Nevada Legislature: Lawmakers review bill overhauling class size reduction

Two Republican assemblywomen are proposing a bill overhauling class size reduction in Nevada and launching a program to pay the top teachers up to $200,000 a year.

Assembly members Vicki Dooling and Shelly Shelton are sponsoring AB378, which was discussed in a hearing Wednesday.

The original bill would end a state program that hires more teachers to keep class sizes small and costs about $177 million a year. Presenters said reducing class sizes isn’t always cost-effective.

Dooling proposed changing that provision and instead giving districts flexibility to spend those funds on other programs to improve student achievement.

The bill would also create a Fund for Master Teachers and offer incentives for exemplary performance. Teachers in the program would make $150,000 to $200,000 a year, and mentor educators in at-risk schools.