Nevada’s education system is not suffering from a lack of funding… it is suffering from a lack of truth, accountability, and moral clarity.
For years, we have been told the same story: just spend more money. And to be fair, we have. Budgets have increased. Programs have expanded. Initiatives have multiplied. Yet, what are the results? Nevada still ranks near the bottom nationally in reading and math proficiency… 49th in the nation. That is not just disappointing… it is unacceptable.
At some point, we must stop pretending this is a funding problem and call it what it is: a failure of leadership and priorities. Let’s be clear. Money is not the enemy. Misplaced priorities are.
To his credit and ours, Governor Joe Lombardo has taken meaningful steps to refocus attention on accountability, school choice, and parental involvement… efforts that move the conversation in the right direction. But progress will stall if it is not reinforced with consistent, outcome-driven reform.
Nevada stands at a crossroads. Policies aligned with the progressive approach often advanced by Aaron Ford… with his sights set on the Governor’s office… are pushing education in the wrong direction… replacing results with bureaucracy and knowledge with ideology. When narrative and ideology replace knowledge, and process replaces results, students suffer… and Nevada suffers with them. It doesn’t work and everyone knows it.
And here is the uncomfortable truth few are willing to say out loud: when you remove truth, responsibility, and moral foundation from education, you should not expect excellence… you should expect decline.
Education is not just about knowledge… it is about building character, discipline, and responsibility. No discipline… no responsibility… no standards… no results… a total loose-loose scenario. It produces confusion, mediocrity, and ultimately a generation unprepared for the real world.
From a Judeo-Christian perspective, this should not surprise us. Truth matters… Accountability matters… Character matters. When those are stripped away or replaced with shifting cultural agendas, the foundation cracks.
So what is the solution? First, restore accountability at every level. Tie funding to measurable outcomes… not intentions. Second, empower parents through school choice and transparency. Third, return to fundamentals… reading, writing, math, and critical thinking. Fourth, re-anchor education in truth, discipline, and responsibility.
Nevada does not need another study or task force. It needs courage.
Call to Action: Parents: demand transparency. Know what your children are being taught… and what they are not. Voters: hold elected officials accountable. Do not reward failure with reelection. Ask one simple question: Are our children actually learning? Business leaders: speak up. Your future workforce is being shaped right now… and it is not ready.
And to those in power: stop protecting systems that are not working. Fix them… or step aside. Because this is no longer just an education issue… it is a moral one.
If we continue to invest more and expect less, we are failing our schools, our children, and ultimately, ourselves.
By Whose Authority?
For more information on my Commentary and to see some of my backup research, or if you wonder why I take the position I take, go to www.LyleBrennan.com.
2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV) “If my people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
