Annette Dawson Owens, GOP candidate for Nevada Assembly District 29, is an educator, an advocate and a mother to six sons. The last three mayors of Henderson appointed her to the city’s Community Education Advisory Board, and through her 30-year presence in the district, she has run into some of her former students and their families while knocking doors on the campaign trail. Having earned the endorsement of Republican Governor Joe Lombardo, Owens hopes to flip the district to strip the Democrats of their Assembly supermajority and in a seat left open by former Assemblywoman Lesley Cohen who suspended her reelection campaign. Owens faces Democratic candidate and lawyer Joe Dalia in a district that has a majority of independent voters.

Recently, the Nevada Department of Education published the state’s report card that showed failing proficiency rates but over 80 percent graduation rates. What does the education system need to increase the failing proficiency rates of students?

Thank you for that question. It is a complicated issue for us to tackle, but it is not impossible because we do see other states that are succeeding. Due to my background, I’ve been able to study high-performing schools in high poverty areas across the country that have succeeded and done well. We are the fifth largest school district (CCSD) and, in my opinion, there’s not the accountability that we need. Yes, we’ve been through a pandemic, and yes we’re going to see a little dip in those rates, but, we need to be able to keep track of where our students are, where they are lacking, what skills they need, and really support them.

The district has these failing rates year after year and nothing really changes. Just as a well-designed business pays attention to results, we need to pay attention to what’s happening with our students and where they’re needing a support. So, I think the accountability for that is is super important. One other thing that we don’t invest in as well as some other states is early learning opportunities– these high-quality Pre-K experiences that students need. That’s a huge investment that can make a difference in our students’ lives.

We know that one of the biggest indicators of a child’s future success is their kindergarten readiness. So, making sure that they have literacy and math skills early on is super important to put them on a path to success. But, then again, it’s not just enough to do those initial investments. We have to really understand where our students are at, where they are succeeding, and where they’re needing support each year as they go through the different grade levels. After 13 years in our school district, they must be graduating with the skills that they need to be successful. There are a number of things that need to be done, but, we do see pockets of success here, both in the district and in the charter world of schools, that are really succeeding, are intentional, and paying attention to where they put their money and where they put their efforts to give students and the teachers the support that they need to be successful.

Is their success due to an allocation of resources and how those resources are dedicated? How are they succeeding when other schools are failing?

It’s a combination of good leadership and the culture and climate of that school and the district, as well as using the resources in ways that are proven to improve results. It’s not just a money issue. Of course money is helpful, but the money needs to be put in the right places and have accountability of those funds to results. If literacy, for example, isn’t improving, then that is not a good use of those resources.

Currently, CCSD is facing a $12 million dollar shortfall due to increased legal and cybersecurity expenses. Have you been pleased with the reaction and responses from the governor and the superintendent of the Nevada Department of Education? Are you looking for additional accountability measures to ensure that these types of budget shortfalls can be avoided?

Absolutely. The governor is, among others, honing in on accountability. This has been a long-standing problem of not knowing exactly where the money is going, having these shortfalls, and not really paying attention to the budget. When CCSD is this large, there needs to be audits to know where the money is going and ensuring that the money is getting to the students and to the schools, instead of getting lost in the bureaucracy. This is also a trust issue with the public. The public does not want to continue investing in something that is not sound, so accountability measures establish trust as well.

As you walk your district, what are the main issues you are hearing from the residents in Assembly District 29?

I really do love the district, and, I’m pretty much out there walking every day. It is a working class area, and it’s very difficult for them as things are really expensive right now. Housing is expensive, rent is expensive, food is expensive, gas and consumables are expensive. Children, in general, are expensive. So, families are really struggling and they know that Nevada has not always been like this. They are not experiencing the same sense of comfort that they have had in the past.

I know this myself as I have six sons. My food bill for two is as much as it used to be for the six of us.

Most of the people I talk to are really surprised when they see me, telling me that this was the first time a politician has knocked on their door. They are very grateful about that. I have been in this district for 30 years and it’s a beautiful thing for me to walk the neighborhood and run into former students of mine who now have kids. It has been fun to catch up with them and see that they have chosen to stay here and raise a family here. My parents and siblings all live within two miles from me.

So, I’m very committed to the community and have been serving the community in a number of different capacities. My connection to the community and the people is a good thing in that I have established some trust, unlike my competitor. I have a lot of people I talk to who don’t know who he is or what he has done .

What compelled you to run, and do you have some legislation in mind that you would like to sponsor or advance?

Honestly, it was not on my radar. I’ve done advocacy work for a very long time, especially surrounding education, and when the pandemic hit, I started to run the Children’s Advocacy Alliance with a friend of mine. So, for the past four years,  I’ve seen the impact of good legislation and bad legislation. As a school readiness policy director, I have advocated in specific areas for children and families across Nevada, such as education, health care, safety, economic development, and welfare. As I was doing that, the governor’s team said that there was an open assembly seat in my district, and my response was, “I will help you find a candidate.”

But, as I started thinking about it and understanding the importance of having a balanced legislature, I agreed to run with the governor’s endorsement because I realized that I have at least had some experience with the legislative process. This is kind of an extension of the work that I’m already doing. It just made sense, and it’s really my commitment to Nevada and my family. Seeing my own sons leave the state they were raised in because they graduated and found better jobs and cheaper housing elsewhere is a sad example that we are losing great people because of the impact of bad legislation.

For the past four years, I have established relationships across the aisle and have worked with both Republicans and Democrats, so I know working together is possible.

Sometimes we enact legislation and don’t think about the consequences. Coming in as a new legislator, my thought is to do not harm, and to listen, learn and understand. I don’t pretend to hold all the answers, but I will be a part of the solution.

One piece of legislation that I think we need is Universal Pre-K. It not only helps our kids get on the right path, but it also helps working parents. I do feel like there is bipartisan support for it.

What would you like your voters to know about you to have confidence that you can hit the ground running and be an agent for change and bipartisanship?

I would like them to know that I have always been a champion for women, children and families, and that I will continue to do the work that I always have done in that realm–advocating for equal access and ensuring that our families have the support they need to be successful. I am in it for the long haul as a committed Nevadan. I am here to work on the issues, with established relationships, so we can move forward in positive ways. This race isn’t about me. I am here to serve and represent the people in my district so their needs are addressed. The race is about their needs and how we can make Nevada a better and stronger place where we can all be successful.