Public Comment: State Board of Education 1.8.25

With the Governor’s State of the State address and the 83rd Legislative Session just around the corner, public education remains at the top of the list of state priorities. This session presents an opportunity to address critical issues like optimal funding, class size reduction, and universal free school meals.

Last Session, NSEA’s Time For 20 campaign helped secure historic salary increases for educators across the state, and this upcoming session presents an opportunity to build on that progress by making those raises permanent and meaningfully addressing class size reduction. This means continuing the work set forth by the Funding Commission to close the $4,000 per-pupil gap below the national average. This funding gap hampers progress in student achievement and class size reduction.

If Nevada is serious about providing every student with a quality education, we need bold leadership and real investment in public schools. This means avoiding proposals that divert public dollars into private interests such as private school vouchers, stadium vouchers, and Hollywood giveaways. Last Session, we called the question on whether Nevada prioritized schools or stadiums. This session, educators will be asking Nevada to choose schools over studios and private school vouchers and realign Nevada’s priorities to achieve optimal funding.

Nevada also has an opportunity to adopt the recommendations of the Governor’s K-12 Education Audit, particularly regarding the extension and expansion of universal school meals for students. Free, nutritious meals for all students have proven benefits, including enhanced learning, healthier eating habits, and improved health outcomes.

Throughout Session, educators from across the state will amplify their voices, sharing powerful stories and firsthand experiences that highlight the pressing needs of our schools, the challenges faced by educators, and the resources required to ensure every student has the opportunity to thrive. We hope their insights will serve as a call to action, reminding our elected officials that meaningful change begins with listening to those on the front lines of education and prioritizing the needs of our public schools, educators, and students.