Assembly passes education bill

Kirsten Searer

Thursday, May 26, 2005 | 9:54 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The Assembly unanimously passed a bill Wednesday that would give $100 million to remediation and innovation programs in K-12 education.

The plan differs from one put forward by Gov. Kenny Guinn earlier this year. Guinn wants to put the full $100 million only into elementary remediation, and to create a commission of educators to divvy up the money.

Assembly Democrats put forward an alternate idea in Assembly Bill 525, which would allow the money to be used for intervention and remediation throughout K-12 education.

It could also fund full-day kindergarten for all students. Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani, D-Las Vegas, said about $50 million of the money -- plus another $9 million in general fund dollars and $12 million in surplus money -- is all the state needs to get a full-day kindergarten program in motion.

The $100 million could also be used for career and technical education, as well as transitions into middle and high school, Giunchigliani said.

The bill leaves out the commission, which Giunchigliani said is another layer of bureaucracy.

Assembly Minority Leader Lynn Hettrick, R-Gardnerville, said Assembly Republicans didn't see AB525 in contrast with Guinn's proposal. He said the legislation gives schools options on how to use their money.

Still, Guinn is sticking by his plan, which was passed out of the Senate earlier this week. Guinn spokesman Greg Bortolin said "nothing could be further from the truth' that the commission would add bureaucracy.

The commission would include top educators in the state to review plans on remediation and encourage schools on how to implement them, Bortolin said.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, has said the idea from Democrats is a back-door way to fund full-day kindergarten, one of their legislative initiatives.

The bill now goes to the Senate.