Sandoval picks team to create teacher rating system

CARSON CITY — Gov. Brian Sandoval has appointed 15 members to a council that will develop statewide performance standards for teachers and other education personnel.

The Teachers and Leaders Council was created by the governor and legislators as part of the education reform package approved in June. The council had been recommended last year by the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Education, formed by former Gov. Jim Gibbons.

The education reform package requires that half of a teacher’s evaluation must be based on student performance, such as test scores.

The Teachers and Leaders Council will present its performance recommendations to the State Board of Education by June 1. Using the recommendations, the board will adopt statewide performance standards by June 1, 2013.

The law sets out the professional backgrounds for the council members. Sandoval’s appointees are the following:

■ Four public school teachers — Theodore Small and Kathleen Galland-Collins, both of Clark County, and Barbara Surritte-Barker and Theresa Crowley, both of Washoe County.

■ Two public school administrators — Linda Archambault of Clark County and Dale Norton of Nye County.

■ One school superintendent – Heath Morrison of Washoe County.

■ Two school board members — Sharla Hales of Douglas County and Theo Michael McCormick of Lyon County.

■ One representative of teacher and administrative training programs — Pam Salazar of Clark County.

■ One parent or guardian of a public school student — Kimberly Tate of Clark County.

■ Two experts in education policy, designated by the state superintendent of public instruction — Robert McCord of Clark County and Mary Peterson of Carson City.

■ One designee from the state superintendent of public instruction — Rorie Fitzpatrick of Carson City.

■ One designee from the chancellor of the Nevada System of Higher Education – Christine Cheney of Washoe County.

The members serve three-year terms without compensation. The council has a $32,000 budget for the next two years.

Contact reporter Ed Vogel at evogel@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3901.