LAS VEGAS — Adam Laxalt, candidate for Nevada Governor, announced his platform for Nevada’s next chapter in education reform on Wednesday during a meeting with teachers and other members of the education community at the Laxalt for Nevada campaign office in Las Vegas.
“Education is the civil rights issue of our time,” said Laxalt. “Too many kids are never given a chance to succeed because they are stuck in schools that are failing them. Important steps have been taken in recent years, but we owe it to our children and grandchildren to do even more to improve our education system.
“It is important to realize that every child is unique, with his or her own particular educational needs and challenges,” Laxalt added. “Our goal must be to make sure that every student graduates high school with the tools needed to succeed at the next level — whether that means attending college, pursuing career-focused training, or finding a quality job.”
Adam’s Plan:
- Building On Governor Sandoval’s Success
Laxalt’s plan includes continued support for a number of important reforms implemented by Governor Brian Sandoval, particularly those aimed at improving early literacy. Laxalt also promises to properly fund Nevada’s education system, pledging that “we will never go backwards from our current levels of education spending.” - First-Of-Its-Kind Education Checkbook
The platform calls for an unprecedented new level of transparency and accountability in education spending, through the creation of a statewide, online system that will provide Nevadans with complete and accurate information on how and where all of our public education dollars are being allocated. - Rewarding Our Teachers
Noting that “a quality education starts with a good teacher,” Laxalt calls for a number of reforms that will reward the hard work and excellence of Nevada’s educators. In particular, he supports doubling the allowed amount that teachers are able to be reimbursed for classroom expenses they pay for themselves, which will address a concern Laxalt heard often in conversations he had with teachers while developing his platform. - More Opportunities For Students To Succeed
Laxalt calls for increased support for school choice in Nevada, so that all students will have access to the type of education that’s best for them. This means increasing access to charter schools, doubling the scope of Nevada’s Opportunity Scholarship program, and supporting Education Savings Accounts. - Developing The Teachers Of Tomorrow
The platform seeks to address Nevada’s critical teacher shortage by working to create a new teaching fellows program called “Tomorrow’s Teachers.” Under this program, students would receive a stipend or scholarship to pursue a degree from a Nevada university or college in areas where Nevada faces critical teacher shortages, including S.T.E.M., special education, and ELL. The students agree that upon graduation, they will teach for a set number of years in a Nevada district school. - Preparing Students For The Future
Laxalt calls for strengthening Career and Technical Education programs, believing that a more robust approach to CTE will better prepare students for career success, while ensuring that Nevada’s employers have access to the skilled workforce they need. “CTE is good for students, good for employers, and good for Nevada,” Laxalt said. “Fully embracing CTE will provide our students with a clear pathway to success, creating a new generation of career-ready Nevadans and making sure Nevada’s next chapter is our best yet.” - Structural Reforms
The platform proposes a shift in the way school board members are chosen for Clark and Washoe counties. Under Laxalt’s approach, those two counties’ school boards would contain a mix of elected and appointed trustees, with a majority being elected, and the appointed trustees subjected to retention elections. The process for selecting school board members for each of the other 15 districts would remain as it is today. - School Safety
“Making sure our state is safer — especially our schools — will be a top focus for me as Governor,” said Laxalt, who noted that his Attorney General’s office recently convened a summit to bring together law enforcement and education officials from across the state to identify gaps in the system that could lead to a tragedy in one of Nevada’s schools.
The full platform is available at https://www.adamlaxalt.com/ education_reform.
For FAQ about the platform, see https://www.adamlaxalt.com/ education_qa.
“Ensuring that every Nevada child has access to a quality education will be my top priority as Governor,” Laxalt said. “I’ve had the great opportunity, over the past several months, to spend a lot of time talking with many Nevada educational leaders, especially our teachers — to listen to their concerns and hear their ideas for how to improve education here in our state. Their input and insight has been invaluable, and has guided the formation of my education policy platform. I’m truly grateful that so many of our finest teachers are joining me today for an important discussion about how we can create a brighter educational future for Nevada.”
Learn more at adamlaxalt.com.
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