Hello, Nevadans!

A majority of Nevada students are not meeting grade-level expectations, according to the state Department of Education’s most recent report on student achievement and school performance.

For students between third and eighth grade, 45.2% were proficient in English Language Arts (down 0.4 percentage points from the 2024-25 school year), and 36.2% were proficient in math (a 0.8 percentage points increase).

To view performance data for the state, school districts, and schools, visit the Nevada Report Card website.

Parents and community members are encouraged to check the department’s newest five-year strategic plan draft and fill out a survey to help the department make adjustments to the statewide goals and strategies to improve student outcomes.

In today’s newsletter:

Thank you for starting your day with me!

From harvest festivals to rodeos, there’s plenty to do in Nevada this fall. (Olivia Bauso/Unsplash)

By Aleza Freeman

Maybe it’s the lovely breezes. Maybe it’s the bounty of the harvest. Maybe it’s the vibrant scenery, ripe for leaf peeping. Whatever the case, there’s something for everyone, from ages 0-100 (roughly) at fall festivals throughout the Silver State. Think activities like apple picking, pumpkin carving, corn mazes, and hayrides. 

If autumnal awesomeness sounds like your cup of cider, celebrate the season in Southern or Northern Nevada at one of these eleven fall festivals.

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Thanks, as always, for reading and being part of The Nevadan community.

I voted stickers are on display at a polling place, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

By Jannelle Calderón

Yesterday, Sept. 15, was National Voter Registration Day—a good reminder to register or update your registration for this year’s midterm elections.

Whether you just moved to the state, know a newly-turned 18-year-old, or recently became a US citizen, voting for the first time starts with registering.

Eligible Nevadans can register to vote online, at the DMV, by mail, in person, or on Election Day (which is Nov. 3). Want to check if you’re registered or update your information? Visit Vote.NV.gov.

If you have a Nevada ID or driver’s license and meet the requirements, chances are you’ve been automatically registered by the DMV. When you apply for, renew, or change the address on your Nevada driver’s license or ID card, it doubles as a voter registration application.

You can also register to vote during early voting, which will take place Oct. 17-30, and on Election Day, Nov. 3.

Related: How Nevada runs safe and secure elections in 2026

🟣 Nevada’s first wastewater-to-drinking-water plant breaks ground in Reno. The Nevada Independent

“The City of Reno and Truckee Meadows Water Authority (TMWA) broke ground last week on an Advanced Purified Water Facility, a plant that will treat roughly 2 million gallons of wastewater a day to make it compliant with drinking-water standards and send it into a groundwater aquifer near Stead Airport, a first for Nevada.”

🟣 Clark school district police use of force report raises more questions about tactics, racial bias. Nevada Current

“The report, which released its findings this month, found that 18 out of 21 times officers deployed force in 11 confrontations, it was against Black people. Of the remaining three instances, two were Hispanic and one was white.“

🟣 VA awards $42.3 million in grants to fight veteran homelessness in Nevada. Fox 5

“To fund transitional housing with supportive services or service centers, support transition-in-place housing where veterans remain in their current housing unit while receiving services to help them move toward permanent, stable housing, and provide special housing designed to serve women veterans and those who are chronically mentally ill, frail, or elderly.”

🟣 Northern Nevada tribes and the fight against data centers. KUNR

“Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribal Chairman, Steven Wadsworth said their community has been fighting for water sovereignty to protect their endangered fish and way of life for years. He is concerned the state’s laws are not keeping up with the rapid development in the region.”

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Jannelle Calderón, featuring a story by Aleza Freeman. It was edited by Crystal Niforos.

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