By Vernon Robison
Moapa Valley Progress
Submitted Mar. 5, 2008
The Moapa Valley Community Education Advisory Board (MVCEAB) met on Friday, February 29 to discuss its ongoing efforts to bring the Empowerment School concept to Moapa Valley schools.
Over the past year, the MVCEAB has worked with local school administrators and Clark County School District (CCSD) officials in pushing for local school empowerment. The empowerment concept would bring more local autonomy and additional funding to local schools in return for additional accountability for achieving high academic standards.
Local school administrators submitted applications to be considered in the empowerment selection process back in the spring of 2007. None of the local schools were chosen at that time.
Another round of empowerment school selections were scheduled to be completed by district officials in January for the 2008-2009 school year. Again, local administrators prepared applications to be considered in that process. This time a state budget crisis threatened to severely cut K-12 education funding in Nevada. This put an indefinite hold on the empowerment school selection process.
But the MVCEAB still hopes that the empowerment program is not dead. They hope that the selection process will continue soon and that local schools will top the list.
�Over the recent weeks we have heard stirrings through nuanced questions asked by district officials,� said MVCEAB Chairman, Lindsey Dalley. �Despite the state�s budget troubles, our position is consistent. We haven�t changed in what we want. So I felt that it was important today to have a brief meeting and send a letter to show the district that we are still hopeful, focused and on board with empowerment.�
Local administrators were also hopeful and optimistic. �I don�t think that empowerment is dead yet for the valley,� Moapa Valley High School principal Grant Hanevold told the Board. �I�m hoping that we will have some news about it soon.�
Local administrators in attendance expressed an interest in the concepts of empowerment whether it included additional funding or not. �Instead of begging and pleading for simple things, we can get it done right here,� said Mack Lyon principal Dave Wilson. Wilson cited decisions on curriculum issues, low fair week attendance and parent teacher conference scheduling as examples of areas where greater autonomy would be desirable. �It makes sense to be able to do what is right for our community without having to beg for permission all of the time,� Wilson said.
�I think that the autonomy aspects of empowerment would be welcomed by local administrators, teachers and staff members no matter what,� said Hanevold, �whether there is additional money or not.�
A letter was drafted in behalf of the MVCEAB addressed to CCSD Superintendent, Walt Rulffes and other CCSD officials. �We would like to reiterate the desire for our schools to be Empowerment Schools,� the letter stated. �Until funding can be found, we would appreciate the opportunity to implement the autonomy aspects of the process. Then when funding becomes available we can move in the direction of full empowerment.�
Another letter was drafted addressed to the State Legislators who had drafted legislation which funded the state�s empowerment program. The letter encouraged them to continue working to see that the empowerment programs continue despite the funding crisis.
The Board members voted unanimously to adopt the language of the two letters and send them to the appropriate recipients.
