More resources needed for Nevada’s low-income students

Most students feel that the new grading system helps, but it also removes many of the consequences students would have previously faced for failing to complete all of their projects on time or at all.

Editor’s note: About 450 Clark County high school students participated in the annual Sun Youth Forum on Nov. 8 at Liberty High School. The students were divided into groups to discuss several topics. A spokesperson was chosen from each discussion group to write a column about the students’ findings. Today, Brian Greenspun turns over his “Where I Stand” space to Jaidee Johnson, a senior at Rancho High School, who tells of the students’ opinions in the session titled “Home in Nevada.” This column was posted on lasvegassun.com at 2 a.m. today.

As we look to a new year and the upcoming legislative session, Nevada has the opportunity to ensure education is a top priority. Currently, Nevada ranks 49th out of 50 states in educational attainment and 42nd in academic quality. Until we direct greater resources and funding to lower socioeconomic schools and implement greater opportunities for families to empower their children’s education, there is little reason to believe these poor rankings will change.

One of the primary factors in ensuring quality education is having a solid support system to encourage students to reach their full potential. Yet for too many Nevadan children, their support system is impoverished. Nevada’s poverty rate is 16.2% which means that one out of every six families in Nevada lives in poverty including nearly 25% of teens (ages 14 to 18) in Nevada’s rural areas and 15% in Nevada’s urban areas, according to the Kenny Guinn Center for Policy Priorities.

Multiple studies have shown that poverty negatively affects students’ ability to learn efficiently and increases barriers to success moving forward. Poverty also leads to increased struggles with mental health and wellbeing and substance abuse.

Schools in Nevada must provide greater resources to address out-of-classroom adversities faced by impoverished children and families. Despite the greater concentration of poverty and the correlative concentration of mental health challenges and substance abuse, among teens in rural communities, the resources that help struggling students are sparse in the areas where it is most.

Complicating the situation further is the reality that some families do not

encourage their children to get a quality education because no member of the family is formally educated, and the value of education is not fully understood or appreciated. Instead, these families advocate for their children to be in the workforce rather than motivating their children to better their education.

Clark County School District took positive steps forward in 2021 with an increased budget of more than $2.6 billion, yet funding remains inadequate to meet the needs of Clack County schools, let alone give our students a leg up on other large school districts across the country. And the new grading system instituted in conjunction with the increased budget is being met with mixed reviews.

The new system removes learner behaviors, such as late work, missing work and disrupting the classroom, as factors in the grading process. Additionally, it gives students the ability to retake tests to improve their scores.

According to a parent of Silverado High School student Vicki Madsen, “I feel it (the new grading system) lowers the bar when we should be raising the bar to encourage our children to stay engaged in their studies. It makes it easier for kids to procrastinate and fall behind.”

Most students feel that the new grading system helps, but it also removes many of the consequences students would have previously faced for failing to complete all of their projects on time or at all. In addition, most teachers do not agree with the new policy because they feel that it does not teach students responsibility and time management. Responsibility and time management are two of the most critical skills essential for success in the society.

Putting in new grading policies that promote poor time management skills and lack of reasonability does not serve student interests in the real world. CCSD is well-intentioned, but the old grading system wasn’t the problem. The problem is the lack of funding and opportunity.

Nevada school districts could add after-school programs that allow families greater educational opportunities, such as GED programs and English learning programs for parents whose first language is not English. These programs can elevate the number of students who attend school and succeed because the children will feel more motivated at home, creating an increasingly positive educational environment for those students.

In addition, students should be able to access educational and after-school programs at other schools that may not be offered at their own, creating a more relevant and positive educational experience. Programming could also be offered for families who want to get more involved with their children’s academic lives.

Education should not be taken lightly because it can determine not just the future of Nevada but also the future of our country. Future generations rely on education to help them better their situation and our state and local economies rely on future generations to be the educated leaders that help us thrive moving forward.

Nevada school districts must prioritize education and make resources and funding more accessible to low-income students

Jaidee Johnson