This edition of Indy Education dives into a major education bill by a top Democratic lawmaker and proposed legislation to legalize teacher strikes.

A debate on charter school teacher raises bubbled to the surface last week after legislators approved a budget without the pay hikes. Democrats say they're still on the table, while Gov. Joe Lombardo said it is a must for any education budget.

Although two Ely schools built more than a century ago hold a special place in the hearts of the thousands of students who passed through their doors, officials say the buildings have many issues that make them unsuitable for learning.

Five years after the pandemic, Nevada’s chronic absenteeism rate is still higher than usual. One education advocate says the state needs to work to address the issue or everyone will pay the price.

Nevada’s main budget fund for K-12 education is expected to bring in about $160 million less in revenue for the upcoming budget cycle than projected at the start of the year. Maintaining existing services is expected to be the top priority.

The sweeping measure could transform the way websites operate in Nevada — requiring online platforms to implement age verification systems and require minors to have approval from legal guardians before using social media.

A lack of consistent federal investment will lead to shrinking research operations, the loss of “promising scientific and social innovations” and the disappearance of programs serving vulnerable populations. 

Close to 200 AmeriCorps members in Nevada abruptly lost their jobs Monday after the Trump administration ordered an immediate stop to federally funded work, affecting eight organizations across the state. Nationally, 41 percent of the agency’s budget was eliminated Friday and close to 33,000 AmeriCorps members were pulled from their service. 

The state superintendent said he can’t certify the state’s compliance with anti-DEI policy without knowing exactly what “DEI practices” means, although he said Nevada is in compliance with laws against racial discrimination.

It also establishes a new fund for bonuses for high-performing educators and includes efforts to improve student literacy a few years before a requirement kicks in that could lead to huge numbers of third graders being held back if they can’t read.

Starting next month, the Education Department says student loans that are in default will be referred for collections. Currently, roughly 5.3 million borrowers are in default on their federal student loans.

Last week marked Jhone Ebert’s first as the superintendent of the Clark County School District. She spent it by touring schools, penning an open letter to the community and holding short one-on-one interviews with several media outlets.

Her efforts in Las Vegas stretched far beyond gaming to include education and the arts

Carson High School students launch their own magazine that highlights the entrepreneurs in their community. Plus, its the first day of school for Clark County School District's new superintendent.

The Clark County School Board voted unanimously Thursday to approve a four-year contract with Ebert, giving her the mantle as the next superintendent of the Clark County School District where she started her education career 35 years ago.

The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan by a coalition of 16 Democratic attorneys general, including Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford.

Saying research on gender identity is “unscientific,” the National Institutes of Health revoked $5 million in grants.

Several Henderson students had pieces featured in the annual Glass Craft and Bead Expo held at the South Point Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas this past weekend. 

The Trump administration is rescinding up to $29 million in COVID-era grant funding for Nevada schools, a move that state officials say jeopardizes efforts across all 17 school districts, charter schools and private schools to help students.

Under the new policy, student athletes would be required to complete a medical form that includes signatures from the student, parent and a medical provider verifying the accuracy of the student’s birth sex.