Policy  

Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education, Tours Agassi Prep

Andre Agassi, Founder of the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy (“Agassi Prep”), welcomed U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on a tour of the school at the invitation of Nevada Senator Harry Reid. They were joined by Dr. Benjamin Sayeski, Chief Education Officer of The Andre Agassi Foundation, Marsha Irvin, Agassi Prep’s Chancellor and Nevada State Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford.

“We are delighted that Senator Reid chose Agassi Prep as one of the schools to visit with Secretary Duncan,” said Mr. Agassi. "The education initiatives of this administration underscore my foundation’s core mission: to transform education locally and nationally in order to create greater opportunities for children. The faculty, staff, parents, and most importantly, the students of Agassi Prep join me in thanking Secretary Duncan for his strong support of charter schools. We share the assessment that resources are critical to education, and that measurement is required to make resources meaningful. And we agree that while we must increase the investment in public schools, we must also increase accountability in our nation’s education system.”

Legislative Updates

Every legislative session, the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education is active in policy and advocacy related to charter schools and/or education reform. Below is a summary of bills that passed during the 2009 Nevada Legislative session which ended on June 1, 2009, after reaching its 120 day limit as mandated by the Nevada Constitution:

• AB 393 amends existing law to authorize such a charter school to enroll a child who was enrolled in a prekindergarten or other early childhood educational program at the charter school and to enroll a child whose parent is employed full-time by the charter school before enrolling other eligible children.

  Prior to the beginning of the 2009 Legislative Session, the staff members of Agassi Prep asked for the opportunity to enroll their children. With the longer school day and longer school year, staff members with school aged children often face obstacles in the education of their own children, so AB 393 allows staff members to consider Agassi Prep as an option. However, the Governing Board of Agassi Prep passed a policy in June that would allow this process as long as the children of the community were the priority. In addition, if the Foundation started a Pre-K program, AB 393 would allow its Pre-K students to a seamless enrolment at Agassi Prep without having to participate in a second lottery.

• AB 488 revises provisions governing the allowances that may be paid to a retired public employee who accepts employment or an independent contract with a public employer in a position for which there is a critical labor shortage.

  Charters are designed to have the flexibility in operations and governance with increased responsibility for accountability. AB 488 provides the Agassi Prep Governing Board the flexibility to determine what school staff positions are deemed in short supply and allows the Governing Board to adopt a process to hire retired public employees who have the skill set needed for the position.

• SB 391 amends existing law to authorize such a charter school to enroll a child who is in a particular category of at-risk pupils if the child meets the eligibility for enrollment prescribed by the charter school for that particular category.

  Agassi Prep is continuously working to enhance its admissions process. SB 391 allows the Agassi Prep admissions process to focus on the children it was designed to serve.

Initiatives not enacted, yet show progress of Charter School legislation:

• SB 330 makes various changes regarding the Department of Education, the State Board of Education and various councils and commissions related to the system of public education in this State.

  During the last couple of years, discussions about education reform throughout the state have increased significantly. SB 330, introduced by the Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford, would provide an avenue for a strategic approach to education reform at a state level. Although, SB 330 did not pass, it has created a great discussion among those interested in education reform.

• SB 378 requires the Department of Education to adopt a plan for early childhood education for programs of prekindergarten education which are provided by a school district or charter school, or which are supported by public money.

  Nevada does not have an early childhood program or mandatory Pre-K program funded by the state. SB 378 would provide a road map for early childhood education. However, the Governor vetoed the bill.