With the passage of Senate Bill (SB) 543 during the 2019 Legislative session, the legislation authorized the Nevada Department of Education, in partnership with the Commission on School Funding to replace the 50-year-old Nevada Plan funding formula for K-12 education in the state, with a new funding formula designated as the Pupil-Centered Funding Plan (PCFP) beginning in the 2021-2023 biennium. SB543 also authorized the creation of the Education Stabilization Account.

The PCFP for the first time combines specific local and state revenues to provide a guaranteed basic level of financial support for each pupil to receive a reasonably equal education opportunity, regardless of which county they live in. The PCFP determines and financial support to every public school district, charter, and university school across the state.

Legislature was also committed to its intent to ensure that the PCFP per pupil funding amount for a fiscal year will not be less than the amount for the prior fiscal year, the plan includes adjustments for inflation and enrollment.

The PCPF also provides additional county specific adjustments that account for the variation in costs associated with educational services in rural and frontier areas, such as the cost of living and the cost of labor in each county.

The PCFP also includes a fiscal year (FY) 2020 Baseline guarantee. The intent of this provision is that a school district, charter school or university school for profoundly gifted pupils receives a reasonably similar level of funding on a per-pupil basis that the district, charter school or university school for profoundly gifted pupils received during the fiscal year ending on June 30, 2020.

The PCPF also includes a funding allocation methodology that distributes funding for multiple educational related services to meet the needs of our K-12 student populations.

1. Auxiliary Services Funding, such as transportation and food services
2. Local Special Education Funding
3. Statewide Base Funding
4. Adjusted Base Funding
5. Weighted Fund (for English Learners, At-risk and Gifted and Talented)

The Education Stabilization Account allows the State to set aside surplus revenue designated for K-12 education. These funds may be utilized if the State experiences declining revenues or budget deficits during a fiscal year. If the revenue collected in the State Education Fund is less than the amount authorized by the Legislature for a fiscal year, the Interim Finance Committee of the Legislature may authorize a transfer from the Education Stabilization Account to the Pupil-Centered Funding Plan (PCFP) account, ensuring the PCFP remains appropriately funded. As the Education Stabilization Account grows to an amount that exceeds its financial cap, the excess revenue in the account will be transferred to the PCFP account.