Misalignment of At-Risk Funding Under Nevada’s Pupil-Centered Funding Plan (PCFP)

Nevada’s Pupil-Centered Funding Plan (PCFP) was designed to provide additional resources to GATE, EL, and at-risk students, but in practice, the at-risk funds are not being used as intended. While the state is correctly allocating more money for students with greater needs, there are few requirements or accountability measures ensuring that those dollars actually go toward targeted supports like tutoring, counseling, or intervention programs. Instead, much of the funding is being absorbed into general school budgets to cover staffing shortages and operational costs. To be clear, funding for teachers is important, and educators absolutely deserve higher pay. However, at-risk funding was created for a specific purpose, and those dollars should be used as intended under the law: to directly support students who need additional academic and social interventions. Funding is reaching schools, but not necessarily the students it was meant to support. This matters because at-risk students are still not seeing the level of improvement expected, and the purpose of weighted funding (closing achievement gaps) is being undermined. If Nevada wants PCFP to truly work and increase graduation rates, the focus needs to shift from just how funds are allocated to how they are used, with stronger accountability, transparency, and a clear requirement that at-risk dollars directly fund at-risk student services.