SB374 - Revises provisions relating to education. (BDR 34-752)

EXEMPT (Reprinted with amendments adopted on May 31, 2025) SECOND REPRINT S.B. 374 - *SB374_R2* SENATE BILL NO. 374–SENATOR TAYLOR MARCH 17, 2025 ____________ Referred to Committee on Education SUMMARY—Revises provisions relating to education. (BDR 34-752) FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: May have Fiscal Impact. Effect on the State: Yes. CONTAINS UNFUNDED MANDATE (§§ 1.5, 2.3) (NOT REQUESTED BY AFFECTED LOCAL GOVERNMENT) ~ EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted. AN ACT relating to education; requiring the board of trustees of each school district to ensure that by a certain date staff members have access to professional development training concerning the discipline and behavior of pupils; requiring the development and maintenance of a system to assist the board of trustees of a school district and certain governing bodies to address disproportionate or high levels of pupil discipline; requiring each public school to collect and report certain data on the number of pupils assigned to a temporary alternative placement; and providing other matters properly relating thereto. Legislative Counsel’s Digest: Existing law requires each public school to: (1) each quarter, collect data on the 1 discipline of pupils that includes, without limitation, information on the number of 2 expulsions and suspensions of pupils in the school; and (2) annually report such 3 data to certain entities. (NRS 392.462) Section 3 of this bill additionally requires 4 each public school to collect data on the number of pupils assigned to a temporary 5 alternative placement, thereby requiring such data to be included in the annual 6 report on the discipline of pupils prepared by each public school. 7 Existing law requires the board of trustees of each school district and the 8 governing body of each charter school to ensure that the teachers and 9 administrators employed by the school district or charter school have access to 10 high-quality, ongoing professional development training. (NRS 391A.370) Section 11 1.5 of this bill requires the board of trustees of each school district to ensure that 12 not later than June 30, 2030, professional development training concerning the 13 discipline and behavior of pupils is available to all staff members of the district. If a 14 – 2 – - *SB374_R2* staff member completes training as part of the statewide framework for restorative 15 justice, sections 1 and 1.5 of this bill authorize such training to satisfy the training 16 required by section 1.5. Section 1.5 further requires the board of trustees of each 17 school district to prepare and submit to the Legislature or the Joint Interim Standing 18 Committee on Education an annual report that describes: (1) any such professional 19 development training provided during the previous year; (2) each date on which 20 such training was provided; and (3) the total percentage of staff members that 21 attended such training during the immediately preceding school year. Section 1.5 22 additionally authorizes the Department of Education to coordinate with each 23 regional training program or engage with an appropriate vendor for the professional 24 development of teachers and administrators to develop curricula for such training 25 that the board of trustees of a school district may use to satisfy the requirements of 26 section 1.5. Section 2 of this bill makes a conforming change to apply the existing 27 definition of “professional development training” to the provisions of section 1.5. 28 Section 2.3 of this bill requires the Department of Education to develop and 29 maintain a system to assist the board of trustees of a school district and the 30 governing body of a charter school or university school for profoundly gifted pupils 31 in addressing disproportionate or high levels of pupil discipline. Section 2.3 of this 32 bill requires a school district or governing body that is required to participate in the 33 system to take certain actions to ensure the proper implementation and 34 effectiveness of the system. Section 2.3 of this bill requires the Department to 35 submit an annual report to the Legislature or the Joint Interim Standing Committee 36 on Education concerning the implementation of and outcomes from the system. 37 Section 2.7 of this bill applies certain definitions in existing law to section 2.3. 38 THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. NRS 388.1333 is hereby amended to read as 1 follows: 2 388.1333 1. To the extent that money is available, the 3 Department shall develop a statewide framework for restorative 4 justice. The statewide framework must, without limitation: 5 (a) In accordance with NRS 392.472, establish standards for a 6 plan of action based on restorative justice to enable a public school 7 to address the unique needs of pupils enrolled in the school; 8 (b) Provide for the identification of and address the needs of 9 homeless pupils, unaccompanied pupils or pupils in foster care; 10 (c) Address the occurrences of the suspension, expulsion or 11 removal of pupils from school that disproportionately affect pupils 12 who belong to a group of pupils listed in subsection 2 of 13 NRS 385A.250; 14 (d) Provide for the improvement of school climate, culture and 15 safety and pupil outcomes by providing information on, without 16 limitation: 17 (1) Multi-tiered systems of support; 18 (2) Early warning systems; 19 (3) Positive behavioral interventions and support; 20 (4) The provision of school social workers; 21 – 3 – - *SB374_R2* (5) Curriculum on social and emotional learning; and 1 (6) Trauma-informed practices; and 2 (e) Provide for training for teachers, administrators and other 3 school staff in: 4 (1) Child and adolescent development; 5 (2) Restorative justice, including, without limitation, positive 6 behavioral interventions and support, conflict resolution and de- 7 escalation techniques; and 8 (3) Psychology, trauma and chronic stress, the effect of 9 trauma and chronic stress on pupils and learning and effective 10 responses to trauma and chronic stress. 11 2. If a teacher, administrator or other school staff member 12 completes training pursuant to this section, the board of trustees 13 of the school district which employs the teacher, administrator or 14 school staff member may consider such training to satisfy the 15 training required by section 1.5 of this act. 16 3. The Department may apply for grants, gifts and donations of 17 money to carry out the objectives of the statewide framework for 18 restorative justice. 19 [3.] 4. As used in this section: 20 (a) “Foster care” has the meaning ascribed to it in 45 C.F.R. § 21 1355.20. 22 (b) “Homeless pupil” has the meaning ascribed to the term 23 “homeless children and youths” in 42 U.S.C. § 11434a(2). 24 (c) “Restorative justice” has the meaning ascribed to it in 25 NRS 392.472. 26 (d) “Unaccompanied pupil” has the meaning ascribed to the 27 term “unaccompanied youth” in 42 U.S.C. § 11434a(6). 28 Sec. 1.5. Chapter 391A of NRS is hereby amended by adding 29 thereto a new section to read as follows: 30 1. The board of trustees of each school district shall ensure 31 that not later than June 30, 2030, all staff members of the school 32 district, including, without limitation, teachers, administrators and 33 education support professionals, receive professional development 34 training in best practices for: 35 (a) Addressing the behavior of pupils; 36 (b) Fostering a positive school climate; 37 (c) Positive behavioral interventions and support; 38 (d) Conflict resolution; 39 (e) De-escalation techniques; and 40 (f) Classroom management. 41 2. The board of trustees of each school district shall ensure 42 that any staff member hired on or after July 1, 2030, must 43 complete the professional development training described in 44 – 4 – - *SB374_R2* subsection 1 not later than 1 year after the date on which the staff 1 member commences employment with the school district. 2 3. The Department may coordinate with each regional 3 training program or engage with an appropriate vendor to develop 4 curricula for professional development training that the board of 5 trustees of a school district may use to provide the professional 6 development training required pursuant to subsection 1 or 2. 7 4. If a staff member completes training pursuant to NRS 8 388.1333, the board of trustees of a school district may consider 9 such training to satisfy the professional development training 10 required pursuant to subsection 1 or 2. 11 5. The board of trustees of each school district shall, on or 12 before August 1 of each year, prepare a report that describes any 13 professional development training provided pursuant to subsection 14 1 or 2 during the previous year, each date on which such 15 professional development training was provided and the total 16 percentage of staff members that attended such professional 17 development training during the immediately preceding school 18 year, and submit the report to the Director of the Legislative 19 Counsel Bureau for transmittal to: 20 (a) In even-numbered years, the next regular session of the 21 Legislature; and 22 (b) In odd-numbered years, the Joint Interim Standing 23 Committee on Education. 24 6. As used in this section: 25 (a) “Education support professional” has the meaning 26 ascribed to it in NRS 391.488. 27 (b) “Regional training program” has the meaning ascribed to 28 it in NRS 391A.105. 29 (c) “School climate” means the basis of which to measure the 30 relationships between pupils and the parents or legal guardians of 31 pupils and educational personnel, the cultural and linguistic 32 competence of instructional materials and educational personnel, 33 the emotional and physical safety of pupils and educational 34 personnel and the social, emotional and academic development of 35 pupils and educational personnel. 36 Sec. 2. NRS 391A.345 is hereby amended to read as follows: 37 391A.345 As used in NRS 391A.345 to 391A.385, inclusive, 38 and section 1.5 of this act, unless the context otherwise requires, 39 “professional development training” has the meaning ascribed to 40 “professional development” in 20 U.S.C. § 7801(42). 41 Sec. 2.3. Chapter 392 of NRS is hereby amended by adding 42 thereto a new section to read as follows: 43 1. The Department shall develop and maintain a system to 44 assist the board of trustees of a school district and the governing 45 – 5 – - *SB374_R2* body of a charter school or university school for profoundly gifted 1 pupils in addressing disproportionate or high levels of pupil 2 discipline within the school district, charter school or university 3 school for profoundly gifted pupils, as applicable. The system 4 must: 5 (a) Focus on providing assistance to school districts and 6 governing bodies in need of support or corrective action as 7 determined by the Department based on data collected pursuant to 8 NRS 392.462; and 9 (b) Promote positive behavior by pupils, prevent disciplinary 10 practices that are exclusionary and support equitable outcomes for 11 all pupils by utilizing: 12 (1) A framework of social, emotional and positive 13 behavioral supports that progresses from universal screenings, 14 programs and activities for all pupils to targeted supports for 15 subgroups of pupils to individualized plans for specific pupils who 16 need the most social, emotional or positive behavioral supports; 17 and 18 (2) Evidence-based practices. 19 2. If the Department requires a board of trustees of a school 20 district or a governing body of a charter school or university 21 school for profoundly gifted pupils to participate in the system 22 developed and maintained pursuant to subsection 1, the board of 23 trustees or governing body shall: 24 (a) Appoint a person to be responsible for overseeing: 25 (1) The implementation of the system in the school district, 26 charter school or university school for profoundly gifted pupils; 27 (2) Any data collection required by the Department relating 28 to the system; and 29 (3) Coordination with the Department and other interested 30 parties concerning the system. 31 (b) Develop and carry out an action plan for the 32 implementation of the system with timelines, training, progress 33 monitoring and strategies for addressing discipline disparities. 34 (c) Submit data annually to the Department on trends in 35 discipline, intervention usage, metrics relating to the outcomes of 36 pupils and any other data the Department requests. Such data 37 must be submitted in any form requested by the Department, 38 including, without limitation, disaggregating the data into 39 subgroups of pupils. 40 (d) Engage families and community partners in the 41 implementation of the system and the review of the strategies and 42 effectiveness of the system. 43 3. The Department shall: 44 – 6 – - *SB374_R2* (a) Compile a report concerning the data collected from the 1 boards of trustees of school districts and the governing bodies of 2 charter schools and university schools for profoundly gifted pupils 3 pursuant to subsection 2. 4 (b) On or before August 1 of each year, submit an annual 5 report on the implementation of the system in school districts, 6 charter schools and university schools for profoundly gifted pupils 7 and the outcomes from the implementation of the system at such 8 schools to the Director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau for 9 transmittal to: 10 (1) In odd-numbered years, the Joint Interim Standing 11 Committee on Education; and 12 (2) In even-numbered years, the next regular session of the 13 Legislature. 14 Sec. 2.7. NRS 392.4601 is hereby amended to read as follows: 15 392.4601 As used in NRS 392.4601 to 392.472, inclusive, and 16 section 2.3 of this act, unless the context otherwise requires, the 17 words and terms defined in NRS 392.4603, 392.4605 and 392.4607 18 have the meanings ascribed to them in those sections. 19 Sec. 3. NRS 392.462 is hereby amended to read as follows: 20 392.462 Each public school shall quarterly collect data on the 21 discipline of pupils and the plans developed pursuant t [Text truncated for display. Full text available on LegiScan.]