Jen Smith, Education Program Professional Lead for nonfederally designated 1- and 2‑star schools at the Nevada Department of Education, presented an overview of supports, visit protocols and expectations for Nevada public schools designated as 1 or 2 stars under the Nevada School Performance Framework (NSPF) for the 2025–26 school year.

Smith said the NSPF identifies 1‑ and 2‑star schools as those scoring fewer than 50 points on the framework and described how schools exit the designation once they reach 50 points or receive another designation such as CSI, ATSI, TSI or MRI. "Our goal is to ensure that you have a clear understanding of expectations, supports, and resources available throughout this school year," Smith said.

The department outlined different types of visits and supports. First‑year schools in the NDE designation do not receive an NDE on‑site visit and instead receive support directly from their local education agency (LEA). NDE 1‑star schools that have declined by 10 or more NSPF points will receive an on‑site visit scheduled between October and April in coordination with the LEA. 2‑star schools will be offered virtual visits; principals receive a link to sign up. Smith added that any 1‑ or 2‑star school may request an on‑site or virtual visit or other technical assistance at any time. "We want schools to feel supported, not surprised," she said.

NDE outlined explicit expectations for designated schools: engage in the continuous improvement process, develop a school improvement plan, participate in school improvement plan status checks, and take part in visits and department‑offered supports. The department recommended posting the school improvement plan on the school website as a best practice and noted that while NDE sets programmatic due dates, districts or the State Public Charter School Authority (SPCSA) may have earlier internal deadlines.

Supports from NDE include free technical assistance, professional learning opportunities, and on‑site or virtual visits. The department said it will coordinate with LEAs to tailor supports and respond to requests by returning calls and emails and fitting sessions to school needs. Resources mentioned include the NDE website, the school improvement website, a continuous improvement process Padlet, professional learning resources, and an offered WestEd 4 Domains Call Survey. The presentation described the WestEd survey as focusing on turnaround leadership, talent development, instructional transformation and cultural shift, and said the survey is fully funded by the Nevada Department of Education and supported in partnership with WestEd.

The department announced open office hours across several days in October and November and said principals may also schedule one‑on‑one time. Smith encouraged participants to record attendance via a QR code provided during the session.

The presentation was framed for LEA leaders and school administrators and emphasized partnership between NDE and local districts in strengthening student outcomes. The session included contact information for school improvement team members and instructions to reach out to NDE education program professionals for more information or to request support.