Carson City School District enters into performance compact with state

Carson City School District is among four districts in the state that have entered into student performance compacts with the Nevada Department of Education and will be able to tap into federal Title I funds, officials announced Tuesday.

Nevada school district leaders in the Carson City School District, Elko County School District, Mineral County School District, and Nye County School District have entered into the agreement that gives the districts targets of improvement aligned with becoming a three-star school in three years.

"Pioneer High School will be the focus of the performance compact entered into with the Nevada Department of Education," Richard Stokes, Carson City School District superintendent said. "The performance compact allows us to continue the concerted efforts of the school as well as have access to additional funding and research based strategies through the Department of Education."

Agreement to enter into the compact is also a clear signal that the district has a “demonstrated commitment” to school improvement as defined by the new federal Every Student Succeeds Act, said Steve Canavero, Ph.D., Superintendent of Public Instruction.

“Agreeing to enter into Student Performance Compacts is the type of leadership our students need and, if brought to scale across the state, will result in Nevada becoming the fastest improving state in the nation,” said Canavero. “Entrance into the Student Performance Compact by Carson City, Elko, Mineral and Nye County School Districts demonstrates a commitment to student achievement and a recognition that our students can accomplish whatever we ask of them if we all agree to work together.”

As a part of the guidelines under new federal ESSA requirements, the Nevada Department of Education is required to hold approximately $8 million in federal Title I funds to award to qualifying schools and districts that demonstrate the greatest commitment to school improvement. Title I funding provides financial assistance to schools with a high percentage of children from low-income families.

“The Nevada Department of Education looks forward to working with the eligible schools in Carson City, Elko, Mineral, and Nye counties to develop thoughtful plans to improve student achievement,” Canavero said. “These schools will have access to a portion of the $8 million in Title I funds NDE has for school improvement and will have an opportunity to meet nationally recognized evidence based school leadership and instructional delivery providers that have been recruited to Nevada to serve Nevada students for the first time.”

The application for federal Title I school improvement funds will be available starting on March 15.

Rising Star schools that enter into a Student Performance Compact with the Nevada Department of Education and meet their targets are removed from consideration for the Nevada Achievement School District.

In 2016 the Nevada Department of Education rebranded the state’s “Underperforming Schools List” as the “Rising Star List.” The Department also released, for the first time, the “Shining Star List” which includes nine high poverty, high performing Nevada schools.

Consistent with the Department’s Strategic Plan and ESSA Plan, the Department of Education will focus its energy on improving the state’s most struggling schools and is committed to working in partnership with districts to do so. The Student Performance Compacts and the accompanying federal school improvement funding support are examples of the Department of Education's transition to implement both plans.