Running​ ​head:​ ​NEVADA​ ​GOVERNANCE​ ​FRAMEWORK​ ​AND​ ​ROLES ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​1

Nevada​ ​Governance​ ​Framework​ ​and​ ​Roles:​ ​Articles​ ​Covering​ ​Nevada​ ​Education

Callie​ ​L.​ ​McLean

College​ ​of​ ​Southern​ ​Nevada

Running​ ​head:​ ​NEVADA​ ​GOVERNANCE​ ​FRAMEWORK​ ​AND​ ​ROLES ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​2

Nevada​ ​is​ ​in​ ​the​ ​ninth​ ​Circuit​ ​Court​ ​of​ ​Appeals,​ ​which​ ​is​ ​a​ ​U.S.​ ​Federal​ ​Court​ ​with

appellate​ ​jurisdiction.​ ​In​ ​the​ ​Nevada​ ​State​ ​Constitution,​ ​Article​ ​11​ ​focuses​ ​on​ ​the​ ​requirements

and​ ​regulations​ ​on​ ​Education​ ​and​ ​includes​ ​ten​ ​following​ ​sections​ ​that​ ​specify​ ​these​ ​regulations.

Article​ ​11​ ​section​ ​1​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Nevada​ ​Constitution​ ​stated,​ ​“Legislature​ ​to​ ​Encourage

Education;​ ​Appointment,​ ​Term​ ​and​ ​Duties​ ​of​ ​Superintendent​ ​of​ ​Public​ ​Instruction”​ ​(Nev.​ ​Const.

art.​ ​XI,​ ​§1).​ ​This​ ​section​ ​enforces​ ​a​ ​higher​ ​standard​ ​for​ ​education​ ​with​ ​the​ ​intent​ ​that​ ​it​ ​shall​ ​best

fit​ ​the​ ​needs​ ​of​ ​the​ ​people​ ​of​ ​the​ ​State​ ​of​ ​Nevada.​ ​Article​ ​11​ ​Section​ ​1​ ​has​ ​required​ ​the​ ​Nevada

legislature​ ​to​ ​“provide​ ​for​ ​a​ ​superintendent​ ​of​ ​public​ ​instruction​ ​and​ ​by​ ​law​ ​prescribe​ ​the​ ​manner

of​ ​appointment,​ ​term​ ​of​ ​office​ ​and​ ​the​ ​duties​ ​thereof”​ ​(Nev.​ ​Const.​ ​Art.​ ​XI​ ​§1).​ ​Thus​ ​insuring

proper​ ​organization​ ​and​ ​functionality​ ​for​ ​the​ ​governance​ ​of​ ​education​ ​in​ ​the​ ​state​ ​of​ ​Nevada.

Article​ ​11​ ​section​ ​2​ ​declared,​ ​“the​ ​legislature​ ​shall​ ​provide​ ​for​ ​a​ ​uniform​ ​system​ ​of

common​ ​schools,”​ ​thus​ ​enforcing​ ​the​ ​control​ ​and​ ​cooperation​ ​to​ ​ensure​ ​all​ ​public​ ​schools​ ​to

meet​ ​the​ ​state​ ​of​ ​Nevada’s​ ​standards​ ​towards​ ​education​ ​(Nev.​ ​Const.​ ​art.​ ​XI,​ ​§2).​ ​Article​ ​11

section​ ​2​ ​also​ ​affirmed​ ​the​ ​legislature’s​ ​ability​ ​to​ ​“deprive​ ​interest​ ​of​ ​public​ ​school​ ​funds”​ ​in​ ​the

case​ ​of​ ​a​ ​violation,​ ​in​ ​which​ ​a​ ​school​ ​district​ ​is​ ​found​ ​allowing​ ​the​ ​“instruction​ ​of​ ​a​ ​sectarian

character”​ ​(Nev.​ ​Const.​ ​art.​ ​XI,​ ​§2).​ ​This​ ​allows​ ​the​ ​legislation​ ​to​ ​enforce​ ​expectations​ ​and

requirements​ ​of​ ​common​ ​schools,​ ​failure​ ​to​ ​comply​ ​can​ ​result​ ​in​ ​the​ ​loss​ ​of​ ​public​ ​school​ ​funds

and​ ​therefore​ ​reinforces​ ​the​ ​cooperation​ ​and​ ​uniform​ ​standards​ ​within​ ​the​ ​school​ ​districts.

Article​ ​11​ ​section​ ​3​ ​affirmed,​ ​“Pledge​ ​of​ ​Certain​ ​Property​ ​and​ ​Money,​ ​Escheated​ ​Estates

and​ ​Fines​ ​Collected​ ​under​ ​Penal​ ​Laws​ ​for​ ​Educational​ ​Purposes;​ ​Apportionment​ ​and​ ​Use​ ​of

Interest”​ ​(Nev.​ ​Const.​ ​art.​ ​XI,​ ​§3).​ ​This​ ​section​ ​declares​ ​that​ ​all​ ​lands​ ​and​ ​property​ ​“granted​ ​by

Congress​ ​to​ ​this​ ​state​ ​for​ ​educational​ ​purposes​ ​…​ ​are​ ​hereby​ ​pledged​ ​for​ ​educational​ ​purposes
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and​ ​the​ ​money​ ​therefrom​ ​must​ ​not​ ​be​ ​transferred​ ​to​ ​other​ ​funds​ ​for​ ​other​ ​uses”​ ​(Nev.​ ​Const.​ ​art.

XI,​ ​§3).​ ​This​ ​section​ ​requires​ ​a​ ​pledge​ ​of​ ​public​ ​lands​ ​used​ ​for​ ​educational​ ​purposes​ ​and​ ​the

money​ ​made​ ​from​ ​such​ ​properties​ ​“given​ ​or​ ​bequeathed”​ ​to​ ​be​ ​used​ ​only​ ​for​ ​educational

purposes​ ​and​ ​cannot​ ​be​ ​used​ ​for​ ​other​ ​purposes​ ​or​ ​funds​ ​(Nev.​ ​Const.​ ​art.​ ​XI,​ ​§3).

Article​ ​11​ ​section​ ​4​ ​called​ ​for​ ​the,​ ​“Establishment​ ​of​ ​State​ ​University;​ ​Control​ ​by​ ​Board

of​ ​Regents”​ ​(Nev.​ ​Const.​ ​art.​ ​XI,​ ​§4).​ ​This​ ​requires​ ​the​ ​legislation​ ​to​ ​form​ ​a​ ​state​ ​university,​ ​one

that​ ​is​ ​to​ ​“embrace​ ​departments​ ​for​ ​Agriculture,​ ​Mechanic​ ​Arts,​ ​and​ ​Mining”.​ ​This​ ​section​ ​is​ ​put

forth​ ​in​ ​order​ ​to​ ​uphold​ ​the​ ​state​ ​of​ ​Nevada’s​ ​standard​ ​for​ ​higher​ ​education.​ ​Article​ ​11​ ​section​ ​4

requires​ ​that​ ​the​ ​state​ ​university​ ​be​ ​under​ ​operation​ ​and​ ​jurisdiction​ ​by​ ​the​ ​Board​ ​of​ ​Regents

“whose​ ​duties​ ​shall​ ​be​ ​prescribed​ ​by​ ​Law”​ ​(Nev.​ ​Const.​ ​art.​ ​XI,​ ​§4).

Article​ ​11​ ​section​ ​5​ ​proclaimed,​ ​“Establishment​ ​of​ ​Normal​ ​Schools​ ​and​ ​Grades​ ​of

Schools;​ ​Oath​ ​of​ ​Teachers​ ​and​ ​Professors”​ ​(Nev.​ ​Const.​ ​art.​ ​XI,​ ​§5).​ ​This​ ​section​ ​grants​ ​the

legislature​ ​power​ ​of​ ​instituting​ ​the​ ​various​ ​grade​ ​levels​ ​and​ ​requirements​ ​of​ ​each,​ ​from​ ​primary

to​ ​University.​ ​This​ ​article​ ​requires​ ​teachers​ ​and​ ​professors​ ​alike​ ​from​ ​any​ ​and​ ​all​ ​of​ ​these​ ​grade

levels​ ​“to​ ​take​ ​and​ ​subscribe​ ​to​ ​the​ ​oath​ ​as​ ​prescribed​ ​in​ ​Article​ ​Fifteenth​ ​of​ ​this​ ​Constitution”

(Nev.​ ​Const.​ ​art.​ ​XI,​ ​§5).​ ​Thus​ ​it​ ​maintains​ ​a​ ​level​ ​of​ ​expectation​ ​among​ ​staff​ ​and​ ​legislation​ ​for

Nevada’s​ ​higher​ ​education.

Article​ ​11​ ​section​ ​6​ ​declared​ ​the​ ​“support​ ​of​ ​University​ ​and​ ​Common​ ​Schools​ ​by​ ​Direct

Legislative​ ​Appropriation;​ ​Priority​ ​of​ ​Appropriations”​ ​(Nev.​ ​Const.​ ​art.​ ​XI,​ ​§6).​ ​This​ ​section

requires​ ​the​ ​legislation​ ​to​ ​supply​ ​the​ ​“support​ ​and​ ​maintenance”​ ​of​ ​university​ ​and​ ​common

schools​ ​through​ ​ ​“direct​ ​legislative​ ​appropriation​ ​from​ ​the​ ​general​ ​fund”​ ​(Nev.​ ​Const.​ ​art.​ ​XI,

§6).​ ​With​ ​in​ ​this​ ​section’s​ ​subsections,​ ​Article​ ​11​ ​section​ ​6​ ​describes​ ​the​ ​requirements​ ​of​ ​the
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legislation​ ​in​ ​regards​ ​to​ ​the​ ​appropriations​ ​“to​ ​fund​ ​education​ ​for​ ​the​ ​next​ ​ensuing​ ​biennium”

(Nev.​ ​Const.​ ​art.​ ​XI,​ ​§6).​ ​This​ ​section​ ​lists​ ​out​ ​the​ ​restrictions​ ​and​ ​the​ ​requirements​ ​the

legislation​ ​is​ ​expected​ ​to​ ​uphold​ ​in​ ​regards​ ​to​ ​the​ ​distributions​ ​from​ ​the​ ​general​ ​fund​ ​specifically

for​ ​education.

Article​ ​11​ ​section​ ​7​ ​stated​ ​the​ ​“Board​ ​of​ ​Regents:​ ​Election​ ​and​ ​duties”​ ​requires​ ​that​ ​the

Governor,​ ​Secretary​ ​of​ ​State,​ ​and​ ​Superintendent​ ​of​ ​Public​ ​Instruction​ ​during​ ​their​ ​terms​ ​of

service​ ​establish​ ​a​ ​“Board​ ​of​ ​Regents​ ​to​ ​control​ ​and​ ​manage​ ​the​ ​affairs​ ​of​ ​the​ ​University​ ​and​ ​the

funds​ ​of​ ​the​ ​same​ ​under​ ​such​ ​regulations​ ​as​ ​may​ ​be​ ​provided​ ​by​ ​law”​ ​(Nev.​ ​Const.​ ​art.​ ​XI,​ ​§7).

This​ ​section​ ​not​ ​only​ ​requires​ ​the​ ​Governor,​ ​Secretary​ ​of​ ​State,​ ​and​ ​Superintendent​ ​of​ ​Public

Instruction​ ​to​ ​establish​ ​and​ ​preside​ ​over​ ​the​ ​Board​ ​of​ ​Regents​ ​but​ ​to​ ​“provide​ ​for​ ​the​ ​election​ ​of

a​ ​new​ ​Board​ ​of​ ​Regents​ ​and​ ​define​ ​their​ ​duties”​ ​as​ ​well​ ​(Nev.​ ​Const.​ ​art.​ ​XI,​ ​§7).

Article​ ​11​ ​section​ ​8​ ​affirmed​ ​the​ ​“Immediate​ ​Organization​ ​and​ ​Maintenance​ ​of​ ​State

University”​ ​requires​ ​that​ ​the​ ​Board​ ​of​ ​Regents,​ ​“from​ ​the​ ​interest​ ​accruing​ ​from​ ​the​ ​first​ ​funds

which​ ​come​ ​under​ ​their​ ​control,​ ​immediately​ ​organize​ ​and​ ​maintain​ ​the​ ​said​ ​Mining​ ​department

in​ ​such​ ​manner​ ​as​ ​to​ ​make​ ​it​ ​most​ ​effective​ ​and​ ​useful”​ ​(Nev.​ ​Const.​ ​art.​ ​XI,​ ​§8).​ ​This​ ​section

allocates​ ​the​ ​use​ ​of​ ​funds​ ​to​ ​support​ ​certain​ ​departments​ ​within​ ​the​ ​university​ ​“for​ ​the​ ​benefit​ ​of

Agriculture[,]​ ​the​ ​Mechanics​ ​Arts,​ ​and​ ​including​ ​Military​ ​tactics”​ ​(Nev.​ ​Const.​ ​art.​ ​XI,​ ​§8).​ ​This

section​ ​establishes​ ​an​ ​importance​ ​and​ ​order​ ​of​ ​certain​ ​departments​ ​that​ ​the​ ​Board​ ​of​ ​Regents​ ​is

expected​ ​to​ ​organize​ ​and​ ​support​ ​within​ ​their​ ​allotted​ ​funds.

Article​ ​11​ ​section​ ​9​ ​declared,​ ​“Sectarian​ ​Instruction​ ​Prohibited​ ​in​ ​Common​ ​Schools​ ​and

University”,​ ​this​ ​section​ ​insists​ ​that​ ​under​ ​the​ ​Nevada​ ​Constitution​ ​may​ ​any​ ​sectarian​ ​instruction

be​ ​allowed​ ​or​ ​condoned​ ​in​ ​common​ ​schools​ ​or​ ​university​ ​(Nev.​ ​Const.​ ​art.​ ​XI,​ ​§9).​ ​This​ ​section
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protects​ ​common​ ​schools​ ​and​ ​university​ ​from​ ​the​ ​possibility​ ​of​ ​sectarian​ ​instruction​ ​in​ ​order​ ​to

maintain​ ​a​ ​uniform​ ​system​ ​of​ ​education.​ ​This​ ​allows​ ​the​ ​Legislature​ ​and​ ​Board​ ​of​ ​Regents​ ​better

control​ ​of​ ​the​ ​expectations​ ​and​ ​regulations​ ​of​ ​the​ ​schools.

Article​ ​11​ ​section​ ​10​ ​proclaimed​ ​“No​ ​Public​ ​Money​ ​to​ ​Be​ ​Used​ ​for​ ​Sectarian​ ​Purposes”,

in​ ​order​ ​to​ ​resist​ ​the​ ​formation​ ​or​ ​condoning​ ​of​ ​sectarian​ ​instruction​ ​(Nev.​ ​Const.​ ​art.​ ​XI,​ ​§10).

By​ ​restricting​ ​funds​ ​for​ ​any​ ​sectarian​ ​purpose,​ ​whether​ ​“State,​ ​County​ ​or​ ​Municipal”​ ​funds,

section​ ​10​ ​reinforces​ ​previous​ ​sections​ ​2​ ​and​ ​9​ ​in​ ​order​ ​to​ ​once​ ​again​ ​reinforce​ ​a​ ​uniform​ ​system

of​ ​education​ ​(Nev.​ ​Const.​ ​art.​ ​XI,​ ​§10).​ ​In​ ​doing​ ​so​ ​legislation​ ​has​ ​uniform​ ​control​ ​and

cooperation​ ​over​ ​common​ ​schools​ ​and​ ​universities,​ ​ensuring​ ​these​ ​institutions​ ​be​ ​secular.
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Reference

Article​ ​11,​ ​Nevada​ ​Constitution.​ ​(n.d.).​ ​Retrieved​ ​September​ ​01,​ ​2017,​ ​from

https://ballotpedia.org/Article_11,_Nevada_Constitution

(n.d.).​ ​Retrieved​ ​September​ ​01,​ ​2017,​ ​from

http://wps.prenhall.com/chet_underwood_schoollaw_1/42/10992/2813970.cw/index.html