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"Race to the Top" May Help Overhaul Failing Nevada Schools

Governor Jim Gibbons signed a bill into law Wednesday that makes Nevada eligible for "Race to the Top."

The federal program could provide up to $175 million in competitive grants to Nevada's school system over the next four years. That money would, among other things, pay to overhaul failing schools in Nevada.

State education officials are currently working on details of a $22 million school improvement grant, with details expected next week.

The list of schools to be overhauled includes 6 Washoe County elementary schools (not yet named.)

The federal requirements spell out just a handful of overhaul methods.

• One is to convert regular schools that are failing into charter schools, which is illegal under Nevada law.
• Another is to shut a school down, though district officials don't seem inclined to use that option.

"Because the money doesn't follow the kids to the new school," explains Washoe County Superintendent Heath Morrison.

The remaining options require the principal of a failing school to be replaced. "I will tell you up front that I don't like the fact that we have to replace the principal," Morrison told us.

However, he feels the sacrifice is worth it if it reforms a failing school.

Morrison points to Hug High School in Reno. An overhaul there five years ago replaced the principal and put into place a new system for running the school.

Instead of running Hug as one big high school, Principal Andy Kelly runs it as four smaller ones, to give students more personalized attention.

So far, it seems to be working. "We are the only high school in Nevada state history to ever work our way off the failing school list," Kelly says.