Aaron Ford tells CCSD teachers Nevada needs steady school funding and questions Lombardo's budget record

What happened

Attorney General Aaron Ford, the Democratic candidate for Nevada governor, told a group of Clark County School District teachers on Oct. 6 that the state's support for education funding needs to be more consistent, the Las Vegas Sun reported. The roundtable took place at Sedway Middle School in North Las Vegas.

Ford, a former math teacher, said bringing Nevada's per-pupil funding up to national parity will not happen in a single legislative session. He tied the issue directly to state budgets. "When you show me your budget, I see your priorities," Ford said, according to the Sun.

How school funding has changed under Lombardo

A large boost in 2023

According to the Sun, Nevada schools received a historic funding increase of more than $2 billion in 2023. That raised base funding by about $2,300 per pupil over Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo's first biennium.

Smaller increases in 2025

The Sun reported that the momentum did not carry into 2025. Lawmakers that year approved funding that raised the base per-pupil allocation by $2 one year and $70 the next, which the Sun noted was less than the rate of inflation. Ford pointed to the smaller figure, saying a governor who promises to invest in schools has to follow through "by more than $2 per pupil."

The emergency order and CCSD staffing

Enrollment loss and a projected cut

In late September, Lombardo signed an emergency order directing that education funding be allocated statewide using older, higher student counts as enrollment declines sped up, the Sun reported. CCSD officials said this year's drop went beyond internal projections and, combined with higher employee pay, had the district preparing for a $51.6 million cut in state funding this fall.

The order helped the Clark County School District avoid most of the disruption from an estimated surplus of 577 employees. Officials have said the reprieve lasts through January, or until the next legislative session begins and lawmakers can consider a long-term solution.

What surplus means for employees

Surplus happens once or twice a year when enrollment shifts leave positions unfunded at their current schools. Affected employees can be reassigned, and if no qualifying position is available they are placed under reduction in force and may eventually be laid off. CCSD says some employees may change work locations this year, but nobody will be laid off.

Ford's criticism of the timing

Ford said he was glad no one is losing a job but argued the order could have come earlier and questioned Lombardo's motive. "Don't fly in and act like you're the hero when you helped to create the problem in the first place," he said. He added, "I do think he could have done that six months ago, as opposed to a month before the election."

Teachers' questions and union endorsements

Josh Luera, a Desert Oasis High School teacher with 13 years of experience, said budget crises in education are a regular, known problem. He asked how Nevada could build a steady revenue stream for schools that holds up during economic downturns, noting that some Desert Oasis teachers at risk of being surplussed had just moved from out of state.

Ford said he did not have all the answers. He said he would generally favor diversifying the state's economy to bring in more taxpayers rather than raising tax rates, and he said he was willing to discuss dedicated revenue streams for schools.

Lombardo's campaign says education has been a pillar of his administration, the Sun reported. The Clark County Education Association, the state's largest teachers union, has endorsed Lombardo, while the Nevada State Education Association, which represents CCSD support staff and teachers in every Nevada district, backs Ford in the governor's race. When a CCEA member asked about the split, Ford said he had heard that union members support him and that "it's the membership that votes." Most attendees raised their hands when he asked who belonged to CCEA.

What to watch next

• CCSD's emergency funding reprieve runs through January or until the next legislative session begins, according to district officials.
• Officials have said lawmakers can take up a long-term solution to enrollment-driven funding losses in the next legislative session.
• Ford, who described the election as about a month away, is challenging Lombardo for governor, with the state's two major education unions split between them.