OUR RESEARCH

This photo essay uses KIDS COUNT data, a project of the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

Data taken from KIDS COUNT, a project of Annie E. Casey Foundation.

In this policy brief, the Guinn Center evaluates the implementation and initial outcomes of the five early education and literacy interventions since 2015.

This policy report describes the current high school graduation landscape in Nevada, including graduation rates, dropout rates, assessment data, and college remediation rates.

This policy brief explains Nevada’s budget process—such as the role of the Economic Forum—and provides both a broad-based overview of budgetary sources and spending and a detailed account of revenues and proposed expenditures. It closes with a discussion of some of the uncertainties confronting the State Legislature as they make budgetary decisions, particularly the status of the Medicaid expansion and that of marijuana legalization. (2017)

Nevada joined 31 other states (including the District of Columbia) that expanded Medicaid as of January 2017. The number of children and individuals without health insurance coverage has declined.

The policy report identifies the transportation challenges or barriers faced by individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities in Nevada, and provides recommendations that may be taken under advisement by decision makers and elected officials in the Silver State.

This policy report describes existing pathways preparing students with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities for post-secondary opportunities, and identifies some of the barriers facing students as they prepare to transition to life beyond high school. This policy report concludes by offering a set of recommendations that the State’s decision makers, policy leaders, and agency officials may take under advisement.

The Guinn Center for Policy Priorities commends the Nevada Department of Education for the inclusive process and emerging product of the ESSA plan.

Question 3: The Energy Choice Initiative (ECI) is a statewide constitutional ballot initiative that was placed before Nevada’s registered voters on November 8, 2016. Question 3 seeks to amend the Nevada Constitution by adding a new section to its Declaration of Rights regarding the provision of electric utility service in the State.

This policy report explores how states and school districts have implemented these financial incentive-based compensation plans, describes the current landscape in Nevada, and offers recommendations that may be taken under advisement by Nevada’s legislative leaders, policy makers, and education officials.

In November 2016, voters in Nevada were asked to approve the Background Check Initiative, a statewide question to amend an existing Nevada law. This Fact Sheet provides a summary of the primary arguments for and against the Background Check Initiative and addresses some questions voters may have.

This policy brief evaluates educational outcomes for high school students in care in Clark County School District, and offers several policy recommendations that may be taken under advisement by Nevada’s leaders.‍

In Fiscal Year 2015, personnel costs accounted for 80 percent of Nevada’s $4.1 billion education budget. The policy report discusses instruction-related costs in Nevada, trends over time, and some of the drivers of personnel costs. It concludes by offering a series of recommendations for Nevada’s policy makers.‍‍

The Guinn Center has prepared a report on Nevada’s K-12 school facilities in which we describe school capital facilities and maintenance needs across the State, discuss financial drivers of school construction costs, and conclude by offering a series of recommendations.

Voters in Nevada 2016 were asked to consider a measure to approve the regulation and taxation of recreational marijuana. This Fact Sheet presents arguments for and against the measure to Regulate and Tax Marijuana.

An initiative was placed on the ballot in November 2016 asking Elko County registered voters if they wish to tie fuel taxes to the inflation rate. This type of program is called Fuel Revenue Indexing (FRI). A “YES” vote means that FRI would be established for ten years (January 1, 2017, through December 31, 2026). A “NO” vote rejects the imposition of automatic inflation-adjusted increases to fuel taxes.

This Fact Sheet presents information about Washoe County Question 1 (WC-1), the proposed ballot initiative to increase the sales tax in order to generate revenue for the construction and maintenance of K-12 public school facilities in Washoe County. This Fact Sheet explains what will happen if Question 1 passes or fails to pass, and presents information about school facilities issues in Washoe County. (2016)

This fact sheet provides information on the Medical Patient Tax Relief Act, a ballot question for the November 2016 election in Nevada. The measure seeks to provide a sales and use tax exemption for durable medical, oxygen delivery and mobility enhancing equipment. The fact sheet discusses the effects the initiative could have on state tax revenue, who in the state might benefit from the exemption, and how Nevada’s tax policy for these types of medical equipment compares with other states.

In December 2015, Governor Sandoval called a special session to consider a development incentive package for Faraday Future, which has decided to locate in North Las Vegas. The goal of this policy brief is to (1) identify best practices for crafting development incentive programs, and (2) offer a set of recommendationsfor improving Nevada’s return on investment (ROI) on the proposed Faraday Future incentive package. (2015)