A Solution to the Educational Crisis in Nevada

The outcomes of a poor educational system in Nevada are having a drastic impact throughout the state. This ripple effect stagnates economic growth and development. The consequences drill down into the funding structures of the educational systems. In this article that negative effect is reviewed with possible solutions using a distance education approach. Further, it is to outline the need for continuing innovation through collaboration among higher education, K-12 districts, and charter schools. Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval has said, “It's time for a fundamental change from the ground up and the top down” (Sandoval, n.d.). Nevada schools and districts do not have legislative barriers or laws to constrict the use of distance education. In fact, based upon this past legislative session of July 2011, laws have been enacted to legitimatize and develop this way of providing access to this type of education in Nevada (Rheault, 2011). Why is this so important in Nevada? Simply put, the current system is failing to reach to all students.

Nevada education ranks very near the bottom of all states in educational achievement. In 2009, no other state performed worse than Nevada's eighth-grade students in reading (Educational Alliance of Washoe County, 2011, p. 18). Nevada has only 17 school districts in a state of 110,540 square miles. Most of the population resides in Clark County with 1.9 million of the state's 2.7 million residents (Nevada Legislature, 2011). Clark County boasts a staggering 313,000 of the 436,000 students in Nevada (Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau [NLCB], 2011, p. 12). Nevada has two major urban centers: Las Vegas, in Clark County, and Reno/Carson City, in Washoe County. Five counties have less than 4,300 students but encompass a land mass totaling that of West Virginia. Districts face an increasing dilemma with a decline in per-pupil expenditures. Programs and courses have been cut, class sizes have increased, and teachers have been terminated under the provisions of reduction in force. These districts are slow to reform their brick-and-mortar thinking. As Nevada finds itself at the top of the national dropout rate with a dismal 51.3%, it is attempting to find alternative and cost saving measures to traditional K-12 education.

There is a vicious cycle developing in Nevada. Nevada has one of the highest unemployment rates at 14.3% and a projected budget shortfall of $1.5 billion in 2012. The state constitution requires a balanced budget, which will create havoc with state legislators. Nevada is ranked 47th in the nation in overall business rankings. While the tax climate is very favorable, businesses are looking at other factors such as new business start-up or in relocation (Educational Alliance of Washoe County, 2011). What does this mean for Nevada? Poor economic stability leads to loss in job creation, which leads to lack of revenue, which leads to decreased per pupil spending, which leads to a decline in education standards which leads to unfavorable conditions for new business, and the cycle continues. Schools receive much of their funding through the property taxes that are levied. The state of Nevada has seen a drop in the median home value of over 60% with 16,000 homes still held in reserve by banks in Clark County.

In August 2011, schools in the Clark County School District were mandated by district officials to inform parents of the pending loss of programs, activities, and courses on their websites. Many of these courses were Advance Placement and Honors due to the rather low enrollment in them, which also makes the statement that student achievement is significantly poor. In 2008, of the Nevada freshmen entering high school only 47.6% graduated in 4 years. Of those, only 26.4% entered college, with a mere 9.7% earning college degrees. This is less than half of the national average of 20.5%. This lack of K-12 and higher education graduates will result in a shortage of educated workers that the state will need by 2016.

To solve these issues is to fundamentally change the way education is offered and delivered to students in Nevada. In the rural areas, which constitute the majority of the state, education needs to be accessed fairly and equally to all students regardless of location. Students in Nevada are dropping out of school at an alarming rate. In recent years, due to the economic recession, many high school students have taken jobs in service areas to support their families. Just over half (52.4%) of freshmen do not finish high school (NLCB, 2011, p. 28). State laws do permit districts a perpupil apportionment for any student 19 years of age or younger. The immediate need is to collectively approach dropouts with a plan for them to finish their graduation requirements. Distance education is the medium by which this can happen.

Nevada is a state that is primed for an infusion of distance education. Only four districts have programs to provide education in this fashion, but on a very small scale. In reviewing The Learning Network all of the factors currently exist (Palloff & Pratt, 2007, p. 188). Students, peers, an instructor, content, technology and another important piece, infrastructure, are needed for success. Superintendents have been actively engaged this past year with online curriculum companies such as Advanced Academics, K12.inc, and Pearson Learning, to seek programs and platforms that will work for their particular district. While distance education is not a new concept, school boards appear to be a little more skeptical in its offering to their students. In a recent Nevada Association of School Board Convention, Jamie Vollmer, author and keynote speaker, presented Vollmer's First Rule of School Restructuring: You cannot change a school without changing the culture of the surrounding town. This refers not just to the school board members, but to all citizens in the community (Vollmer, 2010). This culture is described by Rogers as part of diffusion of innovation. Diffusion is the process in which innovation is communicated (Rogers, 2003). Further, Rogers refers to this as a change with a degree of uncertainty resulting in a form of social change. In 1996, South Dakota Governor William J. Janklow's vision of providing a digital network of distance education to the entire state was also met with skepticism. Janklow was convinced that the stakeholders would fund and promote this form of education to connect all parts of the state if the theory of diffusion was followed. Working with the South Dakota Alliance for Distance

Education Project Leaders, the project was successful (South Dakota Department of Education, 2003).

Distance education is the answer to some of the educational problems in Nevada. The students of this state need choices in their education. They need an individualized education that meets their needs in pacing, in variety of course offerings, in flexibility of schedule, and easy, 24 hour accessibility. They need curriculum that addresses their learning strengths and weaknesses. The students of Nevada need a choice that is not fully available with the current system.

Some charter schools as well as a few private schools and various higher education institutions offer distance education in Nevada. Even some high schools in the major school districts of the state offer limited options for distance education in Nevada. However the great majority of students here are unaware of their choices and options in this field. Nevada needs greater exposure to this option and greater adoption of it. The students of this state need this choice from a wider range of educational sources. They need this option as a possible solution to the problems that are plaguing the state education institutions as they currently exist. The question remains then as to how this might be accomplished. The answer is that Nevada needs to go through the process of diffusion as outlined by Rogers (2003).

Rogers defines diffusion as “the process in which an innovation is communicated through certain channels over time among members of a social system” (Rogers, 2003, p. 5). This definition points to four main elements observed in every diffusion process. The first element is the innovation, which for Nevada would be distance education. This innovation has many advantages that traditional education lacks. These advantages, which have been outlined in many studies and reports, provide reason for serious consideration of mainstream adoption in Nevada—most importantly by its leaders and then by all stakeholders involved in the approval and implementation. The educational and governmental leaders of this state must be made aware of these advantages and studies so that they might make informed and intelligent decisions regarding this model of education. Rogers outlines the characteristics of an innovation as being; relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability. When attempting to get distance education in Nevada adopted by leaders and followers alike, those outlined characteristics will need to be considered and addressed. The possibility of reinvention of the innovation will help as well. Distance education can be reinvented to meet best practices and improve success, even during implementation (Rogers, 2003).

The second element in Rogers’ definition of diffusion is communication channels (Rogers, 2003). This is where Nevada needs some help. Current providers of distance education in Nevada have some interpersonal channels and even a few mass media channels, but these segments do not have a singular voice in the state and are often found in competition with each other. This competition and separation is counter to the idea of expanding distance education to all K-16 students in the state. A solution to this roadblock will be discussed in the following section. If student achievement is the overriding goal of all educators and the several providers of this innovation believe that this is a solution, then collaboration for mutual benefit and improvement should be sought. Nevada's distance educators should come together with the intent to diffuse distance education to every student who demands it and its advantages.

Time is the third element of diffusion that needs consideration (Rogers, 2003). The very process of adopting this innovation will take time and will have both individual and institutional barriers to overcome. In the time it takes for leaders, practitioners of education, students, parents, and businesses to adopt this model of education for Nevada, up-to-date distance education research, its current adoption and use in other locations, its growth, and its success will be supplied and revealed to all stakeholders. A vision of how it will be successful for the struggling students in Nevada needs to be prescribed as an answer to many student ills. All advantages of this will need to be made clear until individual leaders in government and education can evaluate for themselves, make an affirmative decision, come up with a plan for implementation, and commit to its full adoption. Considering the stark facts about Nevada's educational failures, the rate of adoption may be more urgent than normal timelines, but only if the picture is clear and concise in both an effective model of implementation and in expected results.

The final element of the diffusion process is the social system or systems involved (Rogers, 2003). Ideally, in Nevada, a top-down approach to seeking this adoption of distance education should be used. Once the influential leaders are on board, other social systems involved in this process for persuasion and acceptance or even desire and demand of this innovation should be brought into the diffusion process. In trying to avoid an authority decision as a last option in this process, Nevada needs to work at getting a collective decision in the adoption and implementation of distance education for the students in the state.

Prior to beginning the process of diffusion of distance education in Nevada, the current practitioners need to come together, collaborate, and lead the effort. They need a unifying voice. Currently there is no organization to provide that unity or to champion this option in Nevada. They each work separately to promote this model and provide it to the students. There are many obstacles to this new form of education that would be better met together than apart. The United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) can help unify the various providers of distance education in the state. With that support, collaboration, and the unifying presence of USDLA, the process of greater exposure and eventual mainstream adoption of distance education for the students of Nevada can begin.

The USDLA offers many important benefits to national members in general but it also has specific benefits for state chapter members. In taking advantage of these benefits, Nevada providers will have a newfound unity for those who participate and will be better positioned to take the lead in diffusing this model to its students.

USDLA is a nonprofit distance learning association whose purpose, among other things, is to support research, development, education, and training in distance education. This organization offers support to its state chapters in many ways and can help provide some important needs for current distance education institutions. Further, it will help them to go through the steps needed to expand in the state without some of the obstacles that are now present. They offer leadership and a solid history of experience in the field. Advocacy is given for this model backed by research and firm results. They provide the most up-to-date information and policy available in distance learning across the nation.

Continual state support, recognition, and partnerships among education, business, healthcare, and government entities are given. Access and equity to lifelong learning through distance education is another listed benefit from USDLA (2005).

Nevada students need support and a clear path for access to distance education. USDLA can help current providers of distance education lead the charge and get the state on the path to the future of education as others have and are already doing in this country. Leaders, educational and governmental, need to overcome the poor record currently in the state on education and give these students the chance to achieve their potential. The tool needed to accomplish this reality is distance education. The steps are clear; (1) Bring USDLA to Nevada, (2) Unify and support the current adopters of distance education here already and give them a voice, (3) Begin the process of diffusion with government and educational leadership to help pave the way for adoption by all stakeholders in Nevada, (4) Deliver to these students the choices they demand in education so that they may accomplish all that they desire to in their futures.