Lombardo Touts Charter School Growth at Las Vegas Event, Calls Results Undeniable
The Governor Shows Up
Governor Joe Lombardo has never been shy about his support for school choice — and he put that on full display Thursday at a Charter School Association of Nevada event in Las Vegas.
“The education numbers, the graduation numbers, the measurements associated with education are improving on an annual basis,” Lombardo said.
“And we can’t deny that.”
That’s not spin. That’s a governor looking at results and calling them what they are.
70,000 Kids and Counting
Nevada’s charter school sector has grown into something that can’t be ignored. More than 70,000 students are now enrolled in charter schools statewide. The Charter School Authority has become the second-largest local education agency in Nevada, surpassing Washoe County School District by nearly 7,000 students.
State Superintendent Victor Wakefield said it plainly at Thursday’s event:
“Public charter schools are now enrolling 70,000 Nevada students. It’s a really big piece of our work at NDE, supporting the success of those students.”
That’s 15% of Nevada’s public school kids. A decade ago, that number was a fraction of what it is today.
The Results Speak for Themselves
Nevada has been stuck near the bottom of national education rankings for years. Most Nevadans know it and aren’t happy about it. But charter schools are moving the needle.
Five-star schools statewide climbed to 17% this past school year, up from 11% the year before, with public charter schools leading those rankings.
The Charter School Association reports that five of the seven schools earning a perfect score on the Nevada School Performance Framework are charters. More than 85% of charter schools earn three stars or higher, and nearly 70% earn four or five stars.
Accountability matters. But as Tam Shear, CEO of Opportunity 180, said at Thursday’s event:
“Somewhere along the way accountability became a bad word in education. What accountability actually does is it provides us clear guidance on what matters most, which is student learning and student growth.”
This is what limited government looks like when it works. No top-down mandate. No bloated federal program. Just schools competing to serve families — and families voting with their feet.
A Funding Fight Worth Having
Charter schools are outperforming the system and still getting shortchanged on funding.
Selena Torres-Fawcett, executive director of the Charter School Association of Nevada, didn’t mince words:
“Public schools serving more than 70,000 students receive no dedicated funding for facilities. That means classroom dollars are used to keep our doors open. That means fewer resources for students. That means real barriers to growth.”
Traditional public schools get facility funding. Charter schools don’t. They pay for their buildings out of the same per-pupil money meant to educate kids. That’s a structural disadvantage built into the system by people more interested in protecting the status quo than helping children.
Lombardo put the stakes plainly:
“Every child deserves access and choices to a quality education. But just as importantly, our economy depends on it.”
He’s right on both counts.
What You Can Do
The Charter School Association is pushing the Nevada Legislature for dedicated facility funding. They also want to remove barriers keeping charter students out of athletics and extracurriculars through the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association. Both are reasonable asks that deserve support.
If you believe parents — not bureaucrats — should decide where children go to school, make some noise. Call your state legislator. Show up at a school board meeting. Talk to your neighbors.
Nevada’s charter schools have earned their seat at the table. Lombardo is making the case. The question now is whether the Legislature will act.
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.
