Review-Journal endorsement: Board of Education, District 3
Most voters may not know much about the Nevada State Board of Education. But the 11-member panel plays a role in setting policy direction for public schools and analyzing data and test results in an effort to improve student outcomes.
Under state statute, the governor and the Legislature appoint seven of the board members. The remaining four seats are filled by voters in each of the state’s congressional districts. Two of those seats are on the November ballot.
In District 3, incumbent Rene Cantu faces Danielle Ford, a former member of the Clark County School Board. Ms. Ford is not a fan of standardized testing and hopes to quash efforts by state officials to further intervene in the Clark County School District. Her one term on the board was characterized by petty squabbling, bickering and social media drama — with precious little progress on academic achievement.
Mr. Cantu is the founding executive director of Jobs for Nevada’s Graduates, a nonprofit dedicated to helping Nevada students “find pathways to opportunity through education, mentoring, training and skills attainment.” He says the state needs to better prepare kids for college and also place more emphasis on opportunities in the trades. He notes there is plenty of room for improvement in the state’s largest district. “Something has to change in the Clark County School District,” he said. “Things are not working for kids, families or anyone.”
Mr. Cantu favors empowering principals to “make decisions on how they spend money.” He supports charter schools and raising expectations for students. Rene Cantu is the best choice in this race.
