Downsizing in Nevada?

Governor hopefuls differ on dividing the Clark County schools.

The size of the Clark County, Nev., school system—which has a seemingly ever-expanding enrollment now at 292,000 students—has become an issue in the 2006 race for governor.

U.S. Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., who is seen as the front-runner in for the GOP nomination, says he supports breaking up the district, which includes Las Vegas. He has called the school system a “huge, huge bureaucracy.”

“I support the idea that perhaps it’s time to break that up into smaller, more manageable school districts,” Mr. Gibbons said on the Jan. 3 edition of “Nevada Newsmakers,” a Reno television show. He added that splitting up the district would create “an opportunity to improve accountability and improve the schools...