Since before the session began, NSEA and a steady stream of our members have come before the Legislature warning that an education budget with just a two dollar increase in per pupil base funding for next year will be devastating to our schools. Everyone knows Nevada has chronically underfunded public education. It’s so bad that even after increasing school funding last session, Nevada still trails the national average by more than $4000 per pupil. NSEA and a steady stream of our members have consistently pointed out it doesn’t have to be this way, imploring legislators to instead Pass the Plan offered by the Commission on School Funding to ensure $700 annual increases to reach the national average in 10 years. At this point it almost seems ironic that the Legislature, and not NSEA, created the Commission and asked them for this plan.
Meanwhile, Governor Lombardo has repeated that Nevada can no longer accept a lack of funding for poor school performance. However, the Governor has failed to acknowledge that Nevada still is near the bottom in per pupil funding -- 47th in this year’s NEA Ranking of the States while holding on to the top spot for largest class sizes.
The Governor dismissed the Commission on School Funding as just being advisory and apparently also dismissed the Nevada Revised Statutes, which calls on the Governor to increase base per-pupil funding by at least the combined rate of inflation. As shown in this table from the committee’s closing documents, this would have meant a $530 increase. Nope. Instead, he went with two dollars.
Of course, two dollars won't keep up with increasing costs, especially with a 3.25% PERS increase coming in July. Two dollars won’t cover most of the items on a typical first grade classroom wish list. You can find a set of Crayola markers for $2.50, but you wouldn’t be able to afford it on the Governor’s budget. In response to the Governor’s budget proposal, school districts across the state have been deliberating cuts to schools. The Governor’s interest in early literacy programs would be more compelling if elementary school reading centers weren’t being slated for closure due to budget cuts.
The good news is the Legislature has the opportunity to stay on track with the Commission’s plan. Even after using the Education Stabilization Account to offset a reduction in anticipated revenue, Nevada is still sitting on just under $2 billion in reserves. There are enough funds in just the Education Stabilization Account to cover the $604M increase called for by the Commission for the upcoming biennium. Meanwhile, Speaker Yeager has already proposed using $90M from the Rainy Day Fund to cover increases in hard-to-fill positions.
To keep pace with the plan in future years, long-term revenue solutions are necessary. The Legislature should begin that work this session by passing AJR1 and AB453. Without bold action this Session, Nevada will fall further behind in its responsibility to adequately fund public education. This was corroborated by Commission Chair Guy Hobbs in The Nevada Independent earlier this month. He said without these changes, he doesn’t see the state meeting the commission’s 10-year funding plan. "There probably needs to be some attention given to the way that we generate revenue in the state if we're going to be able to make a meaningful impact on education funding," Hobbs said.
It’s easy to do the right thing when times are good. The question of commitment to Nevada’s schools is best answered when things are more difficult. It’s once again a Rainy Day in Nevada. The Legislature must be prepared to use reserves to maintain momentum and keep Nevada on track and ensure the best possible education for Nevada students. NSEA urges you to pass an education budget that reflects a genuine commitment to Nevada schools.
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