The Stakes
#49
Per-pupil funding rank
23:1
Student-teacher ratio
~3,000
Teacher vacancies (CCSD)
50%
4th graders not reading proficient
Nevada's education system is in crisis by almost any measure. The Clark County School District—the 5th largest in the nation—operates with chronic teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms, and some of the lowest test scores in the country. Everyone agrees it's a problem. No one agrees on the solution.
Where They Stand
Aaron Ford
Democrat • Attorney General
Position
Unique credential: Ford has a Ph.D. in Educational Administration and was a public school math teacher. He's suing the Trump administration to stop DOE dismantling. Pro-union, anti-voucher, and frames education as a civil rights issue.
The Tension
Ford's education credentials are real, but he co-sponsored SB 555 (2017)—scholarship tax credits that fund private schools. This was a compromise with Republicans that angered some progressives. His current anti-voucher stance conflicts with that vote. Also: defending the status quo is hard when Nevada ranks 49th.
Key Actions
- • DOE lawsuit: Suing Trump admin to protect federal education funding
- • Won preliminary injunction stopping DOE dismantling
- • Co-sponsored SB 555 scholarship tax credits (2017)
- • Strong teachers' union endorsements expected
Alexis Hill
Democrat • Washoe County Chair
Position
Hill ties education directly to her margin tax proposal—new business taxes would fund schools. This is the most structurally aggressive position on education funding. Supported (failed) library tax in Washoe County. Pro-public school, anti-voucher.
The Tension
Hill's margin tax is framed as an education solution, but the 2014 Education Initiative (similar margin tax) was rejected 79-21%. Voters said no to this approach. The Washoe County library tax she supported also failed. Is she misreading the electorate, or making a principled stand voters will eventually accept?
Key Actions
- • Margin tax proposal: Would fund education through business tax
- • Supported Library Tax (failed at ballot)
- • County-level: limited direct education authority
- • Standard pro-public school positions
The Funding Debate
"It's a Funding Problem"
Nevada ranks near the bottom in per-pupil spending. Advocates argue you can't expect good outcomes with inadequate investment.
- • Nevada: ~$9,500 per pupil
- • National average: ~$14,000 per pupil
- • New York: ~$26,000 per pupil
Who believes this: Ford, Hill, teachers' unions, most Democrats
"It's a Choice Problem"
School choice advocates argue the problem isn't money—it's a monopoly. Parents need alternatives to failing schools.
- • DC spends $22K/pupil—still struggles
- • Competition improves performance
- • Parents know best, not bureaucrats
Who believes this: Lombardo, school choice organizations, most Republicans
The reality: Both sides oversimplify. Funding matters, but so does how it's spent. Choice can help some families, but doesn't scale. Nevada's problems are structural: rapid population growth, teacher housing costs, and a tax base that doesn't support robust public services.
The Teacher Crisis
Clark County School District starts the year with thousands of teacher vacancies. This isn't a policy debate—it's an emergency.
Ford's Approach
- • Former teacher—unique perspective
- • Pro-union, supports collective bargaining
- • Increase teacher pay substantially
- • Focus on working conditions
Hill's Approach
- • Margin tax would fund pay increases
- • County-level: limited direct authority
- • Pro-union positions
- • Structural funding solution
Evidence Scorecard
| Claim | Evidence | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Lombardo "increased education funding" | True—signed record budget. But legislature controlled the numbers. | Partly True |
| Ford is "education expert" | PhD + teaching experience is real. But he co-sponsored school choice bill in 2017. | Mostly True |
| Vouchers "fix" education | Mixed evidence nationally. Helps some students; doesn't scale to address systemic issues. | Debatable |
| Margin tax would "fund schools" | It would raise revenue. But voters rejected this approach 79-21% in 2014. | Uncertain |