School chiefs back off funding threats

Thursday, June 5, 2003 | 9:48 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- School superintendents are backing off their threat to sue the state for more funding for education.

Clark County School District Superintendent Carlos Garcia told the Senate Finance Committee Wednesday that superintendents throughout Nevada had considered following the lead of other districts across the nation that filed lawsuits after inadequate state allocations.

"We researched that," Garcia said. "I hope we never have to go in that direction."

He said the schools and the Legislature are working together and lawmakers are "taking the right step" by helping to avoid the dramatic cutbacks in classes that had been discussed earlier in the year. The possibility of the cutbacks provoked a wave of complaints. Garcia and Jim Hager, superintendent of Washoe County, said there would not be any reductions in such things as art, ROTC, athletics, music and other programs.

Hager said there may have to be some reductions but they will total $5 million worth at the most.

The Finance Committee approved a bill allocating $1.7 billion in school aid from the state's general fund for the next two years. The average support per student will go from $3,987 to $4,295 in 2004 and $4,424 in 2005.

The committee bill provides slightly more than what Gov. Kenny Guinn proposed.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, said the difference is the Legislature put in a 2 percent pay raise for teachers in 2005. And it added three-quarters of a percent to pay the retirement premiums for teachers.

The Finance Committee and the Assembly Ways and Means Committee agreed on this spending program in the regular session. But the bill died before it could be processed.

But the two sides are already starting to butt heads over a plan they had agreed upon several days ago.

The committees had agreed to send $2.5 million to the schools to provide extra classes before and after school, during weekends and during the summer to help students who are not making progress in academics.

But on Tuesday the Assembly decided to move $2.1 million of that money into a fund to lower the kindergarten class sizes.

But Raggio said this created a "serious problem that has to be corrected" because it is contrary to the agreement that had been reached after intense negotiations. He said it could force the reopening of the entire budget.

Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, disagreed. He said it was not "a big deal." Perkins said the amount of money was not increased and, he added, this issue was discussed in the negotiations last week.

County school superintendents agreed with the change. Garcia said there are 40 students in some kindergarten classes in Clark County. Hager also said the districts need to concentrate on reducing the kindergarten class sizes.

There was an agreement during the regular session to scrap the governor's plan to provide enough money for full-day schooling for 30 percent of the state's kindergarten classes.

The bill that the Finance Committee approved Wednesday also includes $64 million next year and $68 million the following year for textbooks and school supplies.

Raggio said he was "concerned about the misinformation" that the Legislature does not provide sufficient funds for textbooks and school supplies.