Monday's Review-Journal article on the state's education report card confirms what parents already know: The Clark County School District is failing its students.

The Nevada Department of Education found charter schools outperforming district schools at every level. District schools trail charters in academic performance by virtually every metric.

Yet the powerful interests -- the teachers unions, overpaid administrators and politicians -- will never allow real reform. They are invested in preserving their own power, not improving outcomes for children. The bureaucracy protects itself first, last and always.

The district's chronic underperformance harms more than students. It's the single greatest obstacle to economic growth in Southern Nevada. Businesses avoid relocating here because the public schools are such a disaster. Every child deserves a decent education, but too many families can't escape the district's grip because of work and transportation barriers.

Lawmakers should listen to parents and expand charter school access. If the state won't break up the Clark County School District, the least it can do is give families a way out.