Nevada parents, taxpayers, and voters have heard it before: our public schools are falling behind. But now, there’s fresh proof – and it stings.
A new 2025 report from WalletHub ranks all 50 states based on public education performance.
Utah came in near the top. Nevada? Still sitting near the bottom.
WalletHub’s report looked at things like test scores, student safety, and graduation rates.
Utah ranked No. 11 overall, just shy of the top 10.
Nevada didn’t even crack the top 40.
Let that sink in.
Nevada was ranked 48th in reading test scores. We were 47th in math. And only a handful of states have a lower high school graduation rate.
We’re not talking about slipping a few spots. We’re talking about sitting near dead last year after year.
Meanwhile, Utah managed to be 2nd in math scores nationwide while keeping its spending per student low. That’s something to pay attention to.
Throwing Money at the Problem Isn’t Working
Here’s what’s frustrating: Nevada keeps spending more on public schools, but the results aren’t improving.
The Clark County School District alone has a $2.4 billion budget this year. That’s more than the entire general fund budget for the state of Utah.
Yet the performance just isn’t there.
The problem isn’t always money. It’s management, priorities, and culture.
We have too many bloated school bureaucracies and not enough focus on student achievement.
School boards get caught up in political fights, social agendas, and union demands instead of fixing the basics – like making sure kids can read, write, and do math.
Utah Does More with Less
Utah spends far less per student than Nevada, yet they outperform us across the board.
How?
For one, they have stronger local control. School boards in Utah tend to stay focused on academics.
And while class sizes there are still large (they ranked 48th in pupil-teacher ratio), the quality of instruction is higher and more consistent.
It’s a cultural difference, too.
Utah’s education system emphasizes discipline, responsibility, and high expectations.
In Nevada, we’ve lowered the bar so much that many kids get pushed through the system without learning what they need.
Parents Deserve Real Options
This is where conservatives say enough is enough. It’s time to give Nevada parents real choices – especially in failing school zones.
Charter schools and education savings accounts (ESAs) are a step in the right direction. But teachers unions and Democrat lawmakers keep fighting them at every turn.
Why? Because they want to keep families trapped in the system that funds them, even when that system is broken.
Imagine you’re forced to eat at the same government-run cafeteria every day, even though the food is cold and the service is awful.
Then someone offers you a coupon to eat somewhere better – and the government says no.
That’s exactly what happens to thousands of Nevada parents every year who want out of failing public schools.
A Wake-Up Call for Nevada
This latest report should be a wake-up call. We’re failing our kids, and no amount of political spin can change that.
Utah is proving that strong academics, conservative budgeting, and local accountability still work.
Nevada can do better – but only if we stop pretending the current system is fine.
It’s not.
We don’t need more buzzwords or expensive consultants. We need real reforms, real choice, and real results.
Until then, too many Nevada students will keep falling further behind. And that’s a price we can’t afford.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.