Nevada has published its 2025-26 school results and, for the first time, assigned performance levels to every school district and the State Public Charter School Authority under a new statewide framework. The initial district ratings are informational, but they establish the baseline for a system that can trigger formal intervention beginning in 2028.
The Nevada Department of Education reported Sept. 15 that three districts were rated Level 1, meaning they did not meet expectations; 12 were Level 2, or intermediate; and three were Level 3, meaning they exceeded expectations. For 2025-26, the Nevada District Performance Framework combines school outcomes with district supports, but the baseline ratings carry no formal accountability consequences.
The framework reaches beyond individual school ratings. The department’s NDPF overview says it measures district conditions including qualified-teacher coverage, staffing equity between Title I and non-Title I schools, access to high-quality instructional materials and advanced coursework, and fiscal stability. It also rolls up school performance and tracks whether districts reduce the number of one- and two-star schools.
Student results were mixed. Statewide proficiency in English language arts for grades three through eight was 45.2%, down 0.4 percentage points from 2024-25. Mathematics proficiency was 36.2%, up 0.8 points, with gains across every tested grade. Science proficiency declined slightly in elementary schools and 3.1 points in middle schools, while rising 3.4 points in high schools.
School star ratings also shifted. Among 860 schools, 122 earned five stars, down from 146 a year earlier, while the number of one-star schools rose from 140 to 162. The 2025-26 framework manual explains that ratings combine academic and nonacademic measures into an index score and are based on the immediately preceding school year. Seventy-six schools were not rated because required data were incomplete.
The practical stakes increase next year. Beginning with 2026-27 results, the district framework will add student outcomes such as early literacy, middle-school mathematics, graduation, advanced diplomas and a locally selected measure. Districts that miss expectations may be designated low-performing. Under Senate Bill 460, enacted in 2025, a district rated low-performing for two consecutive years could be designated a Priority District in fall 2028, opening the door to escalating state support and intervention.
Families can review school- and district-level data through the Nevada Accountability Portal. Graduation rates for the Class of 2026 are scheduled for release in November, so the current package is not yet the complete annual picture. For local boards and superintendents, the new ratings provide an early warning period before the system begins carrying formal consequences.
The department plans to refresh the school rating framework during 2026-27 to make it clearer and more closely aligned with expected student outcomes. That review means year-over-year comparisons should be read alongside any rule changes, rather than as a simple ranking.
