Study: Nevada last in subsidizing families’ educational choices

Monday, Feb. 11, 2002 | 9:43 a.m.

Nevada ranks near the bottom in state government subsidies for educational choices offered to families, a national study says.

The 2001 Education Freedom Index by the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research found Nevada ranked 45th, up three places from the previous year, for freedom of options in public, home, private and charter schools.

The study released last month further found Nevada ranked 48th in availability of public school choice, 31st in home school options, tied for 27th in private school options and 24th in charter school options.

Augie Orci, deputy superintendent for instruction for the Clark County School District, said locally, magnet schools offer choices for specialized areas like performing arts, tourism and international studies, but they need money.

"With state money, we are lucky to keep the programs we have now, let alone run new ones," Orci said. "We cut $70 million and are in the process of making several more budget cuts."

The national study by Jay P. Greene, an education policy writer for the Manhattan Institute, measured the extent of government-subsidized or -regulated educational choices offered to families in each state.

Arizona placed first followed by New Jersey and Delaware. Hawaii placed last.

Greene said studies show that expanding educational freedoms have yielded academic improvements and improved cost-efficiency for states "that would otherwise require thousands of additional dollars in per-pupil spending."