Editorial: State schools in a deep hole

Friday, Jan. 5, 2007 | 7:12 a.m.

We are not surprised that Education Week found Nevada trailing most of the nation in the academic success of children from kindergarten through high school.

The publication just released a study that put Nevada at 43rd, but people "probably don't pay attention any more," Keith Rheault, state superintendent of public instruction, told Emily Richmond in a story in Thursday's Las Vegas Sun.

That is because for years studies of state education systems have ranked Nevada at or near the bottom of the nation. The problem, fueled by explosive growth, has never been adequately addressed.

Unfortunately the discussion over public education in Nevada has been lost in a misconstrued money-vs.-reform debate as right-wing conservatives have vilified "educrats," saying changes to the system to weed out inefficiency and waste are needed, not more money. However, it is foolish to try to address this problem with an either-or solution.

Certainly the state should be looking at ways to change the system to make it more efficient and improve the way we educate students. The sad reality is Nevada schools are in such a hole because they have never had the money to build enough classrooms, pay teachers appropriately or fund needed programs.

It is time for state leaders to agree that it is unacceptable for Nevada to rank so poorly and take the appropriate steps to educate our children.