State Board debates how to identify 'at‑risk' pupils; requests further analyses from department

CARSON CITY / LAS VEGAS — The State Board of Education on Oct. 14 heard a detailed staff presentation about methods for identifying "at‑risk" pupils for funding purposes, debated whether the state''s quintile-based method matches legislative intent, and directed department staff to provide additional analyses comparing alternate approaches.

Chair Orr opened discussion of agenda item 3, "information, discussion and possible action on adjustments to at risk student identification metrics," after the public‑comment period and asked department staff to present updated data and options. Dr. Gabriel Hill of the Nevada Department of Education summarized work adding two years of assessment and validation‑day data and described several cut‑score options and filtering approaches being used to identify pupils who fall in the lowest performance quintile on selected assessments.

Deputy Attorney General Greg Ott read the statute the board is using as guidance, NRS 387.1211, telling members: "At risk pupil means a pupil who is within the quintile of pupils determined to be the most in need of additional services and assistance to graduate based on one or more measures prescribed by the State Board, which may include without limitation consideration of whether a pupil is economically disadvantaged, is at risk of dropping out of high school, or fails to meet minimum standards of academic proficiency." Greg Ott, deputy attorney…