Month: November 2020

Nevada Ed-Watch 11/20/20

Posted on by Opportunity 180

The Ed-Watch series is designed to increase access to information on what decisions are being made regarding public education in Clark County and Nevada.

Clark County School District Board of Trustees 

What is the Board of Trustees & what are they responsible for? The CCSD Trustees are publicly elected decision-makers for the school district. They are responsible for providing oversight to the Superintendent and establishing District-wide policy. Trustees are accountable to work with their communities to improve student achievement.

Click here to learn more and see a list of current Trustees

Click here to find your Trustee District

How often does the Board of Trustees meet? Trustees meet twice per month (second and fourth Thursdays) at 5 pm. While all meetings are typically held at the Edward A. Greer Education Center (Board Room): 2832 E. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, NV 89121, all meetings are now held virtually due to the COVID-19 crisis. 

Click here for a full list of Trustees meetings and agendas

Click here to visit Hope For Nevada’s #NVEd Calendar

Can community members engage at Trustee Meetings? Decision-making bodies benefit greatly from hearing public input and multiple perspectives. Community members can sign up to speak after the agenda has been posted– by calling the Board Office at (702) 799-1072 at least 3 hours before the scheduled meeting, or signing up in-person at the beginning of the meeting. Prior to each agenda item being voted on, speakers can share their perspective after the Board’s discussion and prior to the vote.

Thursday, November 19, 2020

Clark County School District Board of Trustees Meeting

Click here to see the meeting agenda

What happened at this meeting?

Public Comment

Members of the public submitted comments online. Public comment was not read directly into the record, rather an oral summary of each comment was provided to Trustees.

  • Click here to view public comment on agenda items.
  • Click here to view public comment on non-agenda items.  

Trustees Honored Yvette Wintermute

Trustees paused for a moment of silence to honor Yvette Wintermute, who recently passed away. Yvette Wintermute served as Chief Nurse of Health Services for CCSD. 

Trustees Approved Consent Agenda 

Highlights: 

Trustees Approved Application for Impact Aid Section 7003

The US Department of Education provides Impact Aid 7003 funds to school districts in order to reimburse costs associated with educating federally-connected children. Federally connected children are: 

  • children of members of the uniformed services,
  • children who reside on Indian lands,
  • children who reside on federal property or federally subsidized low-rent housing, and
  • children whose parents work on federal property.

Property taxes are a main source of revenue for the school district. These funds reimburse the financial impact due to the presence of federally-connected children residing on, or whose parents are employed on, non-taxable federal property. 

As these funds would directly support CCSD students who reside on Indian Land, the board also held a public hearing on the review of the American Indian/Alaska Native Policies and Procedures for Federal Impact Aid 7003.  No public comment was submitted. 

Click here to view the reference material. 

Click here to view the American Indian/Alaska Native Policies and Procedures.

Trustees Approved Notice of Intent for District Policy

CCSD Policy 6161, School Libraries currently states, “The Clark County School District recognizes that an effective library is an important and integral part of the educational program in each school, and the Clark County School District will provide adequate school libraries.”

The updated policy includes language that will ensure schools have a licensed teacher-librarian. Since licensed teacher-librarians are funded through school strategic budgets, some trustees had concerns about requiring schools to provide licensed teacher-librarians. 

 This policy will come back before the Board for final approval on December 10. 

Click here to see the draft policy.  

Trustees Approved Notice of Intent for District Regulation 

Regulation 3241, Acceptance of Gifts, outlines the acceptable use of monetary or in-kind gifts to the district or schools. The updated  language includes a clarification that gifts must be used for their specified purpose to the extent possible.

The Trustees will revisit the regulation for approval during the December 10 meeting.

Click here to see the draft regulation. 

Superintendent’s Report 

Superintendent Jara and CCSD Chief Financial Officer, Jason Goudie, provided information to Trustees about the staffing and fiscal impact of continuing distance learning through the end of the school year. Several positions of employment are connected to the physical presence of students at school buildings and are deemed redundant if students continue with distance learning through the rest of the year. Recommendations for staffing changes if CCSD continues with distance learning through the end of the school year include:

  • Facilities Management: Surplus half of custodial staff, approximately 700 positions. 
  • Transportation: Surplus all General Fund 100 support professionals. Suspend driver hiring and training and return underutilized and vacant full-time equivalent (FTE) and funds, which includes approximately 650 employees.
  • Police: Reduce the number of police positions, which includes approximately 30 police positions.

Click here to view additional information. 

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Nevada Ed-Watch 11/16/20

Posted on by Opportunity 180

The Ed-Watch series is designed to increase access to information on what decisions are being made regarding public education in Clark County and Nevada.

Clark County School District Board of Trustees 

What is the Board of Trustees & what are they responsible for? The CCSD Trustees are publicly elected decision-makers for the school district. They are responsible for providing oversight to the Superintendent and establishing District-wide policy. Trustees are accountable to work with their communities to improve student achievement.

Click here to learn more and see a list of current Trustees

Click here to find your Trustee District

How often does the Board of Trustees meet? Trustees meet twice per month (second and fourth Thursdays) at 5 pm. While all meetings are typically held at the Edward A. Greer Education Center (Board Room): 2832 E. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, NV 89121, all meetings are now held virtually due to the COVID-19 crisis. 

Click here for a full list of Trustees meetings and agendas

Click here to visit Hope For Nevada’s #NVEd Calendar

Can community members engage at Trustee Meetings? Decision-making bodies benefit greatly from hearing public input and multiple perspectives. Community members can sign up to speak after the agenda has been posted– by calling the Board Office at (702) 799-1072 at least 3 hours before the scheduled meeting, or signing up in-person at the beginning of the meeting. Prior to each agenda item being voted on, speakers can share their perspective after the Board’s discussion and prior to the vote.

Monday, November 16, 2020

Clark County School District Board of Trustees Meeting Joint Meeting with Audit Advisory Committee

Click here to see the meeting agenda

What happened at this meeting?

Public Comment

No members of the public submitted comments. 

Trustees Approved Independent Audit Report Responses 

Trustees and the Audit Advisory Committee held a joint meeting in order to review the completed annual audit of CCSD’s finances and financial controls for July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020. Following an overview of the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report offered by CCSD Chief Financial Officer Jason Goudie, Trustees heard the independent auditor’s review. The audit, conducted by Eide Bailly, includes a review of financial statements, internal controls over financial reporting and compliance with laws, regulations, and grant agreements. There were no relevant issues or deficiencies identified by the auditors related to the management of funds or compliance by the district. 

Trustees approved the acceptance of the independent auditor’s statements as well as the  district’s response to the independent auditor’s informal recommendations. 

Click here to view the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. 
Click here to view the Independent Auditor Summary of Reports. 
Click here to view the Independent Auditor Report & CCSD’s responses. 

Trustees Approved Budget Appropriation Transfers Summary 

On a monthly basis throughout the year, Trustees approve budget appropriation transfers. Budget appropriation transfers are necessary when money designated for a category of funds is transferred to a different category of funds. Once per year, a summary of all transfers are combined to be submitted to the public record. Trustees approved the annual summary of transfers. 

Click here to view the summary of transfers.

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Nevada Ed-Watch 11/13/20

Posted on by Opportunity 180

The Ed-Watch series is designed to increase access to information on decisions being made regarding public education in Clark County and Nevada.

Nevada State Board of Education

What is the State Board of Education & what are they responsible for? The Nevada State Board of Education adopts regulations based on Nevada laws, which are passed down to individual school districts in Nevada to implement. The Board has 11 total (7 appointed and 4 publicly elected) members.

How often does the State Board meet? The Nevada State Board of Education meets once per month on Thursdays at 9:00 AM and is set for video conferencing between Las Vegas and Carson City. Click here to see the 2020 Board Meeting Schedule. Click here to visit Hope For Nevada’s #NVEd Calendar.

Can community members engage at State Board Meetings?

A time for public comment is provided at the beginning (for agenda items) and at the conclusion (on any matter) of each Board meeting. There is a time limit of three minutes per speaker. Members of the community providing testimony must fill out a visitor card, available on-site the day of the meeting.

Click here for a list of all State Board Members.

Thursday, November 12, 2020
Nevada State Board of Education Meeting

Click here to see the meeting agenda 

What happened at this meeting?

Public Comment

Members of the public provided testimony regarding: 

  • Concerns about the implementation of the reorganization of the Clark County School District and changes that could impact school principal decision making
  • Concerns about adequate revenue to fund education 
  • Concerns about the appropriate use of data from recently administered assessments  

Superintendent’s Report

State Superintendent Ebert report highlights:

  • Legislative Engagement: Department staff recently presented to the Legislative Committee on Education regarding the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Taskforce. Additionally, the Interim Legislative Committee on Education has selected school bus safety inspections as a topic of an upcoming bill draft request for the legislative session. 
  • National Equity Project: Department staff have been working to develop and deliver professional d equity. In collaboration with the National Equity Project, has delivered two trainings to NDE staff. 
  • Teacher Licenses: To help alleviate the negative impact of COVID-19 on licensed teachers, the Department has issued a six-month extension to any licensee with an expiring license. 

Click here to see the full report

Board Approved Consent Agenda

Consent agenda highlights: 

Board Approved Definition of At-Risk for Funding Formula

In follow up to discussions at the August 27 and October 8 Board meetings, an updated definition of the “at-risk” category for the Pupil Centered Funding Formula was approved by the Board. A pupil is “at-risk” if the pupil has an economic or academic disadvantage such that they require additional services and assistance to enable them to graduate with their cohorts. The term includes, without limitation, pupils who are members of economically disadvantaged families, pupils who are at-risk of dropping out of high school, and pupils who do not meet minimum standards of academic proficiency. The term does not include pupils with a disability or pupils who are English Learners. 

Click here to see the presentation

Board Heard Update on Implementation of SB108

Senate Bill 108, passed during the 2017 Legislative Session, required the State Board to create a subcommittee to study the manner to incorporate instruction concerning crimes that frequently involve people under 18 years old into social studies units. The subcommittee convened and provided the following recommendations: 

  • Content should be addressed in age appropriate manner 
  • Content should be delivered as part of an existing lesson
  • Appropriate professional learning should be provided to educators 
  • Existing resources and lessons should be differentiated starting in the primary grades
  • Districts should work with external partners to accomplish the requirements of the bill 

The Department of Education is working to implement the recommendations, first by curating a list of high quality instructional materials to be ready by summer 2021. Additionally, the Department will provide professional development opportunities for educators to learn how to incorporate materials into content areas by winter 2021. 

Click here to see the presentation 

Board Approved Investigation Into AB469 Implementation 

Assembly Bill 469, passed by the Nevada Legislature in 2017, outlines the reorganization of large school districts in Nevada. The intent of AB469 is to provide increased localized decision making at school sites by principals and school organizational teams. Issues with the implementation of this bill were discussed by the Board regarding the placement of licensed and qualified teachers in vacant classrooms, specifically the authority to select staff,  purchasing of equipment, services & supplies available from the District by schools, and school carry forward of year‐end fund balances. 

Board members approved a directive to Department staff to complete an investigation into these issues and the implementation of the bill. The investigation will include any noncompliance with the implementation under the purview of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction as well as areas of ambiguity that can be addressed by the regulatory authority of the State Board of Education. 

Click here to see the presentation

Board Heard Update on MAP Data and Read by Grade 3 Educator Supports 

Representatives of NWEA provided Board members with an update on results from Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) growth assessment testing throughout the state. The MAP assessment was completed by students in various settings, including at home and in-person. NWEA representatives shared that this data should be considered as one point among many. Board members discussed the need to ensure that testing is accurate and variables, such as parental support during at-home testing, are controlled for to ensure that data provided is meaningfully related to student academic growth. 

Click here to see the NWEA MAP presentation

Additionally, the Board heard updates from Department Staff on supports that have been provided to educators regarding the Read by Grade 3 initiative. Department staff have been providing open “office hours” for general Q&A, ongoing updates regarding the impact of COVID-19, professional development sessions and workshops, and technical assistance in the form of memos and implementation guides for educators.

Click here to see the full update.

Board Heard District & School Operations and Education during COVID-19

Superintendents of three school districts and student representatives from across Nevada each provided updates to the Board on the implementation of school reopening.

  • Humboldt County School District (HCSD): 
    • HCSD is engaged in hybrid learning for elementary and middle schools, with the combined school fully in person. All students have the option to continue with distance learning only. 
    • HCSD has implemented social emotional learning supports including restorative practices and positive behavior intervention supports. 
    • HCSD used AB3 funds to implement quality distance learning instruction for all HCSD students. 

Click here to see the Humboldt County presentation

  • Lyon County School District (ECSD):
    • LCSD K-2 students and other specific populations are attending in-person full time. A hybrid model is being used, as well as a full distance learning option. 
    • LCSD has implemented social emotional screeners for students in K-12, in addition to the implementation of social emotional learning curriculum. 
    • LCSD used AB3 funding to purchase chromebooks as well as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) 

Click here to see the Lyon County presentation 

  • White Pine County School District (ECSD):
    • 85% of WPCSD students are engaged in in-person learning. 
    • WPCSD is focused on social emotional learning, including a two-day professional development workshop for all staff. 
    • WPCSD is anticipating another 200 devices and 20 hotspots for students. 

Click here to see the White Pine County presentation

  • Students from across the state provided the Board with information about how distance learning has impacted them and their peers. Students outlined issues with keeping up with school work amidst family responsibilities, concerns about their own and their peers’ mental health, issues with motivation, and the need for social interaction with peers. 

Board Heard Updates to Regulations

R135-20, Crisis, Emergency, and Suicide Response Plans (Approved)

This regulation requires that the Department research best practices and develop a framework for schools and districts to appropriately respond to crises, emergencies, and suicide. The updates to this regulation were approved.

Click here to see R135-20.

Regulation R064-20, Social and Environmental Factors (Not Approved)

This regulation requires that districts and charter schools assess the social and environmental factors that impact students’ educational experience, such as access to food, as well as plans to mitigate those factors. The Board discussed the need to ensure that requirements for schools do need exceed their current capacity without additional funds to supplement the completion. The Board directed staff to revise the regulation to remove cost-bearing requirements that are not attached to additional funds.

Click here to see R064-20.

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Nevada Ed-Watch 11/13/20

Posted on by Opportunity 180

The Ed-Watch series is designed to increase access to information on what decisions are being made regarding public education in Clark County and Nevada.

Clark County School District Board of Trustees 

What is the Board of Trustees & what are they responsible for? The CCSD Trustees are publicly elected decision-makers for the school district. They are responsible for providing oversight to the Superintendent and establishing District-wide policy. Trustees are accountable to work with their communities to improve student achievement.

Click here to learn more and see a list of current Trustees

Click here to find your Trustee District

How often does the Board of Trustees meet? Trustees meet twice per month (second and fourth Thursdays) at 5 pm. While all meetings are typically held at the Edward A. Greer Education Center (Board Room): 2832 E. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, NV 89121, all meetings are now held virtually due to the COVID-19 crisis. 

Click here for a full list of Trustees meetings and agendas

Click here to visit Hope For Nevada’s #NVEd Calendar

Can community members engage at Trustee Meetings? Decision-making bodies benefit greatly from hearing public input and multiple perspectives. Community members can sign up to speak after the agenda has been posted– by calling the Board Office at (702) 799-1072 at least 3 hours before the scheduled meeting, or signing up in-person at the beginning of the meeting. Prior to each agenda item being voted on, speakers can share their perspective after the Board’s discussion and prior to the vote.

Thursday, November 12, 2020

Clark County School District Board of Trustees Meeting

Click here to see the meeting agenda

What happened at this meeting?

Public Comment

Members of the public submitted comments online. Public comment was not read directly into the record, and rather an oral summary of each comment was provided to Trustees.

  • Click here and here to view public comment submitted between October 16 and November 12
  • Click here to view public comment submitted between October 23 and November 9
  • Click here to view public comment submitted between November 9 and 10 
  • Click here to view public comment submitted between November 10 and 11
  • Click here and here to view public comment submitted on November 11
  • Click here and here to view public comment submitted between November 11 and November 12 
  • Click here to view public comment on non-agenda items 

Trustees Approved Consent Agenda 

Highlights:

  • Approval of Memorandum of Agreement to continue random drug and alcohol testing for student athletes. 
  • Approval of request to contract with the Las Vegas Natural History Museum to provide opportunities for students and families to engage in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics activities. 
  • Approval to continue the contract with dental providers for services to identified students.
  • Approval of professional service agreement for respiratory protection training and fit testing services. 

Trustees Approve Employment for General Counsel

Trustees approved the employment of P. Luke Puschnig to serve as the Clark County School District General Counsel. The Trustees expressed their gratitude for the outgoing General Counsel, Eleissa Lavelle, for her service and assistance to the district. 

Click here to see the employment agreement.

Trustees Provided Input on Hybrid Model Transition Plan

Trustees heard a presentation on a plan that transitions students to the hybrid instructional model for most schools, with a phased-in timeline for students, and possible transition to full-time face-to-face instruction for certain schools. The transition plan also details schools and specific strategies for COVID-19 spread prevention and mental health support. The plan meets all guidelines provided by the Nevada Department of Education (NDE). The consideration of the plan comes after the October 23 meeting, where Trustees heard a presentation on COVID-19 positivity rates from Dr. Fermin Leguen, Acting Director of the Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD), who shared SNHD’s support for reopening schools in the near future. The District is working to translate the plan into Spanish. 

Cohorts: The hybrid plan requires students to be divided into three cohorts, two of which would alternate between face-to-face instruction and distance education throughout the week and engage in distance learning on Wednesdays, and one cohort would engage in full-time distance learning. Families will have the option to enroll their child in the hybrid model or full-time distance learning.

Timeline: The recommended transition timeline would end staff telecommuting by December and invite small groups of students on a voluntary basis to participate in mental and/or emotional health supports and interventions, academic screenings, and campus orientation for students new to campus. The hybrid instruction would begin on January 4 for students in certain grade levels and on January 11 for remaining students. 

Health and safety: To prevent the spread of COVID-19, the transition plan includes the promotion of healthy behaviors through education of prevention practices, implementation of mask coverings and sanitizing protocols, and requirement of social distancing. The transition plan includes enhanced sanitation and cleaning practices and HVAC strategies to ensure a clean and safe learning environment. The district also plans to employ free, voluntary COVID-19 testing for employees and outlines a response plan to exposure or confirmed COVID-19 cases.  School buses and drivers will adhere to safety guidelines in Nevada’s Phase 2 restrictions with limited bus capacity to 50 percent. School buses will also ensure external airflow, one entrance and exit, disinfecting between routes, and nightly disinfecting schedule. 

Mental health support: The district plans to utilize multidisciplinary leadership teams who will work to identify and see students in person, assess their needs, and tailor tiered intervention strategies. 

Due to recent data on spikes of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Southern Nevada, most Trustees expressed concerns with approving a transition plan at this time. Trustees discussed the feasibility reality of the recommended timeline and the possibility of removing dates and maintaining the sequence of events. Superintendent Jesus Jara reaffirmed that the timeline is flexible and specific dates will be a management decision. Other Trustee concerns included staffing capabilities, unresolved distance learning issues, enforcement of new health and safety protocols, and the need to address distance learning issues before moving forward with a plan to transition to in-person instruction. Trustees offered the below suggestions to be included in an updated plan: 

  • Information on how the model adjusts to a higher number of COVID-19 cases and how to pivot from hybrid learning to distance learning if needed
  • Information on the amount of PPE provided to staff
  • Information on the financial impact 
  • Evaluation of any education loss and risks, specifically for ELL students 
  • Number of ventilation systems that have been serviced 
  • Elaboration on teacher school lunch monitoring 
  • Information on the District’s work with bargaining units

Trustees will reevaluate the reopening plan at a future meeting. 

This item was initially posted for possible action, however was pulled from consideration for action during the meeting.

Click here to see the presentation.
Click here to see the plan. 

Click here to read about this in the Las Vegas Review-Journal
Click here to read about this in the Las Vegas Sun
Click here to read about this in the Reno Gazette-Journal
Click here to read about this in a story from 8 News Now Las Vegas

Trustees Approved Memorandum of Agreement for Voluntary Testing

The Board approved an agreement between the Clark County School District and the Teachers Health Trust, a Nevada trust established by the Clark County Education Association, to provide free, voluntary COVID-19 testing for District employees through the Task Force Initiative for Educators Safety and Screening for COVID-19 (TIES) program. The program will bear no cost to the District or employees. Statewide, the testing program will expend up to $13.2 million of grant funds for testing and monitoring from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

Click here to see supporting documentation.

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Nevada Ed-Watch 11/06/2020

Posted on by Opportunity 180

The Ed-Watch series is designed to increase access to information on what decisions are being made regarding public education in Clark County and Nevada.

State Public Charter School Authority (SPCSA)

What is the SPCSA & what are they responsible for? The SPCSA sponsors and oversees public charter schools across the State of Nevada. The Authority consists of nine appointed members responsible for overseeing educational and operational standards, and holding sponsored schools accountable to the academic achievement of students.

How often does the SPCSA Board meet? SPCSA members meet once monthly– on Fridays.

Click here for SPCSA meeting schedule and materials.

Can community members engage at SPCSA Board Meetings? All meetings are held publicly at the Nevada Department of Education building in Carson City and the Nevada Department of Education building in Las Vegas (1st floor boardroom). Members of the public are invited to attend at either location. A time for public comment is provided at the conclusion of each agenda item and at the conclusion of each Board meeting. There is a time limit of three minutes per speaker. Members of the community providing testimony must fill out a visitor card, available on-site the day of the meeting.

Alternatively, public comment may be submitted in writing at publiccomment@spcsa.nv.gov, and any such public comment received prior to the meeting will be provided to the Authority and included in the written minutes of the meeting.

Click here for a list of all SPCSA Members.

Click here for a list of all SPCSA sponsored schools.

Friday, November 6, 2020

State Public Charter School Authority Board Meeting

Click here to see the meeting agenda

What happened at this meeting? 

Members of the public submitted comment over the phone regarding: 

  • Concerns about reopening guidance
  • Concerns that families opting for in-person instruction are unable to send all of their children to school due to the in-person learning limitation of 25%

Members of the public also submitted public comment online:

Click here to view Public Comment #1
Click here to view Public Comment #2
Click here to view Public Comment #3
Click here to view Public Comment #4
Click here to view Public Comment #5
Click here to view Public Comment #6
Click here to view Public Comment #7
Click here to view Public Comment #8

SPCSA Executive Director’s Report: 

Report Highlights: 

  • 2020 Summer New Charter School Application Cycle
    • SPCSA is considering four new charter school applications from the 2020 summer application cycle. Additionally, a committee has assembled to review the application for TEACH Las Vegas.
  • Initiatives related to Serving All Students Equitably
    • In October 2020, SPCSA made updates to the new charter application which includes requests for information on equity initiatives. The update includes asking schools about their efforts to close opportunity gaps and address disproportionate discipline practices, as well as provide applicant and discipline data by subgroup.

      Separately, SPCSA convened its community working group to address equity. The working group initiatives include sending a survey to schools about their Diversity & Equity training programs, preparing data to help the SPCSA look at equity through the lens of enrollment, discipline, and graduation rates, and making equity data more readily available to families on the SPCSA website. 
  • SPCSA staffing update
    • An SPCSA Administrative Assistant resigned over the summer. The Authority has hired Patricia Malloy to fill the role and expressed excitement for Malloy’s addition to the team.
  • Validated demographic enrollment data for SPCSA-sponsored charter schools for the 2019-2020 school year
    • A student enrollment count must be conducted and submitted to the Nevada Department of Education (NDE) annually. SPCSA has successfully sent enrollment data to the (NDE) for SPCSA-sponsored schools. NDE is still finalizing the data for release. SPCSA will present the data at the December board meeting.
  • Preview of the 2021 Legislative Session
    • The 81st Legislative Session will begin Feb 1, 2021. In the interim, SPCSA staff is working with the Governor’s office to prepare for the upcoming session and have participated in meetings with the Legislative Committee on Education. In accordance with procedures set up by the Governor’s office, SPCSA has submitted a proposed bill draft request that seeks to create alignment with existing statutes and regulations related to three critical areas of charter school sponsors. The proposal also outlines technical changes to ensure consistent language and structure.

Click here to view the Legislative Session memo.

Board Approved Update on COVID-19 In-Person Learning Guidance

At the August 14, 2020 meeting, the Authority approved SPCSA Recommendation to Issue COVID-19 In-Person Learning Guidance. Under the guidance, schools could previously operate under a distance education model with up to 25% in-person learning. Since then, most, but not all, schools have initiated some form of in-person learning, with a primary focus on special student populations and the youngest learners.

As of November 6, 2020, there have been 105 reported cases of COVID-19 amongst students and staff and approximately 25 people have been excluded from schools as a result. Schools have worked efficiently to conduct contact tracing and limit potential spread. In a focus group with 32 charter schools, school leaders expressed concerns around student performance and mental health due to a lack of in-person learning. 

The board approved Director Feiden’s recommendation to increase in-person learning from 25% of enrollment to 40% for schools at Mitigation Levels 1 or 2 effective Monday, November 9. Schools will not be required to operate at 40% in-person learning; rather, the recommendation will provide schools flexibility to increase in-person learning with COVID-19 safety considerations. Schools will also be required to continue to keep their opening plans up-to-date and to send those plans to the Authority. 

Click here to read the recommendation.
Click here to read more about this in the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Board Approved the 2019-2020 Organizational Performance Framework Results

The  SPCSA Organizational Performance Framework (OPF) sets forth agreed upon expectations of performance and compliance. The Framework measures SPCSA-sponsored charter schools under five areas of focus: 1) Education Program, 2) Financial Management & Oversight, 3) Governance & Reporting, 4) Students & Employees, and 5) School Environment. Schools must reach 80% or higher on a 20-point scale in each of the five focus areas to rate as “Meets Standard.”

All SPCSA sponsored-schools earned at least 97% in each Organizational Performance Framework category for the 2019-2020 school year. 

The board has directed SPCSA to provide final results to the governing boards of each charter school in the coming weeks.

Click here to download the Organizational Performance Framework presentation.
Click here to see SPCSA-sponsored Charter School Performance Ratings.

Board Reviewed Four (4) New School Applications for Approval or Denial

SPCSA staff presented information to the Board about four new school applicants, followed by Board discussion and an opportunity for each school to present before the Board.

Sage Collegiate Charter School: Approved with Conditions 

Sage Collegiate Charter School was approved with the following conditions:

  • Provide an updated staffing plan and budget that addresses a scenario in which additional services are needed to meet the needs of special education students, English Learners, and students with behavior and/or social-emotional needs.
  • Provide a specific timeline and action plan for selecting and preparing a facility and engaging with the local jurisdiction by January 31, 2021.
  • Provide an updated list of proposed partnerships which also includes draft Memorandums of Understanding with each identified partner, and outlines deliverables and responsibilities of each party.

Click here to see the full Sage Collegiate Charter School report.

Las Vegas Montessori Charter Academy: Denied

The SPCSA staff did not recommend the application for Board approval. The Board concurred with staff’s recommendation not to approve the application and discussed concerns that it is unclear how the Las Vegas Montessori model aligns to Nevada Academic Standards.

Click here to see the full Las Vegas Montessori Charter application report.

Pioneer Technology and Arts Academy: Denied

The SPCSA staff did not recommend the application for approval. The Board concurred with staff’s recommendation and discussed the need to refine the application. The Board noted that the charter application does not provide sufficient evidence of community engagement or input, and expressed concerns about sufficient capacity to support an expansion in North Las Vegas.

Click here to see the full Pioneer Technology and Arts Academy application report.

Eagle Nevada: Denied

The SPCSA staff did not recommend the application for approval. The Board concurred with staff’s recommendation and discussed the need to refine the application due, in part, to a lack of community partnerships, limited outreach, and lack of a clear segregation of roles and responsibilities for school management.

Click here to see the full Eagle Nevada application report.

Long-Range Calendar

Due to the volume of anticipated agenda items, an additional SPCSA meeting will be scheduled in December.

Click here to see the long-range calendar.

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