Nevada continues to rank near the bottom 10 among states on multiple measures of child well-being, according to the 2026 Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Experts blame chronic low levels of investment for the state’s low scores. The report showed Nevada has lost ground since 2019 on housing costs and the percentage of 3- and 4-year-olds enrolled in preschool.
Elisa Cafferata, executive director of the Children’s Advocacy Alliance, said federal cuts to SNAP and Medicaid present a major challenge for the state.
“It requires concerted effort by community leaders as well as investment by the state,” Cafferata contended. “Because of all the challenges and changes at the federal level, this is really an opportunity for the state of Nevada to step up.”
The state did make progress on several fronts. The number of children living in poverty went down and more Nevada parents have secure employment. The report also found fewer teen births and fewer children living in high-poverty neighborhoods.
Alexis Marin, health policy manager for the Children’s Advocacy Alliance, said the numbers are worsening when it comes to child deaths and low-birthweight babies, but pointed to new health care resources in development.
“We have some real bright spots, including the Children’s Comprehensive Hospital that is to come soon by Intermountain Health in Las Vegas, and also the Children’s Behavioral Health Hospital in Washoe County that is to come soon,” Marin outlined.
Leslie Boissiere, vice president of external affairs for the Annie E. Casey Foundation, said the report’s findings represent real children and families, not just statistics.
“It’s a child who either has enough to eat or doesn’t have enough to eat,” Boissiere explained. “It’s a child who is either in a stable home and has access to quality education to put themselves on a pathway to thrive, or it’s a child who doesn’t have those necessities.”
The report showed education scores are down since the pandemic, with 70% to 80% of Nevada students lacking proficiency in math and reading in key grades.
Source: Public News Service
