Education panel wanted

Nevada lawmakers want to create a 25-member commission to study the best performing educational systems — nationally and internationally — and bring those practices to the Silver State.

The proposal introduced to the Senate Education Committee Wednesday is inspired by a 2017 report from the National Conference of State Legislatures on education solutions.

The report found four main things high-performing systems had in common: children enter school ready to learn, teachers are well supported and highly compensated, career and technical education is rigorous and education reforms are carefully selected and align to an overall plan.

Todd Butterworth, a study group member, said high-performing nations got their ideas for education from the United States.

“Our universities and government do some of the world’s best research in education systems, and they’ve written at length about what works,” he said. “Unfortunately, we haven’t taken our own advice — but others have.”

The proposed Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education would consist of state legislators, a representative of the Clark County Education Association, a schools superintendent and other stakeholders.

The group would compare education policies of Nevada with those of high-performing systems, making recommendations on best practices.

“SB 91 would help ensure that

Nevada has a north star in aligning the state’s education system with higherperforming systems,” said Meredith Smith, director of policy for Nevada Succeeds. “Rather than a north star that is more based on election cycles and ever-changing political dynamics.”