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SB 460 adds pre‑K expansion, $7 million open‑enrollment transportation appropriation and proposes an education service center
Summary
The bill would expand early childhood programs and broaden eligibility for grants, include a $7 million appropriation for open‑enrollment transportation (conceptually moved to year two of the biennium), and authorize a federally recognized single‑purpose education service center to support district and school improvement.
SB 460 would expand funding and eligibility for early childhood programs including Nevada Ready Pre‑K and the eClip program, broaden grant eligibility to include institutions in the Nevada System of Higher Education, and set per‑seat funding to match current per‑pupil amounts with prioritization for students with IEPs, English learners and high‑poverty pupils.
The bill includes an appropriation of $7,000,000 intended to support open‑enrollment transportation and related programming; the superintendent said the appropriation would be conceptually amended to move the funding into the second year of the biennium.
SB 460 also authorizes the creation of a single‑purpose federally recognized education service center (intermediary) to sit between the state department and local education agencies. Canavero said 40 states have similar intermediaries that provide regional supports, special education assistance and capacity building; the education service center is intended to help execute the act’s provisions and reduce burdens on NDE through an intermediary that could receive pass‑through funding.
Other opportunity provisions include expanded access to school counselors, funding for literacy intervention aligned with the state’s Read by Grade 3 goals, a teacher apprenticeship program and an alternate pathway pilot for teacher competency that does not rely solely on the Praxis exam. Canavero said the bill also supports a differential pay program for teachers at Title I schools and pilots for school‑level innovation and teacher pipeline programs.
Committee members and stakeholder witnesses broadly supported early childhood expansion and open‑enrollment priorities while asking for clarification on program design, timing and which entities (for‑profit providers) would be eligible for funding. Canavero confirmed conceptual changes to remove for‑profit pre‑K eligibility while retaining higher‑education institution eligibility in the conceptual amendment referenced in the hearing.
Witnesses from UNLV, the Nevada System of Higher Education and United Way of Southern Nevada testified in support of the pre‑K expansion. The committee accepted additional public and neutral testimony and closed the hearing with no vote taken.
