Education initiatives split Gibbons house

Monday, March 22, 2004 | 8:43 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Rep. Jim Gibbons and his wife, Assemblywoman Dawn Gibbons, don't see eye to eye on an initiative petition that would force the state to raise its financial support of public schools.

At issue are proposed constitutional amendments to require the Nevada Legislature to raise educational funding and to pass the budget for school aid before other budgets are approved.

Dawn Gibbons told the state Education Board on Saturday that the two proposals "work well together." The Republican congressman has said previously that he doesn't want the two proposals tied together.

The board, without a dissenting vote, endorsed both initiatives, which must gather the signatures of 51,244 voters by June 15 in order to qualify for the November ballot.

Dawn Gibbons, who said she is not running for re-election, told the board, "If we don't pass these, it scares me what will happen to our schools."

After the board meeting Saturday, the assemblywoman acknowledged that she and her husband are on opposite sites of the initiative supported by the teachers union, which would require the state to raise per-student spending on education to the national average.

"We have different opinions," she said.

The congressman has previously said of the initiative by the Nevada State Education Association that lawmakers should establish the funding level.

Figures supplied by the state Department of Education show the current spending per student in Nevada is $6,481, compared with the national level of $8,167. Nevada is 44th in the nation in per student spending, according to the figures.

The gap between Nevada and the national average has widened since 1994 and the department estimates that by 2009, Nevada will be spending $7,534 per student while the national average will be $10,062. To close that difference would take $1.1 billion.

Al Bellister of the teachers association said it would be up to local school boards to decide how to spend the increased money if the initiative passed. Some of the suggestions, he said, are to reduce class sizes, expand kindergarten to a full day or use the money for repairs, renovations or supplies.

The proposed constitutional amendments must be approved by the voters this year and in 2006 before they become part of the state Constitution.

In other action Saturday, board member John Hawk of Las Vegas sharply criticized the Harcourt Educational Management Co., which prepares and scores tests. Hawk said he had asked the company about making some adjustments in scheduling and Harcourt never replied to his request.

Hawk said the failure to respond was "absolutely unacceptable."