No-Child law has schools’ budgets being left behind

Tuesday, March 11, 2003 | 9:26 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The Clark County School District estimates it will cost $144.8 million over the next two years to finance programs related to the federal No Child Left Behind Act, according to testimony before the Senate Finance Committee on Monday.

The estimated statewide cost is more than $180 million to comply with the federal law that requires increased testing and remediation for schools and students that are falling behind.

The Senate Finance Committee is considering Senate Bill 191, which aims to bring Nevada into line with the federal law.

Gov. Kenny Guinn has said there is money in the federal law for the increased testing of students that is mandated, but the state and the individual school districts will have to pay for any programs necessary to bring test scores in failing schools up to par.

Keith Rheault, deputy state superintendent of public instruction, said the costs on the state should be small.

"The big implications are at the local districts in implementing all of the requirements," he said.

Al Bellister of the Nevada State Education Association, which represents teachers, said that funds needed will likely have to be taken from existing education programs.

That could mean cuts in salaries, supplies and operating costs, he said.

"There's just not enough funding behind the bill," Bellister said. The state bill provides for $11 million, he said.

But Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, said he wants the state Education Department to examine estimates submitted by the counties.

"These fiscal notes are all over the place from the school districts," he said.

Rheault agreed and said his department would review the estimates and then give lawmakers a report.

The Clark County School District, in a report to the committee prepared by business manager Richard Ennes, suggested it would cost $71.3 million next year and $73.5 million the following year. In the 2005-07 biennium, the cost would be $155 million, he said.

Ennes estimated it will cost $20 million a year to provide remediation programs to be offered before and after schools. A section of the law requires a mentoring program for teachers that would cost an estimated $5 million, he said.

The federal law says that students at a school that has been designated as needing improvement must be given a chance to transfer to at least two other schools. The district said it would need $15 million for more facilities because school officials cannot offer lack of space as a reason for not offering a choice of schools.

An estimated $10 million would be needed to gather additional data about students and transfer it to the state's computer system, according to the report.

Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev. previously said in a speech to the Legislature that the federal act was a large "unfunded mandate" to the schools.

Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev. previously said there was money in the bill to carry out the mandates and that if the funds were not there, the school districts would not have to comply.