Nevada, like all states, has a unique early childhood policy landscape that is shaped by economics, demographics, political history, coalitions, and other factors that create a state-specific environment for policy advocacy.
State early childhood policy progress is dependent both on the state’s environment and the numerous efforts—by the organizations listed on this page, other organizations, parents, policymakers, practitioners, and more—who work both independently and collaboratively to achieve wins for young children.
Research shows that family economic security is foundational to children’s overall wellbeing. Research also shows that widespread disparities in opportunity (especially by race) drive wide disparities in outcomes. States with policies that offer strong support to young children and their families are more likely to see 1) declining numbers of children in low-income households and 2) low racial disparity among those children.
Young Children in Low-Income Households: Declining
Approximately 41 percent (133,000) of the state’s children 0-8 live in households below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (2022). This number represents a decrease from 49 percent (140,000) in 2017.1
Racial Disparity Among Young Children Living in Low-Income Households: High
Black, Hispanic/Latino, and/or Native children aged 0-8 are significantly more likely to be living in households below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level than are Asian and non-Hispanic White children.2
State General Fund Appropriations: Growing
Nevada’s governor signed multiple bills comprising the state’s fiscal 2026-2027 biennial budget in June 0f 2025. The budget provides total funding, net of interagency transfers, of $49.6 billion over the biennium, an increase of $2.7 billion, or 5.8 percent, compared to the approved operating budget for the 2023-2025 biennium. For General Fund appropriations, the budget provides $12.3 billion over the biennium, an increase of $1.4 billion, or 11.0 percent, over the approved operating budget for the 2023-2025 biennium. The revenue forecast, adjusted for legislative actions, estimates $12.2 billion in general fund revenues over the 2026-2027 biennium, an increase of 1.6 percent over the revised forecast for the 2023-2025 biennium. The state’s General Fund balance is projected to be $635.1 million at the end of fiscal 2026 and $552.0 million by the end of fiscal 2027. The balance in the Rainy Day Account is projected to be $1.3 billion at the end of the biennium.3
Largest Per Capita Revenue Sources (after federal transfers):4
Nevada does not levy an individual income tax or corporate income tax but does have a gross receipts tax. Nevada also collects a relatively large amount of revenue from taxes related to gambling. Census categorizes much of this revenue as amusement tax revenue. Nevada’s most recent amusement tax revenue level was $431 per capita, compared the national per capita average of $34.
State Budget Rules:4
Nevada uses a biennial budget. The legislature must pass a balanced budget, but it can carry a deficit over into the following year. Nevada further limits both spending and revenue with a budget formula based on inflation and population growth. The rules are binding and require a legislative supermajority or vote of the people to override. A two-thirds supermajority is also required for all tax increases. The state also limits total authorized debt and debt service incurred by the state.
Nevada dedicates birth and death certificate fees to a child abuse and neglect prevention fund. The Children’s Trust Fund was established in 1985 by the state legislature and is administered by the Department of Health and Human Services. Every two years HHS takes grant applications from primary and secondary prevention programs for child abuse and neglect. Distributions are around $1.5 million annually.
Political Alignment:6 Divided
During the session, the state’s Senate and House were both Democrat controlled. The state’s governor was a Republican.
Types of Common Ballot Measures Available:7 Five
Nevadans also have an uncommon form of ballot measure called statute affirmation, a citizen-initiated ballot measure that prevents the legislature from repealing or amending a statute in the future without a direct vote of the electorate. Nevada is the only state with this type of ballot measure.
Early Childhood Policy Advocacy Organizations Include:
Early Childhood Policy Advocacy Multi-State Initiatives Include:8
Highlights from the state’s early childhood policy advocacy community include:9
SB165 bolsters the Child Mental Health Workforce and creates licensure of Behavioral Health and Wellness Practitioners (BHWP); seeds the first Nevada-accredited psychology internships; and creates scholarship, degree and micro-credential programs for prevention-focused children’s mental health at Great Basin College, University of Nevada Las Vegas, and University of Nevada Reno. A BHWP is a child-focused mental health professional who fills a gap in Nevada’s delivery of mental health care by centering on early intervention, preventive care, and screenings. A graduate can become licensed as a BHWP once they complete the bachelor degree or micro-credential that is being created through the passage of SB165. Students pursuing a degree to become a BHWP will also be eligible for scholarships funded through SB165. SB165 establishes the first Nevada internship program accredited by the American Psychology Association for UNLV students interested in child psychology.
SB284 protects social security benefits in dedicated savings accounts for foster youth who are eligible, and ensures that foster youth are notified if the state is checking their eligibility and if they are designated as eligible for benefits. SB284 ensures that Social Security payments intended for youth experiencing the foster system are preserved for their direct use and future stability. The bill requires states to report how these benefits are managed and prohibits using them to offset foster care expenses. Additionally, SB284 ensures that the state communicates with the individual foster youth if their eligibility is being reviewed, and requires that they receive notification of their eligibility. Eligibility for social security benefits means that the youth has a disability and/or a parent who has died. Foster youth will receive financial literacy support as part of accessing their accumulated benefits upon transition out of the foster care system. The funds can be used to provide a financial safety net for housing, education, and other essential needs. This transparency in process establishes stronger advocacy measures to ensure foster youth are aware of their benefits and have legal avenues to claim them.
SB 460 is a comprehensive K-12 education bill that moves Nevada toward universal pre-k. The bill includes an appropriation of $9 million over the biennium to provide early childhood education for free or at low cost in underserved communities. The legislation expands the types of entities that can receive grants for pre-k to include institutions within the Nevada System of Higher Education. Universal pre-k is not fully established through the provisions in this bill. The pre-k related sections in SB460 focus on supporting children who are most in need of services. SB460 appropriates $12 million to the Early Childhood Literacy and Readiness Account for grants supporting early childhood literacy and readiness. The bill also allows students attend public schools outside their zone and appropriates $7 million to provide transportation for students with financial need.
The Alliance’s lead ally in Nevada, Children’s Advocacy Alliance (CAA), is an independent voice for Nevada children, advancing systemic change in the areas of early childhood education, children’s health, and child welfare. They achieve public policy wins through collaboration and collective impact within the community to ensure every child in Nevada thrives.
Children’s Advocacy Alliance is working to advance early childhood policies in several areas that align with the Alliance’s birth-through-eight policy framework:
Child Care
Child Care Workforce
K-3 Education
Preschool and Pre-K
Home Visiting
Maternal Health
Early Intervention (Age 0-3)
Child Welfare
Family Economic Security
Paid Family and Medical Leave
Early Childhood Governance
Early Childhood Finance and Cost Modeling
Click here for more information on advocates’ policy agenda.
Peer collaboration and idea exchange among advocates is a big part of the Alliance network’s success, and that powerful effect is especially clear when it comes to Allies’ work to collaborate on fostering parent leadership in early childhood policy advocacy.
NOTES:
1 Kids Count Data Center, Annie E. Casey Foundation, Children Ages 0 to 8 Below 200 Percent Poverty, January, 2024.
2 National Center for Children in Poverty, Children Ages 0 through 8 Below 200 Percent Poverty, October 2024, NCCP analysis of ACS 5-Year Estimates – Public Use Microdata Sample 2018-2022.
3 National Association of State Budget Officers, Proposed and Enacted Budgets, FY 2026.
4 Urban Institute, State Fiscal Briefs, April 2025.
5 Alliance for Early Success, State Examples of Dedicated Funding Streams, 2025
6 National Conference of State Legislatures, 2025 State & Legislative Partisan Composition, January 31, 2025.
7 Ballotpedia, Ballot Measures by State, Kids Count Data Center, 2025.
8 Alliance for Early Success, Multi-State Initiatives for Early Childhood Policy Advocacy, July, 2024.
9 Alliance for Early Success, State-Wide Advocacy Highlights Survey, April-October, 2025.
