The Guinn Center is pleased to announce the opening of a strategic leadership role: Director of Education Policy.
Forecasting revenue is the first step to crafting a new state budget. Nevada recently earned praise for its revenue forecasting practices in a new report by the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP). This report argues that transparent and inclusive revenue forecasting processes can lead to a more democratic debate and greater fiscal discipline.
In March 2014, Douglas County, Nevada won the Cashman Good Government Award for developing innovative budget solutions through priority based budgeting. As with many local governments in Nevada, Douglas County faced a significant structural deficit after the Great Recession. To address this deficit, Douglas County embarked on a priority-driven budget development process that included public input. Through these efforts, Douglas County was able to reduce its structural deficit and improve its bond rating for the first time in 10 years.
While economic data show promising signs of recovery from the Great Recession throughout the country and in Nevada, a new research brief from the Urban Institute and Consumer Credit Research Institute provides another indicator of why the Silver State continues to lag in its efforts to rebound from those difficult times.The Numbers
Following the release of Annie E. Casey’s Foundation’s 2014 Kids Count Data Book, much attention has been directed to the fact that Nevada ranked 50th in education for the third year in a row. Given the data cited, we cannot be surprised by the fact that Nevada ranks dead last in education.First, Nevada has the highest rate of high school students not graduating on time – 40 percent in 2011-12. Nevada’s rate, the highest in the nation, was 17 percentage points higher than any other state, and twice the national average.
Across the country, placement tests are often used to determine which students must take remedial math and English classes. In many cases, students who performed well in high school are shocked to find that they are unprepared for college and must take remedial classes before taking college-level classes. A national study by Complete College America showed that students placed in remedial classes are less likely to complete college-level math and English classes and are less likely to graduate.
Access to high quality preschool can have significant academic, economic, and even health benefits as documented in the Perry Preschool Study. In recent years, several states have either substantially increased state preschool funding or have begun to offer universal preschool programs to help increase children’s chances for long-term success. Nevada, however, lags significantly behind other states in providing access to preschool for many of its young learners.
Across the nation, state funding for higher education fell during the Great Recession. A new report by the nonpartisan Center for Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) found that states are still funding higher education below pre-recession levels. This public disinvestment has made college less accessible to students and has major long-term economic impacts.
The Guinn Center appeared yesterday on Ralston Reports to address, among other topics, Ralston’s question of the day: “Is a flawed business tax to fund education better than no tax at all?” Essentially, Ralston asked the Guinn Center and his viewers to weigh how the tax functions against what the tax is meant to do (direct money into our K-12 education system so that we can improve educational outcomes for the young people of Nevada).
A recent study found that an innovative peer support program improves access to care and quality of communication while reducing repeat hospitalizations, which can reduce costs. Experts at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have developed an effective and innovative program using trained lay community health workers to improve a range of outcomes among patients at high risk for poor post-hospital outcomes.
Joining a growing number of businesses focused on mission-related investing, UnitedHealth Group, the nation’s largest medical insurer, has recently invested $150 million to build low-income housing in a dozen states. UnitedHealth’s big push into housing isn’t charity, although the investment also brings financial benefits (in the form of tax credits). National studies show that individuals without stable homes are sick more often, have more undiagnosed illnesses and are more likely to wind up seeking expensive care in emergency departments
A recent report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation focuses on racial disparities in indicators that determine a child’s chance for future success. The report creates a new Race for Results Index, which includes 12 measures that are most closely connected to the likelihood of a young person becoming middle class by middle age. These measures include:
Social impact bonds (also known as pay for success contracts) have attracted significant interest in the last few years and are being considered by policy makers in California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, and Utah, among others. These creative financing mechanisms were first popularized in the United Kingdom as part of the Conservative Party’s “Big Society” effort to use market discipline to improve public services.
The Guinn Center is committed to facilitating and encouraging public engagement. While we recognize the importance of producing and disseminating solid, timely, and relevant research to inform policy stakeholders, our impact will be measured, in large part, by our ability to engage the broader community. Our goal is to encourage the broader public to engage in sustained conversation in order to develop a narrative and vision for the common good that benefits all Nevadans.
