Nevada gets 1-year relaxation on No Child Left Behind Act

CARSON CITY — Nevada has received a one-year extension from the U.S. Department of Education for flexibility from some provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act, a state education official said Thursday.

Superintendent of Public Instruction Dale Erquiaga said the extension of its flexibility waiver will run through the 2014-15 school year.

“I am pleased that Nevada has received this extension so we can continue on the path to improved student readiness for post-secondary success,” Erquiaga said. “Positive change takes time, and Nevada needs to stay the course.

Nevada’s waiver has been effective in providing support for the critical elements of reform in the state’s annual plan to improve student achievement, he said.

“Extending the waiver will support Nevada’s goal of college- and career-readiness for all Nevada students,” Erquiaga said.

Nevada, along with 41 other states and the District of Columbia, are currently operating under requests for flexibility from certain provisions of what the state Education Department called the “outmoded” No Child Left Behind Act.

Without the extension, Nevada would be required under federal law to meet the requirements of the act and “Adequate Yearly Progress” would again be the measure of school performance.

Under AYP, all schools would need to demonstrate that 100 percent of students passed the state assessments during the 2013-14 school year. Few, if any, Nevada schools would meet the 100 percent proficiency expectation.

Erquiaga said work is already underway to design and implement Nevada’s plan to improve student achievement and ensure all students are on track to graduate from high school ready for college and career.

The plan includes a rating system for each Nevada school based on multiple levels of achievement, and the Nevada Educator Performance Framework, which establishes a statewide uniform performance evaluation system for Nevada educators based in part on student achievement.

The new evaluation system has been delayed for one year, however, after state lawmakers were told last month it is not ready for implementation in the coming school year.

Contact Capital Bureau reporter Sean Whaley at swhaley@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3900. Find him on Twitter: @seanw801.