Thursday, Aug. 14, 2003 | 8:22 a.m.
Editor's note: In August the Where I Stand column is written by guest writers. Today's columnist, Terry Hickman, is president of the Nevada State Education Association.
IN NEVADA there will always be competing financial priorities. Of all the many investments we can make as individuals and as a nation, I say that the most important is in public education.
One of the seemingly difficult questions to answer is what should we do to make our public schools great for every child? What will it cost and what must we do as a state to meet the future challenges?
We expect our public schools to give every child the opportunity to reach their goals. Reading, math, learning skills and the ability to work as a productive member of our society are things that are reinforced in K-12 education.
Our schools have adapted to the tremendous change brought about through the large number of students whose first language is not English. Public schools have adapted to meet the challenges that special needs students have brought into our classrooms.
Our culture values everyone, and no child can be left behind. Whatever the needs, whatever the challenges, our public schools stand at the front line to welcome and make the positive changes that are expected to meet the needs of the student.
Our greatness as a nation was long ago written in the Declaration of Independence, which so eloquently stated that "all men are created equal," and if that is true, then every American must be given the opportunity to excel and reach for their own dreams. I can think of no greater way to bring these words to reality than through our public education system -- built for everyone and built to adjust to meet the needs of each generation.
We recently concluded a very difficult legislative session. Education, which should have been at the forefront, fell last on the legislative agenda. The special session ended with higher taxes, but for K-12, most improvements were small and quite modest.
In 2002 per pupil funding for Nevada's students was approximately $5,600 but the national average was around $7,000. This average is calculated from the amount each state spends on each student. Nevada ranks 45th and is, unfortunately, most likely to remain near the bottom in this very important ranking.
What would happen to Nevada public schools if we were funded to the national average?
1) We know that early childhood education is vital. We know that full-day kindergarten can make a difference. Yet, for the most part, Nevada makes only token attempts to really address the needs of our kids.
When we fund our schools to the national average we will have the resources to make early childhood and full-day kindergarten a reality. Until then, we can only imagine what could be happening in our schools. Real intervention that can change for a lifetime a young mind begins with those early learning experiences that many children need to have provided for them in pre- kindergarten or full-day kindergarten.
2) Another positive result, if our schools were funded to the national average, would be reduced class sizes for every child in every grade. For example, the state of Tennessee funded a class-size reduction program of its own. A study of that program demonstrated that small class sizes had a very positive effect on learning at all grade levels and led to higher graduation rates.
In Nevada, we debate every two years whether we should continue class-size reduction in grades 1 to 3. Seemingly forgotten in Nevada statutes are guidelines that require class-size reduction to cover all grades K-12.
No greater change could we make to our public schools than to live up to the class-size guidelines that were passed in 1989. No core academic class would be larger than 25. We don't need new laws, just the courage to fund those class-size limits that we have already passed.
3) With per pupil funding to the national average, the beginning salary for new teachers could reach our goal of $30,000. Nevada has been forced to give bonus incentives to new teachers to compete with other states.
Recently a report revealed that Nevada's teachers rank 15th in average salary. Legislators in 2000 requested the Nevada Department of Education to report salary and retirement benefits together as salary. Therefore, the rank of 15th is false.
Nevada actually ranks 24th in average salary for teachers. The IRS defines income as taxable income and does not include the retirement benefit. Most importantly, if we are to compete with the incentives and higher pay in other states, we must pay starting teachers at least $30,000.
4) We also need to work toward closing the supply gap. It is a known fact that many teachers spend between $500 and $1,000 per year on school supplies not purchased by the district. Textbooks are copied and passed out to students because there are not enough for each student. Raising per pupil funding to the national average would go a long way toward solving this problem.
The American Dream has room for everyone's aspirations. We believe every child should have a quality education that is free from intimidation and promotes the highest standards for teaching and learning.
We are the children who came from the "greatest generation," and it is our time to commit our energy and resources to continue the effort for the American ideal of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all.
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