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attract high-paying jobs will only improve when we get serious about investing in education. Ruvo: I don't want to put all the pressure on the city of Las Vegas, but Las Vegas Boulevard is our main industry. What could we do as a community to encourage a format change? Because I can tell you that we're having a difficult time bringing great doctors into this city, because they are so well-educated and want the same thing for their families. I think there's something bigger here that we're missing. Fretwell: If you talk to [Clark County School District Superintendent] Pat Skorkowsky, the biggest problem they have is recruitment. Camille, to your point, when we talk to these business executives that we're trying to get to come to our state, the education issue is a significant issue. What we're trying to do is convince them that there are choices, because there are some really good schools in the public system and there are obviously some fantastic schools in the private system. But that's not what they're hearing. Ruvo: Susie and Carolyn, how much does it cost to educate a child properly per year? Goodman: We're allocated down the state in different pockets. It's about $8,500 per student, and every time a new charter school starts, they take $8,500 out of that physical public school to open the charter school. Lee: But the national average is $12,000. Nevada ranks 51st in chance for success for students, with the indicators used to come up with this assessment being the income level of your parents, the postsecondary degrees of your parents, graduation rates, etc. We can talk tax policy; it's been dependent upon tourism and gaming for too long. Then we had this recession, then we start saying, "Well, let's tax mining; let's do the margins tax." Okay, everyone's against the margins tax, but I'll tell you what: It's the only thing I've seen since I've been in this commu- nity that's going to get money into education. Until we sit down as a state and demand that that happen, nothing's going to happen. Fretwell: Susie, we had a Council workshop and we brought in a bunch of thought leaders, and every single one of them stood up and talked about education as a key component in their sector. Whether it was transportation, technology, whatever the topic was… Morton: Restaurants! The restaurant industry. Fretwell: All these different things. What came up is that it's beyond a state issue. It's almost like we all have to own it as a community. The mayor and this Council are really about building this community back from the depths of the recession and trying to do it right. We're involved in education as a city. Is it in our charter? No. Well, it sort of is, but the point is, it's going to take all of us with a lot of pressure and a lot of really good ideas, with a willingness to change and to prioritize so that we make a difference where it matters. Lee: Having run nonprofit organizations, I come to this with a sense of frustration, because I am determined to change this. Nevada is fourth in the nation in the percentage of ELL [English language learner] students in our school districts, so it's a huge issue of getting those children f luent early. When you look at our proficiency in third grade, white and non – low income students have 80 percent proficiency, but when you start to talk about African Americans, Hispanics, and low-income, those numbers drop to below 50 percent. We want to create a community with the ability to achieve the American dream—meaning your intergenerational income-earning ability—but I don't see that happening until we as a commu- nity get together and address our tax inequality and get more resources into education. Goodman: That's why the focus has been on the inner-city schools. We have Three Square; we have you all helping us. And the magnet schools are doing wonderful [work]. We don't have enough magnet schools. You could line the streets probably from here to Henderson with students wait-listed for a spot. We're doing CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Jenna Morton and Mayor Carolyn Goodman, Camille Ruvo, and Susie Lee. 130 VEGASMAGAZINE.COM 126-131_V_F_Roundtable_MAYJUNE_14.indd 130 4/21/14 5:14 PM