Education funding up 33 percent in proposed Guinn budget

Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2003 | 2:22 a.m.

Highlights of the $2.64 billion proposed for education in Gov. Kenny Guinn's proposed two-year budget:

-SPENDING UP: Guinn's $2.64 billion budget for education, from elementary school to university levels, is up 33 percent over the current budget. It would account for 55 percent of all general fund spending, up from the current 52 percent of the total.

-PUBLIC SCHOOLS: The governor's budget allocates $1.72 billion, or about 36 percent of all state funds, for elementary and secondary schools.

-PER-PUPIL DOLLARS: The budget provides for $4,291 in basic per-pupil support from the state Distributive School Account in the coming two years. That's up from a current level of $3,987.

-CLASSROOM SUPPLIES: Guinn's budget includes $38 million in new money for purchase of new textbooks and classroom supplies.

-ALL-DAY KINDERGARTEN: The budget asks for $24 million to implement a full-day kindergarten program at about 410 "at risk" state schools. The program would eventually be expanded to all schools.

-SPECIAL-NEEDS TEACHERS: The governor proposes spending $33 million to provide pay incentives to attract and keep needed educational specialists. This would include yearly $3,000 stipends to teachers who specialize in math, special education, or other needed disciplines.

-SIGNING BONUSES: Proposed $2,000 new teacher signing bonuses would take up $10 million of the public school budget.

-CLASS-SIZE REDUCTION: Guinn wants the legislature to expand an Elko County program giving local school districts more flexibility in determining class sizes. He sought the same change two years ago but included no money in the budget for any such shift.

-HIGHER EDUCATION: The proposed budget allocates $891 million, or 18 percent of funds, for Nevada's university and community college system. The new budget would inject an additional $80 million into the system by increasing the level of funding, as determined by a complex formula, to 86 percent from the current 79 percent.

-UNIVERSITY PROJECTS: The governor's proposed building projects list includes $60 million for a new science and engineering complex at UNLV. Also proposed is a $20 million health sciences building at the Community College of Southern Nevada.

-HENDERSON STATE COLLEGE: The proposed budget would include $7.85 million - half the amount requested by the university system - for a newly-opened state college in booming Henderson. Classes started in September and the campus has attracted far fewer students than expected.