Senate committee reviews $15 million teacher supplies proposal using DonorsChoose platform

Senator Marilyn Dondero Loop presented Senate Bill 90, which would appropriate $15,000,000 to the Nevada Department of Education to create a grant program enabling teachers and specialized instructional support personnel to obtain supplies and materials for classrooms and school operations through the DonorsChoose platform.

The bill would expand eligibility to include specialized instructional support personnel — a category the sponsor said refers to counselors, psychologists, social workers, nurses, speech‑language pathologists and school library media specialists — and set a per‑participant cap of $500, though additional funding could be combined from other sources. Dondero Loop described the requested amount as split across the biennium (7,500,000 per year) after the committee discussed the prior allocation and the need for recurring funding.

Joan Ebert, Nevada’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, clarified how the program works operationally: this is not a reimbursement model. Teachers place orders directly on DonorsChoose and, if the project aligns with Nevada academic standards, the request goes through a quick review and is fulfilled — typically within days — with supplies shipped directly to the teacher. Ebert said that during the previous biennium the $10,000,000 appropriation was fully expended within about two months and that the program drew 8,000 new teacher participants in its first year.

Committee members asked how DonorsChoose’s matching and operating costs work. Ebert confirmed DonorsChoose retains a portion to cover operating/shipping costs, but also funds matches and donor contributions that expanded the effective impact of the state appropriation; the hearing referenced roughly $600,000 in additional funds provided by DonorsChoose to cover project gaps in the last cycle. The superintendent also said district ownership policies vary: items like iPads purchased through the program are generally considered district property and tracking or custody is determined at the district level.

Tammy Trierio, representing the Nevada Classified School Employees and Public Workers Association, testified in opposition in part because the bill’s language, as written, might exclude some classified employees from reimbursement mechanisms. Trierio urged an amendment to ensure classified employees who buy small job‑related supplies (for example, bus aides purchasing picture‑based seat assignment props) would be eligible under the program or have a clear way to be reimbursed.

Supporters from the Nevada Association of School Boards, Nevada Association of School Superintendents, Clark County School District and multiple education groups testified in favor, describing the program as efficient and time‑saving for front office staff, with teachers reporting quick fulfillment and direct classroom benefits. Several witnesses said DonorsChoose reduces paperwork and results in supplies arriving in about five days, removing long reimbursement cycles.

No formal committee vote took place during the hearing. The sponsor and state education officials urged continued funding, and committee members asked staff to consider language clarifications to ensure equitable access for all school employees who perform instructional or student support tasks.