When Senator Catherine Cortez Masto walked into teacher Alex Najarro’s classroom at Paradise Elementary School, a student asked if that meant his school would get a raise.
Not exactly.
In Washington, DC, Cortez Masto worked with Texas Senator John Cornyn on the Reaching English Learners Act.
If passed, the bill would create a competitive grant program to fund partnerships between colleges and high-need school districts for professional training programs for English teachers.
Cortez Masto, herself a graduate of the Clark County School District, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal she knows firsthand how important this is.
Move forward
“The goal is to make sure we actually have teachers who can go through the program and support our English learners,” she told the Review-Journal. “It was important to me to find a colleague like Senator John Cornyn who comes from a state that has similar problems so that we can provide grants to support those teachers.”
Nevada, she said, has an advantage when it comes to applying for funding. Why? Because it already has a program that fits the bill.
On Monday afternoon, Cortez Masto visited UNLV, where the Nevada Forward Initiative (originally called the Paraprofessional Pathways Project) was first launched in 2021. The program has since expanded into a bachelor’s and master’s degree program and offers apprenticeships for people on the path to becoming certified to teach.
According to Kelsea Claus, program and communications coordinator for the Forward Apprenticeship Program, the Nevada Forward Initiative became the first Department of Labor-registered apprenticeship program in teaching in September 2023.
Supporters say the program, which is designed to help address the teacher shortage, should serve as a model for the rest of the country.
“We know that the most important in-school factor in a student’s success is the classroom teacher, so we wanted to invest in people to ensure that every child has a highly qualified teacher,” said Interim Superintendent Brenda Larsen-Mitchell.
The last time the district was fully staffed was in 1994, she said, and on average there are 1,200 to 1,400 vacancies each year. The 2024-2025 school year began Aug. 12 with 1,030 open classrooms.
Diversity is a priority
Larsen-Mitchell also emphasized the diversity the training brings to the classroom. According to the Nevada Forward Initiative website, 70 percent of the program’s participants come from marginalized groups.
“Our children need to see themselves reflected in their educators,” she said.
She added that 16 percent of students in the district are learning English. After Spanish, Tagalog is the second most spoken language, Larsen-Mitchell said.
During her tour and panel discussion Monday afternoon, Cortez Masto said she hoped to learn more about Nevada’s program to help pass the bill in Washington.
“They already have data that shows success,” Cortez Masto said during a panel discussion with UNLV teachers and faculty members.
Kenny Varner, associate dean of the College of Education, emphasized the high level of commitment that the training program brings. For his part, Najarro has stayed with Paradise since he began training in 2021, the program’s first year. He now serves as a role model for others to follow and learn from.
Danica Hays, the college’s dean, said she hopes to expand training opportunities for mental health counselors in schools.
“Who likes math?”
As Cortez Masto walked through Paradise Elementary School, she was greeted by excited students who told her their parents had seen her on television.
“Who likes math?” Cortez Masto asked the second-graders in teacher Kimberly Pacheko’s class.
“This is my favorite subject!” said several students and received a high five from the senator.
Pacheko, who is in the third and final semester of the training program, teaches the second grade alone. When asked if the program has helped her, she replied, “100 percent.”
“My goal is to make sure we have more teachers like her,” Cortez Masto told the class.
Contact Katie Futterman at [email protected].
