It was March 12, 2020, when Governor Steve Sisolak announced a state of emergency in Nevada in response to the growing infections and deaths from COVID-19. Five days later, he announced a statewide business shutdown. And something no one ever thought would happen happened: The Las Vegas Strip shut down for 78 days.

It was March 12, 2020, when Governor Steve Sisolak announced a state of emergency in Nevada in response to the growing infections and deaths from COVID-19. Five days later, he announced a statewide business shutdown. And something no one ever thought would happen happened: The Las Vegas Strip shut down for 78 days.

It was March 12, 2020, when Governor Steve Sisolak announced a state of emergency in Nevada in response to the growing infections and deaths from COVID-19. Five days later, he announced a statewide business shutdown. And something no one ever thought would happen happened: The Las Vegas Strip shut down for 78 days.

Nearly five years after COVID-19 forced schools to shutter, a recent analysis of standardized test scores shows that students nationwide and in Nevada remain half a year behind in reading and math — and the causes stretch well beyond the pandemic itself.

Pictures of UNLV's Lynn Bennett Early Childhood Education Center groundbreaking ceremony.

UNLV’s College of Education held a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday for a new project to expand its on-campus preschool. The project is a part of the university’s commitment to meet the childcare and educational needs of families throughout Southern Nevada.

UNLV’s College of Education held a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday for a new project to expand its on-campus preschool. The project is a part of the university’s commitment to meet the childcare and educational needs of families throughout Southern Nevada.

Six preschoolers on Monday morning donned tiny yellow hard hats and picked up miniature plastic shovels while digging into a small pile of dirt outside the Lynn Bennett Early Childhood Education Center at UNLV.

Six preschoolers on Monday morning donned tiny yellow hard hats and picked up miniature plastic shovels while digging into a small pile of dirt outside the Lynn Bennett Early Childhood Education Center at UNLV.

UNLV’s College of Education held a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday for a new project to expand its on-campus preschool. The project is a part of the university’s commitment to meet the childcare and educational needs of families throughout Southern Nevada.

UNLV’s College of Education held a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday for a new project to expand its on-campus preschool. The project is a part of the university’s commitment to meet the childcare and educational needs of families throughout Southern Nevada.

According to the National Association of School Psychologists, Nevada faces a significant shortage of school psychologists. Only one psychologist is available for every 2,000 students, far from the recommended ratio of one per 500 students.