Guinn to announce education panel

Friday, Sept. 2, 2005 | 10:49 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Gov. Kenny Guinn is waiting until after the deadline to announce his selections to the Educational Excellence Commission that will allocate millions of dollars to Nevada's failing schools.

The law said the governor must make his selections for the commission by Sept. 1.

Michael Hillerby, chief of staff for the governor, said the administration "spent a lot of time" seeking nominations from a wide spectrum. He said the "pieces are together now."

The governor was expected to make his appointments public today. Guinn recommended the Legislature allocate $100 million over the two fiscal years to help improve the schools. The Legislature took $22 million out of the proposal to finance full-day kindergarten in the next fiscal year.

Guinn signed the bill on June 15 and the law became effective July 1. The bill said the money must be allocated by Aug. 15 of the two fiscal years. So the first deadline for sending the money to the schools was missed.

The appointments apparently were completed Thursday but there was no public announcement by this morning.

Keith Rheault, state superintendent of public instruction who is an ex-officio member of the commission, said he intends to confer with the commission chairman immediately to set a date for a meeting.

Because of the delay, Rheault said he will recommend the panel make grants for 18 months instead of allocating money this year and next.

This would allow the school districts to submit only one application rather than two in 18 months. He said "lots of schools support this."

The schools have already drawn up improvement plans and some of them are revising them to be ready for submission to the commission.

Charter schools in addition to the public schools will be able to apply for the grants.

While about half of Nevada's public schools are classified as failing, the grants can go to other schools based on their improvement plans.