More school funds proposed

CARSON CITY -- State Sen. Mike Schneider, D-Las Vegas, wants to spend $1.6 billion for education, besides the lawmakers' usual allocation for schools, to help improve Nevada's ranking near the bottom among states in educational dollars spent per student.

Even though money is tight because of the state's economic crisis, Schneider sought approval Monday of his Senate Bill 2, which says per-pupil spending in Nevada is more than $1,900 below the national average.

Schneider challenged Senate Finance Committee members to back an accountability plan to help improve the state's ranking.

Educators say different studies place Nevada between 41st and 49th among states for per-pupil spending.

Under Gov. Jim Gibbons' proposed budget, the state's base per-pupil spending for kindergarten through 12th-grade schools would drop from $5,098 this year to $4,945 next fiscal year; and increase by just $1 to $4,946 in the second year of the budget cycle.

Schneider, who has pushed similar legislation in previous sessions, said students have been hurt by the state's fear of raising taxes during periods of financial crisis or even when it was "the economic envy of the nation."

"My question is, when do we address education funding?" Schneider added. "If we don't address it when times are the best in the nation, when do we address it?

"Let's say we can move up a few notches," Schneider said. "Can we move up five notches this time? Can we do it and set the goal for next session to move up another five? Let's move up. Let's not set our goal to move down."

Sen. Bill Raggio, R-Reno, said Nevada doesn't get enough credit for its education efforts. A clear definition of average per-pupil spending is needed to clarify where states actually rank, Raggio said. Nevada teachers are ranked 19th in pay nationally, and the state offers rewards and incentives to teachers that others don't.

"I want us to start from a point where we get credit for what we have done over the years, instead of constantly getting beat up by those who say we're not doing enough," Raggio said.

Most states also are cutting education spending because of the economic downturn, Raggio said. He agreed that education problems must be resolved but added that the bill isn't "timely" because Nevada is trying to maintain basic services in all areas, not just K-12 funding.

In other committee action, lawmakers also heard testimony on SB171, creating a 14-member Nevada Autism Task Force. The bill would appropriate $2 million for the Department of Health and Human Services to administer autism programs and services. Gibbons didn't recommend funding for the program in his proposed budget.