develop new lesson plans are critical if education reform in Nevada is to be a success.

"We're paying teachers a stipend and providing substitute money to make it easier for them to participate," said Bill Hanlon, director of the southern Nevada center and a member of the state Board of Education. "With this we're looking to establish consistency across the grades so you know a B is a B is a B, as best as we can do."

More than 60 Douglas County teachers have volunteered to be school-site teacher trainers, said Douglas County assistant superintendent Ron Casey. The Douglas County center also serves Lyon, Carson, Churchill and Mineral counties.

"We'll start training the trainers in November and be ready for them to start working in the schools in February," Casey said.