Ford’s education proposals raise a question of authority as well as funding: which decisions belong to the State Board of Education, and which depend on the Legislature? The board can set policy and priorities, but it does not control education funding levels; the Legislature sets those levels, according to Nevada Current. Ford, a current board member and former Clark County School District trustee, is running for governor as a nonpartisan, KTNV reported.
The governor’s budget role
The Nevada Constitution’s index identifies transmitting a proposed executive budget to the Legislature as a gubernatorial function, according to the Nevada Legislature. That establishes a role in proposing a budget; the sources cited here do not establish that a governor can independently change K-12 funding levels or cancel education contracts without legislative action.
The proposal and the savings claim
Ford has made changes to education contracting and procurement her central proposal. In its interview report, KTNV said she wants stricter scrutiny of education contracts and opposes out-of-state companies placing representatives on education boards or committees. Ford contends that ending some contracts with outside education vendors could make an additional $2 billion a year available for teachers and classroom aides. That is her estimate; the available reporting does not explain how it was calculated or independently establish that the savings could be achieved.
Ford also wants to end standardized testing and have teachers communicate students’ progress to parents. Statewide results provide context, but do not by themselves resolve the merits of that proposal: the Nevada Department of Education reported that Nevada fourth-grade math scores rose four points from 2022 to 2024, while eighth-grade math scores fell four points.
Other positions and campaign footing
KTNV also reported Ford’s view that student performance is affected by challenges including housing, hunger, illness and transportation. On housing, she favors helping people move into existing homes by assisting with costs such as appliances or utility deposits, and opposes developments built solely for rental. She has said Nevada should set a statewide plan for artificial intelligence before adopting AI proposals, and that Las Vegas does not need more data centers now. These positions, like her education proposals, are based on KTNV’s interview reporting.
Ford has previously run as an independent and, according to KTNV, considered seeking a legislative seat or a major-party nomination before choosing a nonpartisan gubernatorial bid. She argues that Nevada’s two-party system is not working and rejects the idea that voting for her would waste a ballot. KTNV reported that her campaign filings show no money raised or spent in the governor’s race, while the campaigns of Aaron Ford and Joe Lombardo, along with outside groups, are spending millions.
Ford’s earlier election record includes a 2018–2022 term as a Clark County School Board trustee, according to Nevada Current. The outlet reported that she won the three-way primary for her current State Board of Education seat with 45 percent of the vote, finishing 2,469 votes ahead of her nearest competitor, René Cantú, and received the Nevada State Education Association’s endorsement.
