Synopsis: The Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline was created by constitutional amendment on November 2, 1976, and charged with the responsibility of investigating allegations of misconduct, violations of the code of judicial conduct, or disability of judges. The seven-member Commission receives and investigates complaints against full-time and part-time judges. For a time, the Commission's proceedings were governed by administrative and procedural rules of the Nevada Supreme Court. However, on February 21, 2003, the Nevada Supreme Court repealed Part VII of its rules and the Commission has since adopted its own procedural rules to govern its proceedings. Statutory Authority: Nevada Constitution, Art. 6, Section 21. The Standing Committee on Judicial Ethics was created in 1998 by Supreme Court Rule to resolve ethical disputes arising in the course of campaigns for judicial office. It also provides judges and aspirants to judicial office advisory opinions regarding ethical matters that may arise in the ordinary course of judicial service or in the elective or appointment process. In 2011, the Nevada Supreme Court repealed a section of the rule and eliminated the need for the Committee to resolve ethical disputes arising in the course of campaigns for judicial office. The Committee continues to consider opinion requests regarding ethical matters that may arise in the ordinary course of judicial service, or in the elective or appointment process. The Standing Committee also assists the Nevada Supreme Court by studying and recommending additions to, amendments to, or repeal of provisions of the Nevada Code of Judicial Conduct or other laws governing the conduct of judges and judicial candidates. Statutory Authority: NRS 1.425 to 1.4695, inclusive. Rule Authority: Nevada Supreme Court's Inherent Power to Make Rules.

Synopsis: The Department of Veterans Services is responsible for the operation of a state veterans home in Boulder City, Nevada; supervising the operation and maintenance of two state veterans cemeteries; assisting veterans and their families in obtaining available federal benefits, services, and compensation to which they are entitled; and obtaining and disseminating information to the veterans of Nevada. Statutory Authority: NRS Chapter 417.

Synopsis: The Nevada State Veterans Home (the Home) is a 180 bed state-skilled nursing care facility. The Home, dedicated on June 28, 2002, admitted its first residents on August 12, 2002. The Home provides 24-hour skilled nursing care to eligible veterans, spouses of veterans, and Gold Star Parents who had a child who died while in military service. A minimum of 75% of the Home's residents must be veterans. The 180 bed facility consists of three 60 bed wings and is located on fifty acres in Boulder City. One of the Home's three wings houses a secured care unit intended for residents with severe dementia. The Home is certified by Medicaid, Medicare, and the US Department of Veterans Affairs. The Home provides a full range of services including: physicians; laboratory; pharmacy; physical, occupational, respiratory and speech therapy; dental; social and spiritual services; medical records; activities; transportation; maintenance; dietary; barber; laundry; housekeeping; and financial services. The Home's primary mission is "Caring for America's Heroes." Statutory Authority: NRS Chapter 417.

Synopsis: The Distributive School Account (DSA) provides direct state financial aid to school districts and charter schools for K-12 public education in Nevada. The funding formula, identified by NRS 387.121 as the "Nevada Plan," provides school districts a guaranteed dollar amount of basic state support per student plus additional funds for categorical programs such as special education, class-size reduction, and reimbursement of certain student transportation costs. School districts and charter schools receive either monthly or quarterly apportionments from the DSA on the basis of student enrollment. Each school district is guaranteed a specific amount per student, which is developed through a formula that considers the demographic, economic, and wealth characteristics of the district. Allotments of licensed employees and related costs are determined from tables that recognize the differences in costs between rural and urban school districts as well as small and large districts. Transportation costs are incorporated into the allocation process. For purposes of calculating basic support, enrollment includes students enrolled in grades one through twelve, students in ungraded special education classes, and six-tenths of the count of students enrolled in kindergarten and in preschool programs for children with special needs. Special education is funded on an amount-per-unit basis as established by each session of the Legislature. Pursuant to NRS 387.1233, school districts and charter schools are partially protected from decreases in enrollment through a one-year "hold harmless" statutory provision, which guarantees a payment based on the highest enrollment in the current or prior year unless the decrease is greater than 5%, in which case the payment guarantee is based on the higher of the prior two years' enrollment. The DSA is funded by a General Fund appropriation, sales taxes on out-of-state sales, income from federal mineral land leases, interest from the Permanent School Fund, and a portion of the state taxes on slot machines. In addition to the state funds received by the school districts through the DSA, the school districts receive the 2.25% local school support sales tax that is part of the DSA guarantee; the abated $0.75 per $100 of assessed valuation property/mining tax, one-third of which is part of the DSA guarantee; governmental services taxes; franchise taxes; and various other local and federal revenues. Statutory Authority: NRS Chapter 387.

Synopsis: The Coordinated School Health Education Program to Prevent the Spread of HIV/AIDS and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) is a federally funded program designed to assist school districts to establish, strengthen, or expand HIV/AIDS and STD prevention education. The program is used to integrate HIV/AIDS prevention education into a coordinated school health education framework for Nevada's secondary middle school and high school students. The program ended in 2014.

Synopsis: This budget account provides resources to support the certification of administrator and teacher preparation programs, professional development and high quality learning, development and support of a statewide evaluation system, and the Nevada Educator Performance Framework (NEPF). Federal dollars support high quality teachers and leaders as defined by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, while state dollars ensure that educator preparation programs and the associated evaluation system meet the requirements of state law. The Teachers and Leaders Council and Statewide Coordinating Council for Regional Training Programs are included in this budget account. Authority: NRS 391.037 and 391.038, NRS 391.455, NRS 391.516, 20 USC 2701 et seq.

Synopsis: Pursuant to NRS 120A.610, the Educational Trust Account is funded with transfers from the Abandoned Property Trust Account in the State General Fund. The proceeds are from abandoned gift certificates. The funds in the account may only be expended as authorized by the Legislature for educational purposes.

Synopsis: NRS 385.357, passed by the 19th (2003) Special Session of the Nevada State Legislature, requires all public schools in Nevada to develop plans to improve the achievement of students. The plans are to identify problem areas that need to be addressed as well as strategies to be used to help students be successful. Statutory Authority: NRS 387.031 and 385.357.

Synopsis: NRS 391.166 creates the Grant Fund for Incentives for Licensed Educational Personnel to be administered by the department. The Board of Trustees of each school district in Nevada is required to establish a program of incentive pay for licensed teachers, school psychologists, school librarians, school counselors, and administrators employed at the school level which are designed to attract and retain those employees. This budget contains the funding for remaining provisions of the 1/5th retirement credit purchase program (previously NRS 391.165). Personnel participating in the 1/5th purchase program in fiscal year 2007 could elect to continue until they had received five 1/5th credit purchases at which time they would be eligible to participate in the incentive program mentioned above.

Synopsis: The 2009 Initiative Petition 1 (IP1) provided Room Tax revenue from the State Supplemental School Support Fund to the General Fund as a State funding source to be distributed to the school districts. The source of funds is the 3% tax on rental transient lodging specified in the legislation. The funds were temporarily diverted to the Distributive School Account beginning July 1, 2011 with a scheduled "sunset" date of June 30, 2015. Statutory Authority: NRS 387.191, Senate Bill 522 of the 77th (2013) Regular Session

Synopsis: This program provides funding, as recommended by the Statewide Coordinating Council for Regional Training Programs, to the three regional programs established by NRS 391.512 and charged with the professional development of teachers and administrators. Money is distributed to each program's fiscal agent, a local school district in the region served. Statutory Authority: NRS 391.512-NRS 391.556

Synopsis: The Office of the Superintendent is responsible for the administration of the provisions of law relating to the jurisdiction, duties, and functions of the three divisions of the Department: Business and Support Services, Educator Effectiveness and Family Engagement, Student Achievement. The office approves goals and performance measures for the department; oversees the carrying out of statutory responsibilities; establishes uniform policies and procedures; approves division budgets, legislative proposals, contracts, agreements, and provides oversight of the staff development functions to encourage the achievement of the department's performance measures and goals. Statutory Authority: NRS 385.010 and 385.175.

Synopsis: The department must establish standards of academic content and performance, prescribe courses of study. Department staff coordinates the monitoring and technical support of school district and regional training program implementation of standards through the approval of textbooks and other instructional support measures. Statutory Authority: NRS 389.0185, NRS 389.520, NRS 390.140

Synopsis: The Department of Education administers occupational education programs that meet the requirements of the Nevada State Plan for Career and Technical Education (CTE). The plan is based on the needs of students within the state and serves as the application for the federal Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act funds. The primary mission of the federal program is to improve occupational education programs, focusing on the improvement and development of programs meeting the state criteria that defines high-wage, high-skill programs. Revenue received through the Carl D. Perkins Basic Grants to States has funding set-a-sides including 5% or $250,000, whichever is greater, for state administration; 10% for statewide leadership; and 85% for basic grant aid to school districts and community colleges. Federal funds administration must be matched by state funds. In addition, the maintenance of effort provision requires the state to maintain funding at least at prior year levels. Authority: NRS 388.340(2a), 388.360(3) and the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998, as amended.

Synopsis: The GEAR UP grant is a collaborative effort of the Nevada Office of the Governor, Nevada State Treasurer, Nevada System of Higher Education, Nevada Department of Education, Wells Fargo Bank, AT&T, ACT, and other stakeholders including parents, students, educators, business and agency representatives. Nevada's vision is to change the culture of low achieving students who are economically disadvantaged so they are prepared academically and have the resources to attend and succeed in college. GEAR UP program resources support the following goals: improve academic achievement and increase high school proficiency exam scores; decrease high school dropout rate; increase high school graduation rate; and increase enrollment in college preparation coursework.

Synopsis: The Continuing Education account is funded through the federal Adult Education and Family Literacy Act. The purpose of the act is to provide adult basic education (ABE) and English as a Second Language (ESL) services in order to assist adults to become literate and obtain the knowledge and skills necessary for employment and self-sufficiency; to assist adults in the completion of secondary school education; and to assist adults who are parents to obtain the educational skills necessary to become full partners in the education of their children. Funds are granted to eligible educational and community-based organizations on a competitive basis to carry out the purpose of the act. Students enrolled in the programs must be over 18 years of age, must not have a high school diploma or its equivalent, and must be withdrawn from high school and not required to be in a school. A federally required 25% match is partially met by state funding for instruction; the local instructional programs contribute the balance of the match. Authority: P.L. 105-220. Workforce Investment Act, Title II, Adult Education and Family Literacy Act; NRS 387.1233

Synopsis: The establishment and administration of state assessments is one of the principal functions of the department. Information from assessments is used to improve the instruction of pupils, but also to prepare federal and state accountability reports. The budget includes federal and state support of the assessment and accountability functions, including staff, vendors, and associated costs. Statutory Authority: NRS Chapter 389, NRS 395.3455 et seq.

Synopsis: This budget is designed to accommodate small grants and/or programs funded by the state, other entities or individuals specifically for pass-through to school districts and/or charter schools. In addition, the budget account contains a majority of the special or categorical appropriations received through the Legislative process for pass-through to school districts and charter schools.

Synopsis: The Educator Licensure budget includes the Commission on Professional Standards in Education, which consists of nine members appointed by the Governor. The Commission is charged with the adoption of regulations and standards which are implemented by the department. Licensure staff in Las Vegas and Carson City are responsible for determining eligibility, approving and issuing licenses for administrators, teachers and other educational personnel. Funding is included in this account for the maintenance and continual improvements of the Competency Testing Program for Educational Personnel. Statutory Authority: NRS 391 and NRS 385.

Synopsis: NRS 385.630 establishes the Office of Parental Involvement and Family Engagement in the department; NRS 385.610 establishes the Advisory Council on Parental Involvement and Family Engagement. This account provides for professional development, review and monitoring of district reports and plans, as methods of effective communication.

Synopsis: This office manages and administers programs for at-risk children who are ready for kindergarten. In addition to these funds, this office now administers federal Head Start and certain Child Care Development Fund programs. This office distributes and monitors grants and related programs focused on the quality of and access to pre-school programs. Authority: 42 USC 9801 et seq. and 9858, et seq., Executive Order #2013-16

Synopsis: The federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) provides support for students and schools deemed at risk, students who live in poverty, migrants, to Native Americans and English Language Learners. The department distributes federal ESEA or "title" funds and monitors compliance with federal requirements. The state supplements efforts for school improvement and to ensure the provision of a safe and respectful school environment through staff, vendors, and programs assigned to this budget account. Authority: 20 USC 2701 et seq., NRS 388.132

Synopsis: Literacy and proficiency in English language arts are key components of public education standards and expectations for all students. This account receives federal dollars for literacy programs and includes staff, programs, and related costs to improve reading proficiency. Authority: NRS Chapter 389 generally; US FY2005 Appropriations Act under Title I, 42 USC 2701, et seq.

Synopsis: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) provides funding to states through the US Department of Education. Several federal grants are combined in this budget account, which are designed to improve student performance on statewide assessments including alternate assessments; transition from early intervention programs; behavioral success; graduation and drop-out rates; post-secondary outcomes; and recruitment and retention of highly qualified special education personnel. Nevada provides additional funding for students with disabilities through a special education program unit funding allocation model. Authority: PL106-448, NRS 388.440 et seq., and NRS 387.1221.

Synopsis: The department maintains an automated system of accountability information to provide and report information, make longitudinal comparisons and analyses, and assist in the improvement of student achievement, classroom instruction and educator performance. This budget includes funding for staff, vendor services, data system operations and all system hardware and software. Statutory Authority: NRS 386.650

Synopsis: This budget account is designed to fund staff and operating expenditures for the allocation of state and federal funds to the school districts, including those relating to the Distributive School Account, class-size reduction, full-day kindergarten, and special education. In addition, this budget account includes support for state and federal grant monitoring functions, as well as state auditing functions.

Synopsis: This budget account funds staff and operating expenditures to oversee the development and monitoring of budget accounts that support the department and its programs. In addition, all finance-related duties, including personnel and payroll functions, are supported through this budget account. Finally, staff and operating expenditures for the provision of information technology services to department staff are maintained through this account.

Synopsis: The Commission on Peace Officers' Standards and Training (POST) establishes and regulates the minimum qualifications and professional standards for peace officers within the State of Nevada. POST conducts a basic law enforcement training academy, establishes standardized performance objectives for all basic training academies, certifies peace officers, conducts law enforcement training, certifies and audits continuing education courses, and audits all 139 criminal justice agencies and 35 basic law enforcement training academies. Statutory Authority: NRS 289.