Nevada Governor Proposes Redirecting COVID-19 Federal Funds to Sustain Private School Scholarships

By Lucia Paula , Parent Herald Aug 10, 09:10 am

Photo: (Photo : Brooke Cagle on Unsplash)

The longstanding debate surrounding school choice in Nevada reached a crucial juncture as the state's Interim Finance Committee deliberated over the allocation of unspent federal funds. According to AP News, the emphasis was on replacing depleted funds for a private school scholarship program that Republican Governor Joe Lombardo supported despite opposition from legislative Democrats.

Lombardo's Last Stand: Governor's Bid to Salvage School Choice Priority Sparks Legislative Clash

Governor Lombardo's recent efforts represent a final attempt to salvage a fragment of his prominent school choice agenda in Nevada, where a divided government landscape has become increasingly rare. Originally aiming to expand both funding and eligibility for the state's Opportunity Scholarship program, Lombardo now aims to sustain the program at its previous levels.

The initial proposal, which the Republican-dominated Legislature initially approved in 2015, sought to expand eligibility and provide an additional $50 million for the Opportunity Scholarship program. The program allows businesses to receive tax credits on contributions that support private and religious school tuitions for predominantly low-income students.

However, with that proposal defunct, Lombardo is currently seeking $3.2 million from unused federal coronavirus relief funds to prolong existing scholarships that are projected to soon exhaust their resources.

Ben Kieckhefer, the governor's chief of staff, appeared before legislators, estimating that around 350 students might need to switch schools on short notice due to funding shortages. He implored legislators to consider the students' well-being, prompting pointed questions from Democratic lawmakers.

During the legislative committee's deliberations, concerns emerged about the funding shortfall's origins and urgency, revealing that one scholarship-granting organization disproportionately received more funding than the other six.

Democratic Assemblywoman Daniele Monroe-Moreno of North Las Vegas highlighted this imbalance, stating, "There is one organization that took the money that all six organizations should have had." She emphasized that the legislative body wasn't responsible for destabilizing students' situations.

Amidst the debate, Republicans rallied support for the scholarship program, while Democratic lawmakers critiqued the program for lacking adequate financial safeguards and accountability measures.

Lombardo had recently stood alongside parents and students in a rally advocating for school choice, asserting that "traditional public schools are not and should not be the only option."

Resource Allocation Dilemma: School Choice Dilemma Exposes Nevada's Education Challenges

According to US News, the concept of school choice generally involves taxpayer-funded initiatives to broaden educational alternatives, including private or charter schools, homeschooling, or hybrid models. It aims to provide students with more options, particularly those who may not thrive in traditional public school settings. Nevertheless, Democratic legislators caution against using public funds for private schools, fearing it could exacerbate resource limitations in public schools.

In an interesting turn, the use of federal coronavirus relief funds to bolster school choice isn't unprecedented. Republican governors in Tennessee, Arizona, and Oklahoma have utilized federal funds to establish charter schools, expand private school vouchers, and support scholarships for low-income students attending private institutions.

Nevada's school choice debate reflects broader national discussions on the matter. The state's unique circumstances intensify the debate, with deep divisions between the relatively moderate Republican governor and the Democratic-controlled Legislature. Struggling with low per-pupil funding, teacher shortages, underfunding, aged infrastructure, and overcrowded classrooms, Nevada's educational landscape is facing multifaceted challenges.

According to FOX 5 Vegas, the recent meeting mirrored the partisan discourse surrounding the Opportunity Scholarship program, with a committee split 15-7 in favor of Democrats. Disagreements between the parties during the negotiations and divergent accounts of the history of the discussions have marked them.

Amidst these discussions, the implications for students and families remain at the forefront. The committee's letter to Governor Lombardo requested information about potential scholarship losses, the financial impact, and the utilization of unspent funds from previous years. As Nevada grapples with its school funding dilemmas, the debate underscores the complex interplay of education policy and budget priorities.