Nevada bill would tighten school plans, training and data for English learners

Carson City — Assembly Bill 335, introduced to the Senate Committee on Education on behalf of Assemblymember Selena Torres, would revise how Nevada schools plan for and report on education for English learners (ELs), sponsor testimony said.

Assemblymember Selena Torres, sponsor of AB 335, said English learners now make up more than 20 percent of K‑12 enrollment and that “more robust data collection [and] accountability measures are needed” so schools can better support students who are new to English. She described the bill as a package of changes that would require school performance plans to include EL‑focused goals and monitoring, set training timelines for licensed teachers, and mandate district administrators with EL experience.

The bill’s sponsor told the committee that Section 2 would revise school performance plan requirements so principals must consult an administrator who serves ELs when developing and annually reviewing plans, and that plans must list methods and attainable, quantitative goals to close achievement gaps between ELs and non‑ELs. If ELs make up at least 10 percent of a school’s enrollment, the sponsor said, closing gaps for ELs must be the primary goal of that school’s plan. Section 6 would require statewide accountability data to be disaggregated into EL subcategories, including newcomers (less than two years in an EL program), short‑term ELs (two to six years), and long‑term ELs (more than six years).

Section 4 would require each school district to designate an employee to serve as the administrator responsible for EL programs and to set experience requirements for that role. The sponsor said this is not intended to create a new bureaucratic layer but to ensure whoever fills the role has relevant EL experience. Section 5 would require training for licensed teachers on English language acquisition, and Section 12 describes a five‑year rollout: teachers employed as of Oct. 1, 2025, must show proof of required training by Oct. 1, 2030.

Among other provisions, Section 10 would allow a student who is a newcomer to English to remain in high school for up to 10 semesters or until age 21, whichever comes first, the sponsor said, and Section 11 would create an English Learner Advisory Council during the 2025–2026 interim to study implementation and report to the Legislature by Oct. 30, 2026. Section 13 clarifies that a specified source of funding is not required for any additional local government expenses tied to the bill. Section 14 would repeal NRS 388.408, a statutory provision relating to corrective action plans for low‑performing schools, the sponsor said.

Representatives of the Nevada Association of School Superintendents and the University of Nevada, Reno testified in support, saying the bill would give districts tools and a clearer data picture to support EL students. Senator Buck, a committee member, asked how the bill would affect small or rural districts that might lack personnel with the proposed qualifications; the sponsor replied that the experience requirements are intended to be flexible and that districts already have staff performing similar Title III functions.

No committee action or vote was recorded during the hearing. The sponsor closed by inviting questions from committee members.

Why it matters: Supporters said the measure aims to close achievement gaps and better track EL progress over time; critics in the hearing did not press legal challenges but asked about implementation in smaller districts and training timelines.

What’s next: The committee heard testimony and closed the hearing; no vote was taken during this session.