The Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) has released a new report titled Next Steps Nevada, which focuses on improving math education to better prepare students for college, careers, and the workforce. The report was developed by the Nevada Launch Years Initiative Task Force, a group that includes math faculty from every NSHE institution, system administration leaders, and a representative from the Nevada Department of Education. Their collaboration over 16 months led to four main recommendations for updating math instruction.
The recommendations include encouraging a mindset shift so all students view math as accessible and relevant, creating a new statistics and data science pathway for students in fields where data literacy is important, standardizing math placement policies across NSHE institutions, and strengthening the STEM pathway to prepare students for future careers.
One major change highlighted in the report is the creation of a general education statistics pathway. This option is designed for students seeking degrees in areas such as healthcare, public policy, social sciences, and other programs where understanding data is essential. The new course aims to give students practical skills in analyzing real-world data—skills that are often sought by employers.
“This report represents the best of what we can accomplish when faculty and leaders across NSHE work together,” said Renee Davis, associate vice chancellor for academic and student affairs. “These recommendations create stronger, more relevant pathways for our students, and the statistics course is an important first step toward giving students more options for success.”
The Launch Years Initiative continues efforts to support student achievement through strengthened advising and better preparation for workforce demands.