NEVADA VIEWS: A wake-up call on education

Nevada recently welcomed U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon as part of her promise to visit all 50 states. Her stop was far more than symbolic. It marked a critical moment for education in our state and underscored the urgent need for bold, student-centered reform.

Ms. McMahon made a clear case for reducing the size and scope of the U.S. Department of Education and returning greater authority to states. This approach is grounded in a powerful truth: Those closest to our students — local leaders, educators, and families — are best equipped to understand and meet their needs. For a state such as Nevada, with a diverse student population, that message hits home.

Ms. McMahon also reaffirmed her strong support for school choice, recognizing that no single education model works for every child. Whether it’s a traditional public school, a charter, a private institution or homeschooling, families deserve the freedom to choose what works best for them. School choice is about empowering parents, respecting their unique insight and expanding opportunity for all.

Perhaps most striking was the secretary’s call to modernize public education to meet the demands of today’s world. She spoke passionately about the need to align our classrooms with technological innovation, ensuring our students graduate not just with diplomas, but with the skills and confidence to thrive in a rapidly changing global economy. Students need quality education options to prepare them for careers that may not exist yet.

Her message couldn’t have come at a more important time.

Nevada is ready for this conversation. In Clark County, fewer than 47 percent of students are proficient in reading, and only 37 percent meet grade-level expectations in math, according to the Nevada Report Card. This reflects real students falling behind in fundamental subjects. And the crisis extends beyond county lines. Nationally, only 26 percent of Nevada’s eighth graders scored at or above the NAEP Proficient level in reading in 2024.

This is a wake-up call. Our education system is struggling, and incremental change is not enough.

That’s why the Educational Choice for Children Act is so important. This federal opportunity could reshape Nevada’s education system by introducing a stronger, more expansive school choice program. Currently, our state’s limited $6.7 million scholarship tax credit supports only about 1,600 students, a number that barely scratches the surface of the demand. Unfortunately, efforts to expand the program have been repeatedly stalled due to pressure from the teachers’ union. The act offers a path forward. If passed, nearly 400,000 students in Nevada would become eligible, and more than 20,000 could gain access to the high-quality education options they deserve.

That’s not just policy. That’s real impact for real families.

As a Hispanic mother, a first-generation American and someone who once worked for a teachers’ union, I’ve seen education from many angles. I know the power of school choice and the urgency of reform. Ms. McMahon’s visit wasn’t just encouraging — it was a reminder that we must keep pushing forward. Our children’s futures depend on it.

Valeria Gurr is an education policy expert and senior fellow at the American Federation for Children.