Nevada

Overview

During the 2022-2023 school year, Nevada preschool enrolled 2,481 children, an increase of 96 from the prior year. State spending totaled $19,754,875 with an additional $3,733,874 in federal recovery funds to support the program, up $815,128 (4%), adjusted for inflation, since last year. State spending per child (including federal recovery funds) equaled $9,467 in 2022-2023, down $39 from 2021-2022, adjusted for inflation. The State Legislature allotted $8,410 per child. Nevada met 7 of 10 quality standards benchmarks.

What's New

The 2023 Legislative session passed the Early Childhood Innovation Literacy Program (AB400) to expand and enhance a literacy program for children under the age of six. The $70 million allocated will be used to expand State Pre-K eligibility such as expanding income eligibility and including 3-year-olds as well as developing other evidence-based literacy programs for FY24 and FY25 via competitive grants.

In December 2022, Nevada was awarded a federal Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B–5) renewal grant for $10 million. Funds are being used to support three buckets of work: (1) Children and Families (i.e., kindergarten transition, parent
leadership, and family engagement); (2) Workforce and Quality (i.e., professional development pathways, compensation model, QRIS coaching and specialized supports, and workforce and quality leadership); and (3) Comprehensive Systems (i.e., ECAC support, B–3 leadership and alignment, and cross-sector partnerships and collaboration).

Background

The Nevada Ready! State Pre-K (formerly known as the Nevada State Pre-Kindergarten Program) began in 2001. Programs operate in both community-based organizations and school districts. During the 2021-2022 school year, nearly 75% of enrolled children were served in programs operated by their local school districts, with 65% of school districts providing Nevada Ready! State PreK funded programs or classrooms. The Office of Early Learning and Development (OELD) within the Nevada Department of Education (NDE) is responsible for administering multiple early childhood state and federal funding sources including State Pre-K. Beginning in 2019- 2020, pre-K funds were no longer awarded through competitive grants but were instead distributed to existing school districts or programs based on the previous year’s final expenditures. 

Districts and programs determine eligibility based on highest need, which can include children from low-income families, those who are homeless, English Language Learners, or children receiving special education services. Nevada State Pre-Kindergarten program eligibility is set at 200% of FPL based on previous Preschool Development Grant (PDG) requirements. Programs are able to serve other children that do not meet the income requirement if there are not income eligible children on the waiting list and/or if they are braiding funds.

Nevada Ready! State Pre-K

Access

Total state pre-K enrollment	2,481
School districts that offer state program	65% (LEAs); 3 Community-Based Organizations
Income requirement	200% FPL
Minimum hours of operation	5 hours/day or 25 hours/week
Operating schedule	Determined locally
Special education enrollment, ages 3 and 4	4,081
Federally funded Head Start enrollment, ages 3 and 4	2,100
State-funded Head Start enrollment, ages 3 and 4	0

Resources

*Pre-K programs may receive additional funds from federal or local sources that are not included in this figure. †Head Start per-child spending includes funding only for 3- and 4-year-olds. ‡K–12 expenditures include capital spending as well as current operating expenditures.