KTVN Channel 2 - Reno Tahoe News Weather, Video - Nevada Joins Competitive "Race to the Top" Education Program
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John Potter
Channel 2 News
Nevada is no longer the only state not eligible for funds from a $4-billion + federal program. The governor says it could mean $100 to $200 million for Nevada schools.
He first got the ball rolling last week by signing SB-2, finally making Nevada eligible for money from the new federal "Race to the Top" program. Monday, after reading to a class at Carson City's Bordewich/Bray Elementary School, he took to the podium to formally sign an executive order creating a state task force to make sure Nevada gets the money. Nevada System of Higher Education Chancellor Dan Klaich is a co-chair. "What we've got to do now is get our application in because we weren't qualified in the first round of funding. So now we're going to go in the second round of funding."
'Race to the Top' goes by a point system. Each state has to earn enough through things like improving performance and developing new standards. Nevada's new task force reads like a who's who of education advocates, from former regent Jill Derby, to Assemblywoman Debbie Smith to Washoe School Superintendent Heath Morrison. And they won't stop at "Race to the Top." As the governor told us, "This is not a task force created just for that system. This is a task force that was created to look at the overall modernization of all education, from K-12 to higher education."
Being last to be eligible actually puts Nevada in a good position. The task force will use the "lessons learned" by other states that have already walked the minefield to securing the funds. Chancellor Klaich says, "There have been some states selected in the first round, and I think we need to look at what's successful and what worked. We don't want to re-invent the wheel. We don't have time to re-invent the wheel."
It will be a literal race to get the state's "Race to the Top" application in. It's due June 1st. The new task force has their first meeting this Friday.
