Brian Sandoval on Education

$115 million in new investments for higher education

My vision for our state is to put all Nevadans, regardless of age or circumstance, on a career pathway toward success. We can make that vision a reality by investing in higher education, closing the college attainment gap, expanding dual enrollment & growing career opportunities.

While many of these programs have been available for some, they are not yet accessible to all, due to financial barriers or other factors. My workforce agenda proposes removing those barriers, so that every student, in every classroom, has every opportunity to succeed. Our effort to prepare a modern workforce begins with our post-secondary institutions. My budget includes an increase of $115 million in new investments for higher education.

Supports Education Savings Accounts and school choice

Sandoval is a major supporter of the Education Savings Accounts. "I strongly support school choice," he said in a statement. Lawsuits holding up the program "potentially deprive parents of the opportunity to determine the educational future of their children."

Nevada's school choice law is a national leader in the options it provides for students. Parents can have 90% of the funds that would have been spent on their child in their public school deposited into a restricted-use spending account for private-school tuition [and other educational expenses].

Business tax credit for opportunity scholarship contribution

I will introduce an opportunity scholarship bill giving businesses a tax credit for making contributions to a scholarship fund. These dollars will be distributed, on a means-tested basis, to students at low-performing schools for use in attending the school of their choice.

$20M so every Nevada child can read by Grade Three

For pre-Three students, I will propose increased funding for early education in the state's most at risk schools. My budget therefore includes an aggressive expansion of all-day kindergarten among the state's most at-risk schools.

Twenty million dollars is allocated over the biennium for this purpose. This means that by 2015, almost half of our elementary schools would have an all-day kindergarten option. If we expect children to read by Three, we cannot continue to ignore all of the data that tells us all-day kindergarten is a critical foundation for a child's success.

Proposes JAG specialists: Jobs for America's Graduates

I am also asking that Nevada make a firm commitment to another national program with proven results. In the last year, I used available funding to pilot the Jobs for America's Graduates initiative in seven Nevada schools. JAG helps prevent dropouts by putting a specialist in the school to work with the most at-risk students. The work continues even after the students graduate, and transitions students from high school to college or a career. It works in over 30 states and it has worked here.

Improve education performance measurements

Nevada has been selected to participate in a policy academy on strengthening post-secondary accountability systems by focusing on efficiency and effectiveness metrics in their accountability systems and incorporating those metrics into their decision making processes.

Enhance education data systems in Nevada

The education initiatives will enhance the quality of instruction and improve student achievement. The effective use of high-quality education data is integral to the success of these reforms and establishing an effective education data system requires cooperation of all constituents.

Yes to charter schools statewide

To more fully integrate charter schools into the Nevada education system, SB 212 eliminates the current governing board for charter schools, which is a subcommittee of the State Board of Education and transfers the responsibility for authorizing and overseeing high-quality charter schools in Nevada to the Charter School Authority.

School choice including private schools

Supports education vouchers for public or private school.

The Christian Coalition voter guide [is] one of the most powerful tools Christians have ever had to impact our society during elections. This simple tool has helped educate tens of millions of citizens across this nation as to where candidates for public office stand on key faith and family issues.

The CC survey summarizes candidate stances on the following topic: "Education vouchers that allow parents to choose public or private school for their children"