Senate OKs $1.6 billion for schools

Thursday, June 26, 2003 | 9:01 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The $1.6 billion school aid bill that has provided the rallying cry for gatherings at Las Vegas schools was quickly and unanimously passed by the Senate Wednesday during the first day of the special session of the Legislature.

But the school funding approved as Senate Bill 5 is expected to see slower going in the Democrat-controlled Assembly, where it is tied to a tax increase bill. A majority of the Democrats have maintained that the funding for education and the taxes needed to pay the bills should go hand in hand. As long as a tax plan is approved to provide for a balanced budget before the July 1 beginning of the fiscal year, it is legal for the school aid bill to be passed separately, officials have noted.

Clark County School Board member Mary Beth Scow said she was glad that the Senate had passed the school funding and, as it moves to the Assembly, she hopes "that the partisan politics don't come into play and they can work together and put an end to this.

Teri Witzel, president of the Katz Elementary School PTA, agreed.

"I think that's a positive step," she said. "Now if we can get these boneheads in the Assembly to open their eyes and take action, that would be good."

With no final budget and a fiscal year that begins July 1, school districts have complained that they can't plan or hire new teachers for the fall semester without a bill providing the state money.

Noting the obstacles remaining in the Assembly, School Board President Sheila Moulton said she doesn't think progress is being made.

To break the stalemate, she said: "It's going to take someone to give, some compromises. It's going to take both sides sitting together and working something out.

"This is political hardball at its best, and that's too bad."

SB5 provides $637.8 million next fiscal year to the school districts and $767 million the following year.

The bill increases the statewide average basic support per pupil from the current $3,987 to $4,295 next fiscal year and $4,424 in the following year. The basic support for Clark County per student will be $4,127 next fiscal year and $4,429 in the 2005 fiscal year.

SB5 also allocates $83.1 million for special education instruction next year and $87.8 million for special ed in fiscal 2005. Clark County's share is $50.7 million the first year and $53.8 million the second year of the biennium.

The bill includes money to provide enhancements for teacher retirement in at-risk schools and those who specialize in mathematics, science, English as a second language, special education and school psychology.

For every year of teaching, educators in these categories will be given an extra one-fifth year of credit toward retirement. Gov. Kenny Guinn wanted to give them bonuses but the Legislature decided on the retirement credit allowance instead.

Moulton welcomed the extra benefit, but said it probably won't draw new teachers to those areas.

The problem, she said, is that it takes five years to become vested in the retirement system, and when new teachers come to Las Vegas, "they don't know if they will be here in five years."

However, she said, the enhanced benefits may encourage already established teachers to move into areas where there is a shortage.

"It will be interesting to see if the Assembly can follow suit on it," she said.

The Senate bill also includes $50 per student for the purchase of textbooks, instructional supplies and other similar items. This was recommended in the Guinn's budget.

Witzel said frustration was building among parents who just want to see schools funded. She spent Wednesday evening e-mailing 283 other parents, "getting their input on what we need to do to get their attention."

She said she was discouraged by the Legislative Counsel Bureau opinion that the school budget could not be passed without the tax package to pay for it.

"There's got to be a loophole that we can get our kids' school funded," she said. "I'm a little bit angry. Forget it, I'm a lot angry."

The Senate on Wednesday also approved:

It requires schools to have one teacher for every 16 students in grades 1 and 2, and one teacher for every 19 students in grade 3. The bill gives flexibility to school districts outside Clark and Washoe counties to have one teacher for every 22 students in grades 1, 2 and 3 and one student for every 25 students in grades 4, 5 and 6.

The maximum charge for a work card will be $75 and it will be good for five years and employees will not have to obtain a new card if they start working at a different casino. Sen. Maggie Carlton, D-Las Vegas, cast the lone dissenting vote on the bill.

All of these bills were approved by the Senate in the first special session of the Legislature but failed to gain approval in the Assembly.

Sun Assistant

Metro Editor Jean Reid Norman contributed to this story.

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