Nevada

"The education savings account law eliminates a number of provisions that have traditionally constrained voucher programs. In other states, it's usually only low-income families, families with disabled students or students in failing schools who can receive the money. In Nevada, everyone can claim state cash, from the richest parents to the poorest. Proponents argue it will help families on all ends of the economic spectrum, but will be felt most by low-income families, who have traditionally been excluded from private schools due to cost."

"While the Nevada Legislature has been grabbing headlines in recent weeks with a series of education reform bills, you might have missed the 'report card' released by the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation revealing how Nevada schools are woefully neglecting gifted students from low-income backgrounds. It analyzed state-level policies and actual student performance to evaluate how well each state cultivates the skills of the most academically talented but economically vulnerable students. While no state received an 'A,' Nevada didn't even measure up by any measure, earning just a 'C' for its policies and an abysmal 'D ' for its student performances. It did, however, at least fare better than Arizona and California."

"Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval's proposal to help lower-income students afford private schools passed the Nevada Senate in party-line vote on Tuesday and is now headed to his desk for final approval. Senators approved AB165, which proponents say will help students leave lower-achieving schools and attend one of the estimated 200 private schools in the state that might be financially out of reach."

"Despite an economy that is starting to turn around, the number of children living in poverty in Nevada is slightly above the national average, according to an annual analysis of children's well-being released Wednesday."