Final Nevada public schools budget sent to governor

CARSON CITY — The Assembly on Monday gave final approval to the bill funding public education for the next two years, a move that will open the floodgates for other budget bills to pass.

The vote on Senate Bill 522 was 38-4. It already passed the Senate.

Nevada law requires that the education funding bill be voted out of the Legislature before other budget measures can see final votes.

Education representatives testified in support of the education budget bill, particularly the emphasis on early childhood education with an expansion of all-day kindergarten and funding for English Language Learners.

The budget has $40 million for an expansion of all-day kindergarten to 201 schools from the current 128 schools and $50 million for ELL.

Per pupil spending will rise from $5,374 now to $5,590 in the first year of the budget and to $5,676 in the second year.

Ways and Means Chairwoman Maggie Carlton, D-Las Vegas, said the increase in per pupil expenditures is a notable achievement.

“We’re on our way back up,” she said.

In all, public education funding will increase by $489 million in the new budget, a 7.8 percent increase.

Contact Capital Bureau reporter Sean Whaley at swhaley@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3900.