Arizona Got an A. Nevada Got an F. Here’s the Difference.
Nevada just got its report card on school transfers, and the grade isn’t pretty.
The Reason Foundation’s yearly ranking of open enrollment laws came out this week.
Open enrollment is what lets a child attend a public school other than the one they’re zoned for, as long as there’s room.
Nevada landed at 50 out of 100. That’s an F.
But thankfully, we aren’t standing still. Part of the problem has a fix coming next year.
What’s Changing Next Fall
Starting with the 2027-28 school year, Nevada families can apply to any public school in their district with open seats.
In Clark County, that means more than a hundred schools on the table instead of just one.
Schools won’t be able to turn a child away over grades, sports, a disability, or a home address, and each one has to post its open seats.
On top of that, Clark County is offering families up to $1,000 to help with transportation.
That opens a lot of doors. So why the F?
Where Nevada Falls Short
Most of it comes from what’s still missing.
Moving between districts is optional, left up to each district. Some schools can still charge families to enroll. And when a child gets turned down, there’s no appeal to anyone outside the district. The answer is just no.
Arizona, right next door, earned an A. Oklahoma and Arkansas are also topping the national list.
In all three, open seats generally mean open doors. Districts can only refuse students for a handful of reasons, and transfers are free.
What Parents Are Looking For
Families switch schools for different reasons, with some being more common than others.
The report points to bullying, smaller classes, access to college-level courses, and shorter commutes as the big ones.
Those are deciding factors when it comes to a kid looking forward to school or dreading it.
The idea is popular, too. About three in four parents support it, according to polling cited in the report.
And the research is reassuring for anyone worried about kids who switch.
Of five major studies Reason reviewed on cross-district transfers, none found students did worse. In fact, most found they did the same or better.
In Nevada, only about one in five high schoolers is proficient in math.
When our schools are falling that short, families shouldn’t be locked into one based on where they live.
Getting the Details Right
Open enrollment is the right idea for Nevada.
The next step is making sure it works: clear deadlines, accurate open seat counts, and a fair appeal process for families who get turned away.
More choices are coming for Nevada parents. I’m running to make sure they keep coming.
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