Former Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin praises Lombardo's education record at a Las Vegas charter school stop

What happened

Former Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin appeared Thursday, Oct. 22, with Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo at Founders Classical Academy of Las Vegas, a public K-12 charter school, the Las Vegas Sun reported. Speaking in the school gymnasium, Youngkin handed Lombardo a label once used for himself: "I have to say, as somebody who was called the education governor, you are the education governor."

According to the Sun, the stop came two days after U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon met with Lombardo, and it put schools at the center of his reelection campaign against Democrat Aaron Ford, the state attorney general. Lombardo's campaign said education has been a core theme of his message since his first run for governor in 2022.

Lombardo's case on schools

Funding and results he cited

Lombardo pointed to his role in helping secure more than $2 billion in additional school funding, expanding school choice through open enrollment, supporting better transportation and widening access to Opportunity Scholarships. "In the last four years, we made some significant investments and reforms in education, and we have started to see results," he said, as quoted by the Sun.

He said that since 2022, childhood literacy rates in Nevada have risen 5%, chronic absenteeism has dropped and a number of one-star schools have improved their ratings.

A new federal scholarship tax credit

The event highlighted Lombardo's decision to opt in to the Federal Tax Credit Scholarship Program, created by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and taking effect Jan. 1. The Sun reported that it lets Nevada taxpayers redirect up to $1,700 of their federal income taxes, or $3,400 for married couples filing jointly, to certified scholarship groups that help families pay private-school tuition and other K-12 costs.

Youngkin praised Lombardo as one of the first governors to opt in and said he believes the program will bring millions of dollars to Nevada. Democrats criticized the program in an early-October letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, arguing it diverts money from public education to prop up private schools.

The state scholarship fight

The federal program gives Lombardo another route after Democrats who control the Legislature repeatedly blocked his efforts to grow the Nevada Opportunity Scholarship program, the Sun reported. Created in 2015, it offers scholarships of up to $10,094 for private school students from households earning up to 300% of the federal poverty level. Business donations fund it in exchange for credits against the Modified Business Tax, capped at about $6.7 million a year.

In 2023, Lombardo sought to raise that funding to $50 million and eventually $500 million, but Democrats removed the proposal from his education bill, saying the state should focus on public schools. Daniel Reyes, a former Founders Classical Academy student, said the scholarship made private school possible for his family. "That opportunity right there changed my life," he said.

Ford's response

Rankings and federal funding

Ford, a former public school math teacher, has argued Lombardo has not made progress on education despite talking about reforms. He cites Nevada's No. 46 ranking for education outcomes in the Annie E. Casey Foundation's 2025 Kids Count report and low proficiency scores in elementary reading and math. He has also criticized Lombardo for backing President Donald Trump's push to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education.

Ford's education plan

Ford's plan calls for reading specialists in every elementary school, smaller classes, expanded early childhood education and better pay for school support staff. It also includes free breakfast and lunch for all students, a program once temporarily funded by federal pandemic aid. Lombardo vetoed a 2023 bill to extend it with state money, citing food waste and other programs that address food insecurity.

Challenges that remain

The Sun reported that Nevada still spends thousands of dollars less per student than the national average, and schools continue to face teacher shortages, layoffs and a lack of infrastructure. More on local classrooms is in our schools coverage.

Lombardo said that if reelected he would increase per-pupil funding to improve infrastructure, teacher pay, school options and transportation. "I believe parents deserve more options, not fewer, and I intend to keep expanding those opportunities in my next term," he said. Voters can review how Nevada voting works ahead of the election.

What to watch next

• The Federal Tax Credit Scholarship Program, which Lombardo opted Nevada into, takes effect Jan. 1.
• The governor's race between Lombardo and Ford, in which education is a central issue, remains undecided.
• Lombardo has pledged to increase per-pupil funding if reelected, while Ford is campaigning on reading specialists, smaller classes and free school meals.