Democrats balk at Guinn’s school spending

Kirsten Searer

Thursday, May 12, 2005 | 9:41 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The Senate is poised to approve Gov. Kenny Guinn's plan to infuse $100 million into primary grades for remediation, but it appears Assembly Democrats differ on how to spend it.

Guinn announced the $100 million fund for at-risk schools at his State of the State in January.

The Senate Finance Committee approved Senate Bill 404 earlier this week, which would create the Commission on Educational Excellence to shuttle the money to at-risk schools. The money would only go to programs in kindergarten through sixth grade.

Guinn supports the measure.

But Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani, D-Las Vegas, said in a budget meeting Wednesday morning that she doesn't want to commit to that idea quite yet.

"I'm uncomfortable saying that all of that has to be used for remediation," she said in the joint subcommittee on K-12 education and human resources. "That's a large dollar amount that I'm not sure has to all go to remediation."

Some Democrats believe the money should be used for other types of intervention, including career technical programs and programs that help transition middle school students into high school.

They could use the money for Assembly Bill 525, which was passed Monday by the Assembly Ways and Means Committee, Giunchigliani said.

The bill would allocate $25 million to schools around the state for innovating programs such as arts, programs for the gifted and talented, or to English language learners.

Giunchigliani argues that such programs would prevent the need for some remediation. The money, she said, should go to all grade levels.

And Sen. Bernice Mathews, D-Reno, said she was concerned that the commission to allocate the $100 million will be just another layer of bureaucracy.

"It seems like when we're unhappy with something we want to grab a whole bunch of people we call experts," she said. "I'm not sure we know what an expert is at this point."

Sen. Barbara Cegavske, R-Las Vegas, did say in the Wednesday budget subcommittee on K-12 education that she thinks legislators support the idea of the $100 million, just don't agree yet on how to spend it.

But Guinn chief of staff Mike Hillerby said the governor wants the money to target lower grade levels in at-risk schools.

"That's the key -- you go after these failing schools," Hillerby said. "You've got to start in the early grades to right the ship."

Under Guinn's budget, legislators would have about $175 million in new money to use at their discretion. Hillerby said legislators could use that money for their favorite education programs if they don't agree with Guinn's remediation plan.

"We want to stay focused on the early grades," he said.

Raggio said Wednesday that he agrees, and thinks Senate Bill 404 infuses money while giving schools some flexibility on how to use it.

"Obviously we may have some differences on how it's going to be used," he said.

Raggio also noted that another $13.9 million already in the budget could be used for remediation in upper grade levels.

Giunchigliani said she was optimistic legislators can work out some compromises with Guinn on the money.

For example, Assembly Democrats have been pushing for full-day kindergarten classes, and Guinn said his remediation money could go toward full-day kindergarten in at-risk schools.