Nevada Educators focus on Collaboration to Address Learning Loss & Teacher Shortages
LAS VEGAS - Nevada State University (NSU) hosted its inaugural Education Summit on Wednesday, bringing together educators and school leaders to discuss critical challenges and chart a path forward for Nevada students. The summit, a collaboration between NSU’s School of Education and local nonprofit Possibility 180, centered on strategies to improve student outcomes, particularly for underserved populations. Opportunity 180 focuses on supporting schools to ensure equitable access to high-quality education for all children.
Discussions at the summit highlighted a persistent teacher shortage as a major obstacle. While progress has been made in closing the gap, Melissa Mackedon, Executive Director of the State Public Charter School Authority, emphasized the ongoing impact on students.She also noted that despite increased education spending, Nevada remains behind other states in per-pupil investment.
A key theme throughout the event was the need for increased collaboration. Michael Franco, Vice President of The New Teacher project, addressed the learning loss experienced by students nationwide, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.He stressed that closing these academic gaps requires a unified effort to develop and implement stronger, more consistent instructional programs across the state.
dr. Bernnell Peltier-Glaze, Dean of the School of Education, echoed this sentiment, advocating for a focus on ensuring quality education is accessible to every student, nonetheless of their school.
The summit served as a launching point for identifying concrete next steps. Participants discussed potential strategies for bolstering teacher recruitment and retention, including exploring innovative training programs and addressing systemic barriers. Further conversations focused on developing shared resources and best practices to create more cohesive instructional approaches statewide, ultimately aiming to accelerate student growth and ensure all Nevada students have the opportunity to succeed.
