LAS VEGAS -- The Nevada Children's Report Card is out and the state is failing when it comes to the overall health, safety and education of our youth. Nevada received a D overall in areas like childhood obesity and student achievement, but got an F in the high school dropout rate.
Leaders say education has not been a top priority. Some say the focus has been on gaming, others say it's been on security. While those are both critical needs, educators say more focus should be on education.
"The State of Nevada will never be better than the state of our families and children," said Gard Jameson, president of Children's Advocacy Alliance.
Read the Nevada Report Card
The Children's Advocacy Alliance has created the report five times in the last 10 years. Since 2000, the Nevada high school drop out rate has been given a failing grade.
Advocates expect the biggest solution to come in the next legislative session, when lawmakers begin to talk about the budget and education. Another key change they hope will come is a new Nevada foster bill of rights.
"If my child would have brought these grades home from school, people would be looking at me to see what I was doing as a parent -- what I was doing wrong," said parent Kiara Estill. "I wonder why were not doing that as a state."
The United Way has teamed up with the Clark County School District to create family engagement resource centers in the Las Vegas Valley.The centers may tutor students and help parents find work, learn how to get a GED or diploma and access the Internet.
The centers are at:
Clark High School
4291 W. Pennwood Avenue
Eldorado High School
1139 Linn Lane
Silverado High School
1650 Silver Hawk Avenue
Sunrise Mountain High School
2575 N. Los Feliz Street
Western High School
4601 W. Bonanza Road
