As students head back to class in Clark and Washoe Counties, Nevada Democrats are wasting no time attacking Gov. Joe Lombardo’s education record.
This week, the state party issued a statement claiming Lombardo has “done everything but prioritize our students’ success.”
But a closer look shows the talking points are more political spin than fact.
At the top of their list is Lombardo’s veto of a bill that would have created “guaranteed school meals” for every student.
Democrats claim his decision left Northern Nevada families with $100,000 in lunch debt.
But that number is tiny compared to multi-billion-dollar school budgets. And it ignores the fact that federal free and reduced lunch programs already exist for low-income families.
Lombardo wasn’t trying to take food away from hungry kids.
His veto targeted a “universal” program that would have given taxpayer-funded meals to every child — even those from wealthy families who don’t need the help.
“I support making sure no child goes hungry,” Lombardo said when he vetoed the measure. “But we should focus limited resources on those who truly need assistance.”
Democrats also attack Lombardo for vetoing SB340, which would have “guaranteed” summer school for any student who needed it.
What they leave out is that school districts already have the power to offer summer classes. SB340 would have created a costly, one-size-fits-all state mandate with no clear plan for results.
Then there’s the claim that Nevada ranks among the bottom four states for children’s well-being and that “all education measurements” have worsened under Lombardo.
The truth? Nevada has been near the bottom of national rankings for decades, long before Lombardo took office.
In fact, the biggest driver of these low scores — post-COVID learning loss — hit while Democrats controlled both the Legislature and the Governor’s Office.
The attacks get even more over the top when Democrats say Lombardo supports Donald Trump’s “plan to eliminate the Department of Education” to pay for “the largest permanent tax cuts for billionaires in history.”
For one, Trump has long talked about shifting more control to the states, but that’s very different from “destroying” public schools.
And his tax cuts benefited far more than billionaires — middle-class Nevadans kept more of their own paychecks, too.
Democrats also warn that eliminating the Department of Education would “threaten nearly $1 billion per year in Nevada school funding.” That’s misleading.
Most serious proposals to shrink the department would send the money back to the states in block grants, allowing Nevada to set its own priorities without federal red tape.
The claim that Trump “stripped $29 million in grant funding” from Nevada schools is another example of creative wording.
Federal grant funding changes from year to year, often depending on whether the state applies or meets program criteria. It’s not the same as a targeted cut.
Lombardo ran for governor as a “pro-education” candidate.
But his approach focuses on accountability, parental choice, and letting local school boards — not bureaucrats in Carson City or Washington — make the key decisions.
Democrats and teachers’ unions, on the other hand, keep pushing for more money and bigger statewide programs, even when results don’t improve.
The state party’s Executive Director Hilary Barrett called Lombardo “in lockstep with Donald Trump’s destruction of public education.” But that’s pure campaign rhetoric.
Lombardo’s education record is about reforming the system so Nevada’s kids have more opportunities — whether that’s through public, charter, or private schools.
With Nevada schools facing serious challenges, it’s no surprise the political fight over education is heating up.
But voters deserve more than partisan slogans. They deserve the facts. And the facts show Lombardo’s decisions are about smart spending and better results, not political talking points.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views. This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
