Columnist Bill Hanlon: Legislative committee recommends several educational bills

BILL HANLON is a school district administrator and a member of the State Board of Education. He can be reached on the Internet at [email protected]

At the Legislative Committee on Education's June 24 meeting, about 30 bill requests on education were approved for the next session.

The bipartisan committee was created during the last legislative session. It has the potential to be the most important part of Nevada's Educational Reform Act.

During the last few sessions, educational issues were often mishandled because of partisan politics. But, because this is a standing committee that meets year round, educational issues should be handled in a reasonable and timely fashion. Rather than not debating or rushing the debates on education, this committee can look at the issues and make bipartisan recommendations. That's if the committee is willing to do its homework, ask intelligent questions and make recommendations based on information rather than politics.

Of the 30 requests approved June 24, many dealt with teachers and licenses.

One, submitted by the state Board of Education, dealt with creating incentives for experienced teachers to remain teachers and stay in "at risk" schools.

Experienced teachers at those schools will create a much-needed stability that would increase parental involvement and student achievement.

Other requests approved by the committee included requiring school districts to pay full credit on the salary schedules for incoming experienced teachers. While this will cost local districts more money, the idea of having teachers start at the bottom of the schedule when they move to Nevada does not make the state as attractive as competing states. Why would we want to have teachers with five, 10 or 15 years experience start at the bottom of the pay scale in the first place?

Another request would amend statutes to lengthen the probationary period to three years for educators. Under current law, tenure is granted after one or two years, depending on whether a notice of a second year of probation is made by the principal.

Another would establish a "tiered" licensing system. A beginning teacher may receive a preliminary license, be evaluated for content-area competence and then be required to complete course work before receiving full licensure.

Another would require the Commission on Professional Standards in Education to establish a middle school licensure program, with core-subject areas taught by different teachers. Also, by the 2001-2002 school year, teachers in grades six through nine who teach most of the day in a single core subject must be licensed in that subject.

One bill that is making its way around the nation is on phonics. Nevada's bill would require that credentials include the study of phonics instruction.

Two other requests would encourage teachers to become nationally certified and then reward them with a 5 percent pay increase.

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