Back To School
2014 - 15
TEI Special Edition
Special TEI
Edition –
Education
funding goes
to voters in
November.
Inside:
Member Benefits & Programs . . . . . 2
Message from Superintendent. . . . 12-13
Nevada Hardest Hit Fund. . . . . . . . 19
Commentary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
TEI - Facts & Figures. . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Back To School. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
Horace Mann. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Calendar of Events/
Membership Savings. . . . . . . . . 20
TEI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-9
Summer Organizing Inst. . . . . . . . . 17
NSEA-R. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11
Candidate Endorsements. . . . . . . . 19
Back To School 2014-15 – TEI Special Edition | Perspectives | 1
2 | Perspectives | Back To School 2014-15 – TEI Special Edition
M
P
Message from the President
Ad Astra per Aspera: To the Stars
Through Difficulties
I
’ve lived in Nevada for more than 34 years, having
moved here from my home state of Kansas.
Growing up, I remember memorizing the Kansas
state motto “Ad Astra per Aspera” which means “To the
Stars Through Difficulties.” Upon moving to Nevada I
learned the state nickname is “Battle Born.” I consider
both of these states my home, and I believe the motto and
nickname reflects the challenging journey our educators
face as we begin another school year.
Having attended several educator new-hire orientations
across the state, I am impressed with the enthusiasm,
dedication, and leadership demonstrated by new educators
and those association leaders who are dedicated to
providing them support. However, in the back of my mind
I wonder which of these educators will be around after
five years? Statistics show that 50% of all educators leave
after the first five years for a variety of reasons. Educators
face a myriad of issues that will challenge them from day
one including excessive student testing, a challenging
evaluation system and curriculum, crowded classrooms,
teacher shortages, lack of respect for the profession, and a
M
Ruben Murillo, Jr.
President
lack of adequate funding necessary to educate our students
appropriately. In spite of these issues, educators come to
the classroom enthusiastic and optimistic and that spirit is
what reminds me of the Kansas state motto and Nevada’s
nickname.
NSEA is also optimistic about the upcoming year and
for good reason. First and foremost is the fight for stable
funding for education in Nevada. The root of what most
ails Nevada’s public education system is the lack of a stable
and adequate funding source. Over $800 million has been
cut from the state education budget since the beginning of
the recession. In order for our educators and our students
to be successful, smaller class sizes, teachers rather
than substitutes, professional development, and more
classrooms are necessary. NSEA’s leadership brought The
Education Initiative (TEI) to voters, and it will be decided on
in November. If passed, TEI will bring hundreds of millions
of dedicated revenue to our public schools. While there has
been much talk about how to find additional revenue, no
one has stepped up with a solution except for NSEA.
Continued on page 18
E D
Message from the Executive Director
Welcome Back!
I
am pleased to welcome those members who
are returning for another school year and also
new members who have joined the ranks of
NSEA and our affiliated locals. You are the heart and
soul of our union, the ones who give it the strength and
smarts necessary to advocate for the things that will help
educators and children succeed in a public school system
that is underfunded and does not provide the support
required to meet expectations placed on them by those
who are not in the classroom.
All of you are integral to our efforts to meet the
challenges posed by overcrowded classrooms, buildings
in disrepair, inadequate professional
Gary Peck
development, overreliance on highExecutive
stakes testing, a lack of public school
Director
funding, and a host of other problems
that plague K-12 education in Nevada
and nationwide. Unfortunately, teachers and education
support professionals are too often blamed for the
negative fallout that results from all of these problems.
NSEA members are not alone in this regard. Public
employees have been under attack since before I assumed
my position as Executive Director three years ago. They
have been easy targets for those who want to blame the
Continued on page 16
Back To School 2014-15 – TEI Special Edition | Perspectives | 3
Learning Link
GPS Network –
Connect and
Collaborate
The GPS Network is a free,
open-to-everyone online
professional learning community
created and maintained by the
National Education Association
to connect educators, parents,
and stakeholders in public
education who want to connect,
collaborate, share, and learn.
Using a discussion-group
format, it provides searchable
data and resources that allow
users to know what is important
and to share what works for
great public schools to support
student success. Anyone can
become a member, anyone can
4 | Perspectives | Back To School 2014-15 – TEI Special Edition
start or join a discussion group,
and anyone can share resources
and post questions, ideas, and
experiences with other site
members. The NEA’s strength
lies in its more than 3 million
members, its local affiliates, and
its state affiliates, all of which are
committed to providing great
public schools for every student.
The Great Public Schools
Network is an online platform
designed to empower users
to do just that. Get involved
with the other great minds in
education today at
www.gpsnetwork.org. ••
How to Stretch Your Money
Outline your spending and saving priorities with a detailed budget.
By Lisa Gerstner
You’ve launched your career, and the paychecks are
rolling in. If this is the first time you’ve had to manage
finances beyond your college meal plan, you may be
surprised at how easily the money seems to evaporate.
Even if you’ve been working a while, you may find that
you’re living paycheck to paycheck, without enough left
over to meet your goals. That’s why you need a strategy for
how you’ll spend and save it—in other words,
a budget.
Rather than view a budget as a straitjacket
on your spending, think of it as a way to
set priorities. As a broad guideline, Alexa
von Tobel, founder and CEO of moneymanagement website LearnVest.com,
suggests using the 50-20-30 rule. That
means that up to 50% of your take-home
pay goes toward essential spending: rent or
mortgage payments, utility bills, groceries,
and transportation to work. Designate at least
20% for savings (including for retirement,
an emergency fund, and other goals) plus
paying off debt, such as student loans.
Up to 30% is for lifestyle choices, such as
a gym membership, your cellphone plan,
entertainment (including your cable bill),
charitable giving, shopping, and eating out.
When money is tight, you’re going to
have to make some trade-offs. If rents are
high where you are, you may have to live with a roommate
or wait to get a car. If giving to charity or your church is
crucial, cable may have to go. “It’s not about deprivation,”
says von Tobel. “It’s about spending thoughtfully.”
Track your spending. To meet your numbers, you’ll have
to keep track of what you spend. You may want to use a
budgeting site, such as Mint.com or LearnVest.com. Their
tools let you monitor your bank, retirement, credit card
and investment accounts, automatically categorize your
expenditures, and let you set target spending limits for
various items such as restaurants and shopping. They also
help you organize your goals and monitor how much you’re
saving for them.
If a hard spending limit is more effective than just a
warning at keeping you within your budget, nothing beats
cash. Withdraw the equivalent of your
budget over the course of the month in
cash, divide the money into categories, and
put money for each category into envelopes
(the budget site Mvelopes.com lets you
fund virtual envelopes and track the amount
in them by linking to your checking account
and credit cards). Once you’ve spent all
of the cash designated for eating out, for
example, you’re done with restaurants until
next month.
As your circumstances change, your
budget should be flexible enough to adjust.
But that doesn’t mean that you should
upgrade to a flashier car or a downtown
apartment as soon as you get a raise.
Especially if your savings are missing the
mark or you’re paying off a lot of debt,
ratchet up the amount you put toward
those areas as your income reaches a more
comfortable level. ••
Brought to you by NEA Member Benefits.
Content provided by:
© 2014 The Kiplinger Washington Editors
Back To School 2014-15 – TEI Special Edition | Perspectives | 5
Nevada Education Funding Timeline
1865
1877-1911
An education funding system is created in the first session of Nevada’s Legislature. Funds
are allocated based on the actual number of school-aged children residing within the
district.
An apportionment method of allocation is created in 1877. Through 1911 there would
be ongoing changes to determine the best apportionment methods to balance rural and
urban areas.
1925
1948
1954
A report known as the Peabody Report results in dramatic changes in how Nevada funds
public schools.
1959
Addressing a public education funding crisis, the Legislature has to enact an emergency
distributive school fund for one year that is extended for the biennia.
1967
1973
1983
The fund allocation changes from child census counts to counts based on actual number of
pupils enrolled in school. If costs increased, districts relied on counties to provide increases
in per-pupil apportionment.
An interim committee – Nevada School Finance Survey Group – is created to address
organizational inefficiencies. They identify a lack of modern accounting and budgeting
procedures.
The Nevada Plan is adopted, which is still the basis of the Nevada funding formula used
today. Nevada is ranked fourth in the nation in per-pupil expenditures and the percentage
of state revenue for education was at 54.6 percent.
Funding for special education is enacted as an add-on to the Nevada Plan.
The property tax dedicated to public schools is raised from $0.50 to $0.75 per $100 of
assessed valuation.
1989
The Legislature enacts the Class Size Reduction Act, establishing categorical funding for
class size reduction for K-3 through a phase-in program.
1991
The Legislature increases the local school support tax from 1.5 percent to 2.25 percent on
taxable sales.
2006
2010
2013
A funding adequacy study is commissioned by the Legislature. The study recommends
revenue increases in the hundreds of millions of dollars to be implemented over nine
years. To date, no action has been taken on the recommendations.
The Legislature, in a special session, allows districts flexibility in implementing class size
reduction due to budget shortfalls.
An Interim Legislative Committee is tasked with examining the Nevada Plan. In 2014, the
task force reporting to the committee recommends increased spending for at-risk, special
needs and English language learner students.
6 | Perspectives | Back To School 2014-15 – TEI Special Edition
The illustration is an
exaggeration, but the fact
is reductions in staff due to
inadequate funding hurts
public education. Voting
YES on TEI will help pay
for programs and much
needed resources our
kids need to succeed and
will provide the revenue
needed to attract and retain
highly qualified and well
trained educators.
23559
Text for TEI Updates
@YesOn3 to 23559
The Education Initiative (TEI) / Question 3 will be on the ballot
November 4, 2014. Stay informed by texting @YesOn3 to 23559.
You’ll receive special announcements, updates and you can ask
questions about TEI. Join TEI text updates today and vote YES on
Question 3 on Election Day. ••
Back To School 2014-15 – TEI Special Edition | Perspectives | 7
Educator Viewpoints
In July, Perspectives had an opportunity to meet and speak with several NSEA members during the Summer Organizing Institute
conference that took place in Las Vegas. These brave member-leaders agreed to give video recorded interviews in between their
busy training schedule. The questions were simple and direct: Who are you? What do you love about what you do? How would
funding help your kids and education?
As we start a new year, we thought we would share these experiences and thoughts from your colleagues about who they are and
what makes being an educator in Nevada so special. All of the videos will be shared on Facebook, YouTube and our website
nsea-nv.org. Please take a look online and feel free to share them through social media.
Bonnie Gossett, WEA
Bonnie is a speech and
language pathologist with
the Washoe County School
District at Mathews Elementary
School in Reno. She has
been a speech pathologist
for 25 years and says it’s
exciting to watch her students’
growth and progression. Like
many educators we spoke
with, student/educator ratios make the work even more
challenging. “Sometimes I have groups of six or seven
students in a 30 minute period and that’s really a lot of kids to
try to get articulation time in, get them to get good practice
in, it’s just not enough time,” said Bonnie. Bonnie says if
funding was increased and caseloads were reduced, she
could do so much more for her students.
Brian Jordan, ESEA
Brian is a custodian with the
Clark County School District
and has been at Centennial
High School for more than five
years. Brian said the students are
the most important part of his
job, and he is concerned about
programs that have been cut
that would help them. Brian says
more funding would improve
the needs of the facility to provide a clean, safe learning
environment. “We are understaffed,” said Brian. Normally,
they have a total of six custodians, three for one shift and
three for the later shift that Brian works. “We have just two on
one side and two on the other side. We can always use two
or three more custodians,” said Brian.
8 | Perspectives | Back To School 2014-15 – TEI Special Edition
Diana Cantu, CCEA
Diana is a Kindergarten
teacher in Clark County at Martin
Luther King, Jr. Elementary
School. Diana has taught for
20 years, grades Kindergarten
through eighth. She loves to
teach Kindergarten because
of the big growth she sees in
her students. “They come in
as babies, really. I love the end
of the year because we see them reading and that’s really
exciting,” said Diana. Class sizes are a big concern, and
Diana’s story is far too familiar. She describes Kindergarten
classrooms with 25 children and says that number is too big
if we want to be successful in teaching our children. Diana
explains we risk our childrens’ future if we continue to ignore
this crisis. “Kindergarten is the foundation of their education,
and every other grade level will suffer with those students if
we don’t help them in Kindergarten,” said Diana.
Gloria Gazaway, NSEA
Retired
Gloria dedicated 40 years
to teaching hearing impaired
children in the Washoe County
School District. “The most
rewarding part of the work was
seeing kids go from no language
to having language, whether it
be from sign language, spoken
language, or written language,”
said Gloria. Education cuts
hurt all students, but it seems to hurt the most vulnerable
in our schools the most. It’s clear more funding would give
these students greater opportunities. “You could provide
more interpreters going from class to class to help them
understand what is happening in the classroom and not only
interpreters, but note takers. Hearing-impaired students can’t
watch the teacher and take notes at the same time because
they can’t take notes and speech read at the same time,”
said Gloria. Gloria says more education dollars would provide
resources that would get kids to a place where they are more
productive when they graduate from high school.
Terri Shuman, ESEA
For more than four years,
Terri has worked as a tester in
the English Language Learner
department in Clark County.
Students from around the globe
are assessed for their English
comprehension by testers and
then placed in the classroom.
Terri says the assistance she
provides to teachers is very
rewarding. “We give our testing
information to the classroom teachers and with that they are
able to meet the student where they are so they can be more
successful in the classroom,” said Terri. The numbers Terri
offered about ELL are staggering: 144 different languages,
more than 500 schools, and a little more than 60 testers.
It paints a picture of a daunting caseload and with all the
paperwork that has to be filed properly and on time, Terri
says more trained testers would be a benefit to our students
and educators.
Linda Gingras, NSEA
Retired
Linda knows something
about how education
money is spent. She was an
administrative secretary with
the Clark County School
superintendent and worked for
the district for 28 years. Linda
said being lead secretary was
fun and exciting work, and
there were a lot of decisions to be made. We asked Linda
about what accountability there was at the local level when
it came to the budget. “There is a lot of accountability
because the principals have to report back to their assistant
superintendents and then to their superintendents. At every
level we’re audited, constantly, and we’re given money for
certain budget items and you can’t deviate from the item
unless you get permission from an administrator further up,”
explained Linda. Linda says new revenue for schools would
be wisely spent and would fill needs to make schools better.
“Give them the money. Give them the means to get the
materials to do it and they can do it. They can do it!”
Doug Smithson, Retired
Firefighter & School
Volunteer
Doug is a reitred firefighter
and is married to a school
teacher in Washoe County.
Doug volunteers one day a
week in his wife’s classroom
and says classrooms are grossly
overcrowded. “It’s very apparent
when you walk into a sixth
grade class with 35 kids that teachers have a difficult time
just keeping them under control, let alone teaching them
something,” said Doug. Doug has been one of the most
outspoken supporters of The Education Initiative (TEI) since
the campaign began. He has been interviewed by local
newspapers, participated in debates, and has contributed
his insight by writing letters to the editor and posting his
thoughts on social media. Doug says businesses should
pay their fair share and that opponents should not look at
education as a tax and spend issue but as an investment.
“If you care about our kids, if you care about the future of
this state, we’ve got to do something because our schools
are in desperate need of an adequate and reliable source of
funding,” said Doug. ••
Back To School 2014-15 – TEI Special Edition | Perspectives | 9
-R
This section is written by retirees for retirees.
Look for what NSEA-R has to say in every issue of Perspectives.
The Education Initiative – Question 3
by Warren Wish, NSEA-R President
J
on Ralston has proclaimed The Education
education. Under TEI the revenue will go directly into
Initiative (TEI) - Question 3 as the most
the Distributive School Account and will be dispersed
important decision Nevada voters will
according to the Nevada formula directly to school
decide in the November 2014 election.
Not prone to exaggeration, Ralston is talking about
whether Nevada will vote to increase the funding of
districts. It has been estimated this tax alone will
contribute $800 million a year to schools.
Nevadans seem to have an aversion to taxes – a
schools by instituting a tax on the gross revenue of
serious allergy – that in so many ways defines our state’s
businesses generating more than a million dollars a
independent attitude and, unfortunately, diminishing
year. 87% of all Nevada businesses are not in this
quality of life.
category, but the largest 13% run the spectrum from
enormous WalMart and national retailers to the medium
sized family ranch and fast food franchisee.
I will go one step beyond Ralston. I believe TEI is a
In many ways, Nevada is more business friendly
than people friendly. People need services – public
schools, libraries, hospitals. Large corporations need
fewer services. Profits go out of state or out of country.
once in a decade decision. If TEI does not pass, then
Without a state business income tax and low property
Nevada has no political reason to alter the state’s
taxes, Nevada has one of the lowest tax rates in the
current tax structure – and, in turn, no means to make
country.
significant improvements to the funding of schools.
Without more funding, Nevada schools will continue to
limp along, perhaps for decades. How much lower can
the quality of education go in Nevada? School people
know the full meaning of being asked to “do more with
less.” Without expanded budgets, school boards will
be forced to increase class sizes and programs and
positions will have to be cut. It is easy to see more
difficult negotiations and the threat of frozen salaries
and reduced benefits.
Simply, the issue is whether Nevada should create
a broad based business tax to help pay for public
10 | Perspectives | Back To School 2014-15 – TEI Special Edition
Taken to extremes, Nevada’s anti-tax attitude has a
substantial downside to our public schools. Nevada has
one of the lowest per-capita funding for public schools,
the highest high school dropout rate, the lowest college
graduation rate, the highest classroom sizes, and the
highest rate of distressed families and children. Those
in education know these statistics first hand – these are
your everyday school challenges.
In countless statewide surveys, Nevadans
wholeheartedly say they want every child to attend a
quality public school and receive a good education.
Everyone wants good schools, but quite a number of folks
are always looking for someone else to pay the cost. The
old phrase “education is expensive, but poverty is far more
costly” certainly applies to Nevada.
Nevada’s tax structure is based on others paying for our
needs. We have the gaming and hospitality taxes being
paid substantially by tourists. We have a portion of the
sales tax also being paid by visitors. Mining brings in a
portion, especially helpful in several of the rural counties.
What has not gotten as much attention is the revenue
Nevadans seem to have
an aversion to taxes – a
serious allergy – that in
so many ways defines
our state’s independent
attitude.
generated from within our state that goes to benefit
other states. Without a tax on business, corporations
Over the past 25 years, the Nevada Legislature has
send billions of dollars earned from Nevada consumers to
commissioned several fiscal tax studies. Each study
out-of-state shareholders. The prices Nevadans pay for
warned of a growing and significant imbalance in our tax
merchandise are national prices. These national prices
structure. The revenue needed for public schools and
reflect the cost of doing business in states with higher
social programs was not keeping pace with the demands.
taxes and better funded schools. National pricing means
Sources of taxable revenue were too restrictive. One
Nevadans subsidize the cost of education in other states.
study called this imbalance a “structural deficit,” meaning
What does Nevada get from our low tax philosophy?
Nevada would never have enough money to adequately
The Governor would say lots of jobs. Notice he doesn’t
fund schools without expanding its tax base. Here we
say high-paying jobs. Actually, Nevada’s low taxes have
are, decades after the report with the same problem.
attracted businesses that pay low wages. High-paying jobs
Our Legislature and elected officials have not seen a way
only go to the states with lots of professional and skilled
to take constructive action. Now is the time, and The
workers. Recently, the Republican Governor of Tennessee
Education Initiative is the means for the people of Nevada
said in his State of the State report that his goal was to
to take action and move forward. Is there a perfect tax?
make college and post-secondary technical education
Probably not, but TEI is the only viable solution that has
free for all Tennessee high school graduates. Here is a
been proposed in decades.
governor who sees the connection between venture capital
and high tech manufacturing with educated employees.
I applaud NSEA for having the courage and foresight
Educated people are the pollen that attracts businesses
to seek a better future for Nevada’s children and schools.
with high-paying jobs. Low taxes are far less important to
It will be up to the members of NSEA to rally for this
these businesses – quality of life and good schools are a
cause. We will have no one to blame but ourselves if The
higher priority.
Education Initiative fails. Vote in favor of TEI. ••
Back To School 2014-15 – TEI Special Edition | Perspectives | 11
Improving Student Achievement in Nevada
By Supporting Excellent Educators
By Dale A.R. Erquiaga, Superintendent of Public Instruction – Nevada Department of Education
W
e begin this new school year during
The Department has retooled its vision and mission
a time of unprecedented transition in
statements to more fully embrace the focus on college and
public education for the state. The 2013
career readiness, as well as to reposition the agency as a
legislative session put into place a number of important new
education initiatives or refined initiatives that were initiated
during the 2011 legislative session. These important reforms
will improve student achievement, enhance school and
district accountability, and reward and support excellent
educators in ways never experienced in Nevada.
My job as Nevada’s Superintendent of Public Instruction
is to ensure these initiatives are implemented in a way
that supports the success of each of Nevada’s students
support institution for students and educators alike:
Vision: “All Nevadans ready for success in
the 21st Century.”
Mission: “To improve student achievement
and educator effectiveness by ensuring
opportunities, facilitating learning, and
promoting excellence.”
With the Department’s increased focus on educator
and educators – a daunting task, indeed. We are currently
effectiveness and supporting excellent educators, we are
working hard to fully implement new, more rigorous state
fully acknowledging what we’ve already known for some
standards and the aligned assessments that accompany
time – the success of our students depends on the success
them. We also have new high school graduation
of our educators. Numerous studies have shown that
requirements, including end-of-course examinations and a
teachers are the single most important in-school factor
new college-and-a-career readiness assessment.
affecting student achievement. Knowing how important
These changes are not easy, especially because you
start this school year with a number of transition issues still
unresolved. I want you to know my staff and I are dedicated
to supporting you as we navigate through these changes.
The adults in the public education system, our educational
educator effectiveness is to the success of Nevada’s
students, the Department is working on several initiatives to
cultivate and support effective teachers for all our schools
and all our students:
• We have created a new focus on educator support
personnel, have historically received less attention and
by changing the Department itself, first by creating a
support from Department staff. That attention has been
separate division focused on the adults in the system
limited to the processes that lead to the licensure of the
– the Division of Educator Effectiveness and Family
state’s educators pursuant to the standards established by
Engagement. Two major shifts in office structure are
the Commission on Professional Standards. However, this is
adding to this effort:
changing. At the federal level, conversations about educator
effectiveness, quality instruction, and equity are driving the
national debate. Nevada is keeping pace and doing more
to support you.
12 | Perspectives | Back To School 2014-15 – TEI Special Edition
New Office of Educator Development and Support
■
focusing on preparation programs, evaluation, and
professional development.
New Office of Standards and Instructional Support
■
ICCS this year to gain access to technical assistance
helping to set standards for what students should
and resources to support our implementation of
know and delivering information for teachers on
the Nevada Academic Content Standards based on
how to apply those standards in their classrooms.
Common Core. Participation in the ICCS will help the
• Ongoing implementation of the Nevada Educator
Performance Framework (NEPF). The state Interim
Finance Committee voted in June to delay full
implementation of the NEPF until the 2015-16 school
year. This year, school districts must develop a parallel
system of evaluation for educators, and the framework
Department focus on a number of implementation
areas including educator support. We will be looking
at whether educators have access to aligned and
adequate instructional materials and professional
development to help teach the new standards.
• Educator Preparation Program Review Teams. The
is undergoing further validation to ensure decisions
Department approves all higher education programs
associated with the NEPF are valid, defensible and
that prepare classroom teachers and administrators
reliable. Teachers and administrators will continue to
for licensure in our state. With the many changed
participate in NEPF training this school year. Our core
expectations, the State Board decided this summer to
purpose is to improve educator effectiveness, which
conduct a full review of all approved programs. Over
means the Department will be more involved in the
the next year we will recertify programs and discuss
professional development of our school principals and
the future directions of the teaching and leading
classroom teachers.
professions.
• The Department has unveiled Nevada Ready!, a new
As the Department works more with the field, the State
brand and communication campaign that will help
Board is also committed to dedicating more of its time this
parents, educators, and the public better understand
year to issues that directly impact you, the teachers. We
all education standards and how they translate into
are in a great time of transition, setting new benchmarks
instruction that will prepare our students for colleges
throughout the coming school year. It’s an exciting time
and careers. I encourage you to check out the new
for public education in Nevada, and it’s an exciting time
nevadaready.gov website, where you can find
to be working alongside our educators. I’m confident that
communication tools and resources that answer some
Nevada is building a new system that will prepare students
of the hard questions you may be hearing from parents
to be college and career ready upon graduation -- and just
and the public about our English and math standards
as importantly, will prepare and support educators who are
based on Common Core and the new assessments
ready to help students succeed. Thank you for all that
aligned to these standards. NSEA and local employee
you do every day to make a difference – and make
associations are partnering with us in this effort.
Nevada Ready! ••
• Participation in Implementing the Common Core
Standards (ICCS) Collaborative. Nevada joined the
Back To School 2014-15 – TEI Special Edition | Perspectives | 13
Economic Study: TEI Will Create
11,500 Jobs
T
a revised UNLV study published in September (a result
of a well-publicized and criticized directive for a peer
review) still showed job growth, a positive impact on the
economy, and a scenario where new revenue flows to K-12
public education and even capital expenditures. Read the
complete UNLV study on our website nsea-nv.org.
he Education Initiative (TEI), if passed by voters
on Election Day, will have a significant, positive
impact for Nevada’s students, public schools,
and the state economy. A study done in July by the UNLV
Center for Business and Economic Research finds TEI would
create more than 11,000 jobs and would have a positive
effect on the economy. These findings correspond with
studies showing Nevada’s inadequate funding of education
and consistently low education rankings “limit economic
opportunity in the Silver State.”
Facts on TEI – Question 3
Key Findings
• TEI “requires that the proceeds of the tax be used to
fund the operation of the public schools in this state
for Kindergarten through grade 12.” It clearly states in
the initiative that the taxes raised from businesses will
be used for K-12 public schools.
• TEI will provide the funding to boost annual per
student K-12 spending.
• School districts can easily boost their capital spending
with additional revenue generated from TEI.
• Accountability comes from legislators who have
committed to increase education spending, voters
who mandated education be a priority by placing TEI
on the ballot, NSEA and its members through our
legislative involvement, and district administrators
who are held accountable for the money they spend.
• 11,500 jobs would be created in 2016, and 9,100 jobs
in 2017 if TEI is passed.
These findings contradict opposition studies showing a
doomsday scenario for Nevada businesses. In fact, even
• TEI is not a job killer and it will not slow or hamper
Nevada’s economic recovery. It’s the exact opposite.
The study finds increased spending on K-12 will
“more than offset” any negative impact of a corporate
income tax.
• Business will help itself by paying the 2% for quality
schools. The report says, “because state and local
governments in Nevada tax businesses less than the
national average and spend less on K-12 education
than the national average, Nevada may benefit more
than the average state by increasing its business
taxation to fund increased spending on K-12
education.”
Voting YES on Question 3 is the most important thing
Nevadans can do in November to help our kids and our
economy. Students, schools, and the economy – YES on 3
helps all three! ••
ESEA members getting the word out to vote YES on 3!
14 | Perspectives | Back To School 2014-15 – TEI Special Edition
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Back To School 2014-15 – TEI Special Edition | Perspectives | 15
Welcome Back!,
cont. from page 3
woes brought on by an economic collapse caused by Wall
Street banks and financiers who are all too happy to point the
finger at public sector workers, who are quick to encourage
working families that are struggling in a tough economy to
direct their ire toward anyone but the greedy businesspeople
who actually wreaked such havoc. Like other public
employees, we must fight to protect collective bargaining
and pensions which enable members to live in dignity in
retirement after they have given so much to our community.
More specifically, NSEA must fight to ensure educators
are judged using a fair evaluation system, that they get the
kind of professional development needed to flourish, and
that they are given the tools they need to help their students
succeed. Education professionals are not opposed to
accountability or to the sorts of standards that policymakers
intended to introduce with the new Common Core
curriculum. These are fine in principle, but systems designed
to hold educators accountable and changes in the content of
what they teach must be implemented with meaningful input
from those who actually do the instruction.
NSEA is fighting to make all of this happen. To help
achieve this, public schools need to be better funded. Our
members joined NSEA’s campaign to gather more than
150,000 signatures – twice as many as required – to place
The Education Initiative (TEI) on the November ballot. If
passed Question 3 would create a broad-based tax on big
businesses that gross more than $1M annually, the proceeds
from which will go directly into Nevada’s education budget to
pay for all the things we know are needed to improve public
schools. We need to make sure we all vote for Question 3
on Election Day. Members need to contact their locals or
the NSEA office to find out how they can get involved in the
campaign and how they can help to turn out other educators
and their neighbors to vote for TEI.
There might have been no need for TEI if out-of-state
corporations had worked with educators, legislators, and
current and past governors to provide an ample, stable,
dedicated source of funding for Nevada’s public education
system. Sadly, none of these stakeholders have stepped up
to get the job done. The result is that Nevada ranks at or
near the bottom in per-pupil expenditures and just about
every measure of positive education outcomes – graduation
rates, student achievement, and the like. Large out-of-state
corporations continue to avoid paying their fair share, and
our members and Nevada’s children continue to pay the
price for all of the free-riding that has left our K-12 schools
16 | Perspectives | Back To School 2014-15 – TEI Special Edition
at a tremendous disadvantage. The problem is exacerbated
by a funding formula that is among the least sensible in the
country, failing to serve those students who are most at-risk
throughout the state.
Yes, the TEI campaign means we are deeply involved in
politics. Some of our members ask why we do that. The
answer is we can’t afford not to. We must have a seat at
the table when decisions are made by lawmakers in Carson
City and in school districts around Nevada that will affect
educators and their students. Just as no employment benefit
is ever given by management without a fight, little is ever
given by politicians unless we have a strong presence and a
powerful voice required to ensure educators and students are
provided the quality learning environment to which they are
entitled.
It has been my privilege to work with NSEA’s rank-andfile membership and with its dedicated elected leadership
and staff to make sure our union is the kind of advocate that
will hold politicians accountable. You can be a part of this
effort by reading the list of endorsed candidates NSEA has
chosen to support in the November election, which appears
on page 19 in this issue of Perspectives. These candidates
were endorsed after extensive interviews and approval by
your elected leaders. Make sure to cast your ballot for
the endorsed candidates and encourage your friends and
neighbors to do the same.
A brand new school year is filled with promise and
opportunity. Members will be working hard all year to fulfill
their hopes and aspirations for their students, but there is
equal opportunity to help lift your profession both in the
upcoming election and afterwards during the legislative
session. Get involved in our Get Out The Vote Campaign and
in our subsequent lobbying efforts during the next legislative
session which begins in early February 2015.
Your participation is the key to NSEA being a force to be
reckoned with. Contact us directly at
[email protected]. We will put you on the list of
members who can call legislators, become virtual lobbyists,
and otherwise engage lawmakers regarding important issues
affecting public education in Nevada. Without this kind of
participation on the part of those who are the real education
experts – teachers and education support professionals
– NSEA’s voice will not be as forceful or carry the moral
authority that it warrants in the legislative process. ••
Summer Organizing Institute and Minority
Leadership Conference
N
SEA was excited to provide Wellstone Campaign
Organizing training to our members this summer.
Members who attended the training focused on
the basics of organizing—whether in political campaign
mode or membership recruitment. Training segments such
as “Organizing and Mobilizing,” “Effective Conversations
in the Field,” and “Making the Ask” were intended to
provide tools and skills to members in the trenches for
The Education Initiative (TEI) campaign and member
recruitment. One enthusiastic participant summed up his
feelings on the conference evaluation by writing: “More,
more, more!”
was well received. The training included communications
training, parliamentary procedure, understanding the
association, and developing community partnerships.
Cadre trainers Chuck Mendoza, Trish Ruiz, Melissa Rogers,
Richard Melvin and Steve Gorrie all received positive
reviews. ••
We were also pleased to present, for the first time in
some time, Minority Leadership Training. This training,
presented by the NEA Minority Leader Cadre trainers,
CCEA
UCN
NSEA-R
ESEA
WESP
WEA
Back To School 2014-15 – TEI Special Edition | Perspectives | 17
To the Stars,
cont. from page 3
The education funding crisis in Nevada can be illustrated
with the following facts facing students and educators as
they go back to school. Lyon County is offering a $5,000
signing bonus to new teachers. Clark County has hired over
400 retirees and 400 substitutes. ESEA is providing intense
training for a shortage of bus drivers. Recruiting teachers
and education support professionals to rural counties is
challenging. If there is real commitment to attracting and
retaining the best educators in Nevada, something has
to change. That is why it is so important TEI is passed on
Election Day.
Education Support
Employees
Association
leadership and
staff at Northwest
Career & Technical
Academy Key
Club.
As if tackling the funding problem isn’t enough, the
battle over testing, evaluations, and Common Core will
also be with us as we head into the November elections
and the 2015 legislative session. There are promises for
change in the toxic testing that permeates our classrooms
and potential changes to the evaluation system which would
provide a fair method of appraisal. Common Core remains
a controversial issue with educators both in support and
opposition, but without educator input and involvement, all
of the above will be decided by those who have never set
foot in a classroom. Our challenge is to engage, motivate,
and organize our educators to take command of our
profession and take the lead.
Lyon County Education
Association President
Summer Kay speaking to
new teachers.
Finally, I have never seen such a lack of respect for the
education profession as I have over the last several years.
Comments from friends who aren’t in education are telling
when even they are noticing educators are being blamed
for all that is bad in public education. It’s no wonder
institutions of higher learning are graduating fewer teachers
and districts all across the nation are scrambling to fill open
positions using creative measures – some good, some not
so good. “Did I mention Lyon County is offering a $5,000
signing bonus?”
Even with all these challenges they still come – the
recently graduated, the second career candidates, the
retirees, and the substitutes. The prospect of educating our
students and making a difference in their lives is still strong
motivation for making education a profession.”Ad Astra per
Aspera: To the Stars Through Difficulties” and “Battle Born”
pretty much sum up the optimism, challenge, and journey
educators face as a new school year begins. ••
Perspectives is published by the
Nevada State Education Association (NSEA)
3511 East Harmon Ave.
Las Vegas, Nevada 89121
NSEA is affiliated with the
National Education Association (NEA).
Perspectives is mailed to all NSEA members
as a benefit of membership.
Ruben Murillo, Jr.
President
Gary Peck
Executive Director
Nick Di Archangel
Director of Communications
Clark County Education Assocation new employee
orientation at Cox Pavilion.
18 | Perspectives | Back To School 2014-15 – TEI Special Edition
Maverick Creative Group
Layout/Design
NSEA State Endorsed
Candidates
NSEA members long ago embraced the fact that politics
affect every facet of their professional lives, and that’s why
the majority of our members vote. NSEA has developed a
comprehensive program to help make public education issues
an important part of the campaigns of candidates at all levels.
Lobbying and endorsing candidates has become a regular
part of our participation in the overall process. The process of
endorsing candidates is democratic and member-run. A full
description of the endorsement process is found at
nsea-nv.org under Legislative Action Center.
These are the latest state endorsed
candidates for the 2014 election, current as
of this printing. As local TIP boards continue
to announce endorsements, more names
and districts will be added to the NSEA
website – nsea-nv.org. ••
District Candidate
AD 3
Nelson Araujo
AD 4
Jeff Hinton
AD 5
Jerri Strasser
AD 9
Steve Yeager
AD 10
Jake Holder
AD 13
Christine Kramer
AD 17
Tyrone Thompson
AD 19
James Zygadlo
AD 29
Leslie Cohen
AD 31
Skip Daly
AD 34
No Candidate
SD 8
Marilyn Dondero-Loop
SD 20
No Endorsement
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Back To School 2014-15 – TEI Special Edition | Perspectives | 19
Calendar of Events
NEVADA STATE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
3511 E. Harmon Avenue
Las Vegas, NV 89121
PRSRT Std
U.S. Postage
Paid
Las Vegas, NV
Permit No. 1139
SSeptember 2014
16
WEA Board of Directors Meeting
CCEA Executive Board Meeting
17
WESP General Membership Meeting
23
CCEA Rep Council Meeting
Fall Equinox
25
Rosh Hashanah - (Begins at Sunset
on 9/24)
26
Native American Day
30
WEA Board of Directors Meeting
1
WEA Rep Council Meeting
WESP Board of Directors Meeting
4
Yom Kippur - (Begins at Sunset
on 10/3)
8
ESEA Executive Board Meeting
ESEA Rep Council Meeting
11
CCEA Executive Board Meeting
13
Columbus Day (Observed)
14
WEA Board of Directors Meeting
16
Shemini Atzeret - (Begins at Sunset
on 10/15)
28
CCEA Rep Council Meeting
31
Nevada Day – (NSEA Offices Closed)
3
WEA Board of Directors Meeting
NSEA Membership/Discount Card
4
Election Day
R E P R E S E N TAT I O N AT A L L L E V E L S
5
WEA Rep Council Meeting
WESP Board of Directors Meeting
NSEA Valued Member Name
12345678
6
CCEA Executive Board Meeting
October 2014
O
November 2014
N
9-15 American Education Week
11
Veteran’s Day – (NSEA Offices Closed)
12
ESEA Executive Board Meeting
ESEA Rep Council Meeting
National ESP Day
18
WEA Board of Directors Meeting
CCEA Executive Board Meeting
19
WESP General Membership Meeting
21-22 NSEA Board of Directors Meeting
25
CCEA Rep Council Meeting
27
Thanksgiving Day – (NSEA Offices Closed)
28
Family Day – (NSEA Offices Closed)
Watch for Your New NSEA
Membership/Discount Card!
VALID THROUGH 12 / 2015
This card doubles as both your membership card and as a valuable savings
card which gives you large savings on many purchases.
Among the places you can save, you’ll find restaurants, stores, movie
theaters, appliances and more—all ready to save you money, just for being an
NSEA member. From top national brands you know and trust to thousands
of businesses, there are savings for every
NSEA member.
We hope you are enjoying this valuable
benefit and all the other services you
receive as an NSEA member. It’s just one
more way to say thank you for your hard
work and valuable service.