Editorial: Some empowering advice

Thursday, Feb. 1, 2007 | 7:08 a.m.

In his State of the State address, Gov. Jim Gibbons said he wants to roll out for 100 schools a $60 million pilot project to advance school "empowerment," a concept of which he admitted he only has a "peripheral knowledge." At the same time he said he didn't want to expand all-day kindergarten statewide from its current status as a pilot project.

Despite the overwhelming evidence that all-day kindergarten is crucial, Gibbons wants to keep it a pilot project for at-risk schools, saying the state should "measure how effective it is." He calls that a "fiscally responsible approach."

On Tuesday, Michael Strembitsky, who pioneered the empowerment school concept in Canada and has become the governor's expert on the topic, made an appearance on "Face to Face With Jon Ralston," which airs on Las Vegas ONE, Cox cable channel 19.

Ralston asked if all-day kindergarten works. "Of course it works," Strembitsky declared.

We wonder what the governor thinks of his education expert now.

On empowerment schools, Strembitsky said that many of the ideas that could be used in Nevada "are presently being done in a number of schools" around the country. He said the issue would be "finding a model that would work in Nevada."

The Legislature opens in four days, and lawmakers should expand all-day kindergarten for all eligible students and create a state empowerment pilot program, using Clark County's pilot program as a guide.

That would be "fiscally responsible" and use common sense.