Tag: Reopening Plan

Nevada Ed Watch: 5/20/2022

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? Considered one of Nevada’s school districts, the SPCSA sponsors and oversees public charter schools. The Authority consists of seven 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? The SPCSA typically meets once a month, generally on Fridays. 

Click here for SPCSA meeting schedule and materials.

Can community members engage at SPCSA Board Meetings? While all meetings of the SPCSA are typically 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), all meetings are now held virtually due to the COVID-19 crisis. Members of the public may view the meeting online via the link on the SPCSA’s Public Notice web page and the agenda and any supporting materials can be found here. Public comment may be given on any agenda item at the beginning of the meeting, or public comment regarding any matter that is SPCSA-related may be given at the conclusion of each Board meeting. Members of the community giving public comment can utilize the following conference call line: 1-312-584-2401; extension 3952176# with a time limit of three minutes per speaker. Alternatively, public comment may be submitted in writing to 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, May 20, 2022
State Public Charter School Authority Board Meeting
Access the meeting agenda and playback.

What happened at this meeting? 

Public comment 

Members of the public shared comments regarding retention of students of color and additional staff training as well as matters of student safety and substance use at Legacy Traditional School.

SPCSA Charter School Governing Body Governance Standards.

The board will return to this agenda item during the June 27 meeting.

Explore the SPCSA Governance Standards.

SPCSA Executive Director’s Report

Highlights from the report include:

  • Initiatives Related to Serving All Students Equitably: Last month the Authority voted to require certain schools to submit recruitment and enrollment plans by September 30, 2022.  The plans must include specific strategies aimed at serving a student population representative of the school community, particularly those qualifying for free and reduced lunch. SPCSA staff issued guidance to the selected schools for developing their plans, with a suggested process that includes a data review, root cause analysis, and identification of strategies. Three optional virtual working sessions will be offered to support the schools with this process.
  • COVID-19 Update: Governor Sisolak formally ended the COVID-19 State of Emergency effective Friday, March 20. All SPCSA-sponsored schools, except those approved as fully distance learning schools, will return to in-person learning. Emergency substitutes will be phased out in Washoe and Clark Counties for the 2022-23 school year but will be permitted in rural communities. The provision that allows a registered nurse to oversee the COVID-19 testing lab for SPCSA schools will expire with the State of Emergency. The SPCSA is looking for a certified director with the approved credentials to continue to keep the lab open. If they are unable to hire one, SPCSA staff will transition schools to other COVID testing programs. The Safe Return to In-Person Learning Plan will remain in place through September 30, 2023.
  • New Charter School Applications: Charter school applications are due between April 15-30 each year. This year, five applicants applied, including four schools in Clark County: Mind Your Books (K-8), Rooted School (9-12), Southern Nevada Trades High School (9-12) and The Village High School (9-12). The fifth school, Method Schools of NV, withdrew their application. The next step will include external review of the applications with recommendations brought to the Authority in August. Full applications are posted on the SPCSA website and are open for public comment. One member of the Authority requested first year enrollment for the new schools, which will be available in the posted applications’ enrollment tables.
  • 2022 Sponsor Feedback Survey: Last week, SPCSA launched its annual sponsor feedback survey to SPCSA-sponsored charter school leaders, which measures dimensions such as communications with SPCSA staff, the authorizing functions, and school and grant administration support functions. The survey will remain open for one month. The results will be shared at an upcoming meeting. Thus far, 11 respondents have taken the survey.
  • Update on New Schools Opening in Fall 2022: 
    • Battle Born Academy will open with 240 students in grades K, 1, 5 and 6.  The Authority approved the school’s temporary location. With necessary modifications on track, the certificate of occupancy is expected by July 8, 2022. 
    • Sage Collegiate will open with 224 students in grades K-5. Work is being completed on the facility, but construction timelines are tight, so the school is working on contingency plans. 
    • PilotED – Cactus Park Elementary will open with 351 in grades K-4. The school is working to close the gap in enrollment paperwork.  Work is being completed on the facility, but construction timelines are tight, so the school is working on contingency plans. 
    • Young Women’s Leadership Academy will open with a planned enrollment of 150 across grades 6-9. 
    • Strong Start Academy is opening K-2 with 180 students. Through a partnership with the City of Las Vegas, the school will open in the City’s three Pre-K centers and then to partner with the City to transition to a single site facility long term. 

      Each school is on track to open in Fall 2022. In early June, enrollment audits will be conducted, which will result in initial funding.  Per pupil funding will be reconciled for schools in November.  Additionally, from a facility perspective, schools will be required to provide evidence of temporary or permanent certificate of occupancy after which SPCSA staff will perform walkthroughs of the facilities.

Charter School Contract Amendment Applications

Discovery Charter School requested a good cause exemption and received approval to acquire the current facility at Hillpoint Campus to accommodate a waitlist exceeding 220 students.

Explore Discovery Charter School’s good cause exemption request and charter amendment application.

Eagle Charter School was approved for a new location at 2025 East Sahara, which is located in the previously approved zip code of 89104. The school anticipates the majority of enrollment to come from this zip code. A Restaurant Depot is currently located in the facility. 

Explore Eagle Charter School’s good cause exemption request and charter amendment application. 

Additional materials including each school’s budget and SPCSA recommendation memo can be found here.

Board Approved Revolving Loan Application for Sage Collegiate

Sage Collegiate provided SPCSA staff with a business plan and budget which indicated they would have sufficient funds to make the repayments. Based on this analysis, SPCSA staff recommended approval of the loan, according to repayment terms in the memo.   

Explore the Sage Collegiate recommendation memo and revolving loan request.

Board Approved Good Cause Exemption for Pioneer Technology & Arts Academy Nevada

The board approved PTAA Nevada’s request for a good cause exemption to submit a new charter school application outside of the usual application window. Recent revisions to administrative code NAC 388A.260 changed the deadlines for new charter applications from two charter application windows to a single window in April of each year.  The code also gives the SPCSA authority to accept an application outside of the annual window upon request and for good cause.

PTAA would submit notice of intent by May 30, 2022, and would then submit an application toward the end of August 2022, which would come to the Authority for approval in December 2022.  Staff found good cause to approve submission outside of the April window, also noting that submitting next April would generate approval too late to open in Fall 2023 as planned.  

The board also heard updates on ongoing litigation. PTAA filed two lawsuits against the Authority – one of which will be dismissed, and no action will be taken on the second in the next 30 days.

Members of the board shared thoughts on the school’s decision to move forward with a new application as well as the need for both the school and the Authority to reflect on their own process and that the process be balanced on both sides. 

Explore the PTAA recommendation memo and request for good cause exemption.

Long-Range Calendar (next 3 months):

Agenda items over the next three SPCSA board meetings are anticipated to include:

  • Calendar updates due to virtual meetings – the June meeting will be on Monday, June 27 and the August meeting will be on Monday, August 29.
  • Amendment applications on the June meeting agenda.

Explore the long-range calendar.

The next Meeting of the SPCSA Board is scheduled for June 27, 2022 @ 9:00 am. 

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Nevada Ed-Watch 7/8/21

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 both virtually and at the Edward A. Greer Education Center Board Room (2832 E Flamingo Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89121).

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. Currently, members of the public can submit comments on agenda and non-agenda items through email or voice recording. Public comment can be provided in person, via email, or via voice recording. Email comments should be submitted to Boardmtgcomments@nv.ccsd.net. To submit a voice recording on items listed on the meeting agenda, call 702-799-1166. Voice recorded public comment is limited to 1 minute 30 seconds.

Thursday, July 8, 2021

Clark County School District Board of Trustees Meeting

Click here to see the meeting agenda

What happened at this meeting?

Public Comment on Non-Agenda Items

Members of the public submitted public comment regarding: 

  • Ensuring that the voice of the Southern Paiute is included in the District’s planning.
  • Providing culturally relevant and responsive history to students.
  • Concerns about bullying not being addressed in the CCSD trustee boardroom during the June meeting.
  • Concerns that critical race theory will exacerbate racial divides.
  • Concerns that some groups of support staff were excluded from the distribution of CCSD stipends.
  • Requests to remove the mask mandate for students of all ages.
  • Concerns that students are being asked about vaccinations by school staff.
  • Concerns over healthcare provisions for CCSD educators and adequate funding of the Teacher Health Trust Fund.
  • Concerns about racism in schools.
  • The inclusion of restorative justice as an outcome in the discipline policy.
  • Concerns about the distribution of the ELL Bill of Rights in accordance with AB-195.
  • Concerns about CCSD meeting accessibility for students and inclusion of student input in CCSD meetings.

Click here to view written public comment submitted online on non-agenda items. 

Consent Agenda Highlights: 

One trustee was not present to vote.

Members of the public submitted public comment on this agenda item regarding: 

  • Concerns about bullying in CCSD buildings.
  • Concerns about building materials used for schools.
  • Concerns over whether there are enough buildings to support the seat number at Global Community HS.
  • Concerns about whether the new grading policy is equitable or student-centered.
  • Requests for additional community input on the new grading policy. 
  • Concerns about whether the ELL program will be beneficial to English language learners.
  • Ensuring students have adequate access to the Internet at home now that 1:1 devices are available to all students.

Trustees Heard Update on the Plan for Path Forward Program of Distance Education and Plan for the Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services

American Rescue Plan (ARP) ESSER requires districts to clarify how local education agencies (LEAs) must meet the statutory requirements to create a plan to safely reopen schools and how SEAs work with LEAs to develop these plans. In accordance with Directive 044, CCSD (an LEA) is required to submit a plan for the safe return to in-person instruction and continuity of services to the Nevada Department of Education (an SEA) by July 14, 2021.By September 10, 2021, CCSD is also required to submit the District’s ARP ESSER Funding Plan.

Highlights of the Plan for Path Forward Program of Distance Education:

  • For the 2021-22 school year, CCSD will be offering three separate learning models to parents/guardians:
    • Full-time face-to-face instruction at every school, with the exception of Nevada Learning Academy which is a virtual school.
    • Full-time distance education at any school with enough participation for the principal to staff the program, and available to all students at Nevada Learning Academy.
    • Hybrid instruction (on a limited basis).
  • All students will be issued a District-owned device, and the District will subsidize Internet connections for eligible families.
  • CCSD will prepare all educators to effectively provide instruction focused on teaching content and language simultaneously during distance education for ELLs.
  • CCSD will provide special education and related services in accordance with each student’s IEP as well as technical assistance to educators to meet the diverse needs of identified students.
  • Students participating in full-time distance education that qualify for FRL may receive meals at school at no cost.

Highlights of the Plan for the Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services:

  • Masks are required indoors for staff who are not fully vaccinated, students in Grades 4 and 5, and on school buses. Masks are optional for students in Grades 6 through 12 who have been fully vaccinated.
  • CCSD is partnering with community leaders on the Focus on the Future for Kids Community Input Initiative. The first step is to gather community input on the ARP ESSER federal funds provided to CCSD. Input received will provide a community-informed, kids-first agenda to allocate CCSD’s federal funds and other future community investments. The initiative will also establish a new approach to collecting community input and prioritizing the integration of community voices into CCSD’s planning. This process will allow CCSD to prepare and post on the District’s website any revisions to the plan as required by the guidance. Updates will be provided by no later than December 15, 2021, July 15, 2022, December 15, 2022, and July 15, 2023.

Current Registration for the 2021-22 School Year:

  • 95% of currently registered students (or 221,405 students) are registered for face-to-face instruction. The remaining 5% (or 11,853 students) are registered for full-time distance education.
  • The number of registered students is currently trending up by nearly 35,000 over this time last year. A registration influx is anticipated in July and August.

Click here to view the presentation.
Click here to view the draft plan.

Members of the public submitted public comment on this agenda item regarding: 

  • Prioritizing the mental health of educators including support professionals, teachers, and administrators.
  • Concerns about the safety, morale, and preparedness of educators into the new school year.
  • Concerns about policies related to who is allowed to be masked and unmasked.
  • Concerns about the lack of air filters in classrooms.
  • Concerns about health risks due to COVID-19 variants.
  • Concerns about mask requirements for students.

Click here and here to view written public comment submitted online on this agenda item.

Trustees Heard Update on the 2021 Legislative Session

Trustees received a 2021 Legislative Report following the conclusion of the 2021 Legislative Session. For the first time in over 20 years, all CCSD sponsored bills have passed in a legislative session.

The CCSD bills that passed:

  • SB-2 removes duplicative reporting or tasks that take away from the instructional needs of our children.
  • SB-66 identifies students statewide who lack a digital device or sufficient internet access. This legislation puts Nevada ahead of other states in potentially accessing future federal funds.

Trustees also heard updates on the following:

  • SB-450 will add approximately $3 billion to capital construction to help modernize schools and construct new schools where needed.
  • SB-439 creates a special revenue fund for K-12. All school money will go into a single fund where it cannot be siphoned out for some other purpose.
  • AB-406 will increase funding for K-12 schools.

Education bills that passed:

  • AB-224 creates a pilot program so school districts provide menstrual products in 25% of secondary schools.
  • AB-57 temporarily suspends student learning goals as an evaluation measurement of teachers during the 2021-2022 school with a hold harmless for the current school year.
  • AB-194 requires school districts to hold the appeal process for a suspension or expulsion in an expedited timeline that is to be determined in regulations by the Nevada Department of Education.
  • AB-195 requires school districts to report on the amount of English Learner students and staff in the districts as well as provide the English Learner bill of rights in the primary language of the student and his/her guardian.
  • AB-235 requires school districts to provide two annual events a year to help pupils and parents complete the FAFSA.
  • AB-257 invites school districts to use federal funds to test and repair HVAC units in schools.
  • AB-266 allows teachers to receive extra weights in their evaluation if their class size exceeds recommended class size ratio.
  • AB-371 extends provisions related to bullying and cyber-bullying to additionally prohibit and address discrimination based on race.
  • SB-102 now requires a student to be 5 years old by the first day of school to attend kindergarten starting in the 2022-2023 school year.
  • SB-249 allows students to take mental health days and allows students identification cards to have information for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
  • SB-353 allows the state to audit the amount of testing done at the federal, state and district level and requires school districts to submit a waiver if they would like to conduct additional testing.

Education bills that did not pass: 

  • SB-120 required administrators to reapply for jobs every five years and asked school districts to provide documentation on professional learning.
  • AB-255 and SB-111 created partially appointed school boards.
  • SB-142 removed the ending fund balance protection from collective bargaining from 16.6% to zero; SB439 set at 12%.
  • SB-27 mandated paraprofessionals and coaches to receive a license from the Nevada Department of Education.
  • SB-10 and SB-64 revolved around changes to the property tax structure.

Click here to view the presentation.

Members of the public submitted public comment on this agenda item regarding:

  • Requests to disaggregate MAP and testing data to identify ELLs who are long-term ELLs and/or who have IEPs and 504s.
  • Requests for CCSD to gather information for new incoming students with significant interruptions for formal education.
  • Requests to fix ventilation and filtration systems in schools.

Click here to view written public comment submitted online on this agenda item.

Trustees Approved Proposed Amendments to CCSD Policies and Regulations

  • Policy 4111 – Amendments to Policy 4111 will change the promotion of in-district support professionals to administration positions from a consent item to an informational item. Out-of-district administrators still need to come before the board for consent. Other changes include language cleanup.
  • Regulation 4111 –  Amendments include changes to update and reflect current processes. Some of the changes include outlining the minimum qualifications for licensed administrative positions and professional technical administrative positions; updating language to remove the screening process from an HR function to a committee function; outlining that it is responsibility of the Chief HR Officer to ensure a quality, objective, and fair selection process; and new language indicating that principal selections must follow the process outlined in NRS 388G.740.
  • Regulation 4291 – The amendment contains new language that allows the Superintendent to utilize a full salary schedule to place or advance at-will employees based on their experience, previous salary, and the position requirements. All other changes are primarily cleanup language.
  • Regulation 4360 – Changes will include updates to outdated manual processes that are now facilitated in a human capital management system. All references to the Superintendent being responsible for any part of the resignation process have been removed and replaced with the Chief HR Officer designation.

Trustees approved all motions to pass the policy and regulation amendments 6-0, with one trustee not present to vote.

Trustees Submitted Requests for Future Board Items:

  • Presentation from the Bond Oversight Committee
  • A work session on AB-495 to discuss the Legislative Committee on Education Study and how the District would like to help the committee ensure that their concerns are addressed
  • A work session with NASB (Nevada Association of School Boards) to discuss some of the ongoing work that NASB is doing at the state level, ground in the role of the Board of Trustees, and educate incoming legislatures.

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Nevada Ed-Watch 4/23/201

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? Considered one of Nevada’s school districts, the SPCSA sponsors and oversees public charter schools. The Authority consists of seven 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? The SPCSA typically meets one a month, generally on Fridays. 

Click here for SPCSA meeting schedule and materials.

Can community members engage at SPCSA Board Meetings? While all meetings of the SPCSA are typically 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), all meetings are now held virtually due to the COVID-19 crisis. Members of the public may view the meeting online via the link on the SPCSA’s Public Notice web page and the agenda and any supporting materials can be found here. Public comment may be given on any agenda item at the beginning of the meeting, or public comment regarding any matter that is SPCSA-related may be given at the conclusion of each Board meeting. Members of the community giving public comment can utilize the following conference call line: 1-312-584-2401; extension 3952176# with a time limit of three minutes per speaker. Alternatively, public comment may be submitted in writing to 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, April 23, 2021

State Public Charter School Authority Board Meeting

Click here to see the meeting agenda

What happened at this meeting? 

Members of the public provided comment regarding:

  • A request for the Authority to exercise their influence to end the mask-wearing mandate.

SPCSA Executive Directors’ and SPCSA Staff Report:

  • COVID-19 Update
    • On April 13th, Governor Sisolak released Directive 044 that outlines protocols for the safe return to work and school. Director Feiden explained how the Governor’s directive will affect public charter schools and the Authority.

Click here for Governor’s Directive 044.
Click here to read Director 044 updates.

  • Initiatives Related to Serving All Students Equitably
    • The SPCSA has provided school accountability technical assistance training and informational sessions for schools on the Project Aware grant. The Project Aware technical assistance working group will plan trainings focusing on topics including youth mental health, restorative justice, and the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) for school sites.
  • Update on Notice of Intent
    • In April 2021, the SPCSA collected 29 Notices of Intent to apply to launch a public charter school in Nevada, and schools intending to apply were invited to a pre-application training. Schools must submit an application by July, 15th 2021.

Board Approved COVID-19 Guidance for Schools

Under SPCSA’s COVID-19 guidance, schools are required to maintain a minimum of 3 feet social distancing for students and 6 feet social distancing for adults at SPCSA-sponsored schools, including within school buildings, on school grounds, and within school transportation vehicles for the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year. 

Large gatherings of 250 people or more, which require a Large Gathering Plan pursuant to Directive 044, allow schools to establish any capacity limits as an exception. The guidance also allows schools to continue with their existing sanitation protocols as determined at the school level and to make adjustments in line with any updated public health guidance.

Click here to read the full COVID-19 update.

Board Heard Overview on Federal Emergency Grant Funding

SPCSA is allocated funds under the following funding programs:

  • $4.6 million in ESSER I funding — Schools received $95.24 for each student qualifying for Free or Reduced-Price Lunch (FRL) and $85.17 for each student not qualifying for FRL.
  • Approximately $888,000 in GEER I funding.
  • Approximately $2.9 million under Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF), commonly referred to as AB3.
  • $23.8 million from Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act funds, or ESSER II — Schools were allocated funding based on a straight per-pupil allocation with additional weights on enrollment as follows: 30% for FRL, 110% for IEP, and 50% for ELL.
  • Approximately $53.4 million through the American Recovery Plan, or ARP ESSER, which was signed into law on March 11, 2021 and provides several types of funding for K-12 Education.
  • The second round of GEER funding was allocated to Governors for the same purposes and with the same flexibility as the first round of funding. The SPCSA has not received any information about allocations of the second round of GEER funding, or GEER II.

Click here to read the full overview of Federal Emergency Funding.

Board Heard Public Comment from Charter School Leaders on Federal Grant Funding

School leaders from Equipo Academy, Futuro Academy, and Doral Academy shared presentations on how the schools are utilizing received funding to support students and families. School leaders also requested that SPCSA’s current ESSER II allocation methodology be reevaluated, stating concerns that Title 1 schools with a high percentage of FRL and/or high-needs students will be funded inequitably compared to CCSD schools. 

The SPCSA board recommended that SPCSA staff create a follow-up comparison that shows allocation figures of CCSD in comparison to SPCSA allocation figures.

Board Heard Presentation on the Proposed Plan For The Safe Return to In-Person Instruction

Under the SPCSA’s proposed Plan for the Safe Return to In-Person Instruction, each charter school is required to have a re-opening plan pursuant to Emergency Directive 022. As documented in the proposed plan, SCPSA will approach a safe return to in-person instruction based on the following principles:

  • Clear Guardrails and Oversight to continue establishing minimum standards, where appropriate, and conducting compliance oversight of emergency directives
  • Flexibility and Support that honors school-level decision-making while providing support
  • Consistent Communication for information sharing between the SPCSA and schools

Pursuant to the NDE’s Framework for a Safe, Efficient, and Equitable Return to School Buildings as well as the U.S. Department of Education’s ED COVID-19 Handbook, Volume 2: Roadmap to Reopening Safely and Meeting All Students’ Needs, the plan also addresses five key areas of focus:

  • Communicating with Schools and Stakeholders
  • Establishing a Safe Learning Environment
  • Meeting the social, emotional, and mental health needs of students
  • Accelerating learning
  • Charter School Re-Opening Plans

Click here to read the full SPCSA Plan For The Safe Return to In-Person Instruction.

Board Approved Charter School Contract Amendments

The board approved two charter school contract amendments:

  • Nevada State High School was approved to defer the opening of Campus #8 under the Flagship contract to the 2022–23 school year and to be located at 4280 W. Craig Road, North Las Vegas, NV 89031. 

Click here to read the full SPCSA recommendation memo for Nevada State High School.

  • Girls Athletic Leadership School (GALS)’s was approved to relocate its campus to a new address and to reduce the enrollment cap from 270 to 160 students for the 2021-22 school year.

Click here to read the full SPCSA recommendation memo for GALS.

Board Approved Revolving Loan Applications for New Charter Schools 

The board approved revolving loan applications for three new charter schools that are planned to open in the Fall of 2021: TEACH Las Vegas, Sage Collegiate, and Las Vegas Collegiate. SPCSA shared feedback about the applications, including that the applications were compelling and complete, and that the schools demonstrated a strong plan for repayment of the loan and a need for additional start-up cash.

Click here to read the full SPCSA recommendation memo for Teach Las Vegas.
Click here to read the full SPCSA recommendation memo for Sage Collegiate.
Click here to read the full SPCSA recommendation memo Las Vegas Collegiate. 

Board Approved New Charter School Application

The board approved Battle Born Academy to open in August 2022. 

Click here to read the full SPCSA recommendation memo for Battle Born Academy.

Board Heard Updates on 2021 Legislative Session

SPCSA General Counsel Ryan Herrick provided updates on education bills that the Authority is following:

  • Assembly Bill 68 – AB-68 introduces legislation by the SPCSA regarding changes to charter school application periods, charter contracts, and grade level requirements. Director Fieden presented comments on this bill at the March 18th hearing to the Assembly of Education. The bill was amended and recommended to pass as amended.
  • Assembly Bill 109 – AB-109 removes an existing statute that allows for up to 30% of charter school teachers to be unlicensed. 
  • Assembly Bill 419 – AB-419 adds governance training requirements for charter school boards and the SPCSA board; requires certain reporting by charter schools that contract with Educational Management Organizations (EMOs); requires the SPCSA to report to the Interim Education Committee on certain items. 
  • Senate Bill 126 – SB-126 requires libraries and librarians in charter schools. 
  • Senate Bill 173 – SB-173 directs emergency federal funding to summer school in order to address student learning loss. Districts and charter schools may opt-in to the program. 
  • Senate Bill 215 – SB-215 changes provisions related to distance education.
  • Senate Bill 363 – SB-363 financial reporting related to funds paid to Educational Management Organizations (EMOs).

Click here to view SPCSA’s 2021 legislative updates.

Long-Range Calendar Update

New charter applications will be brought to the May board meeting and updates on American Recovery Funding will be included in an upcoming agenda.

Click here to see the long range calendar.

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Nevada Ed-Watch 2/26/21

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? Considered one of Nevada’s school districts, the SPCSA sponsors and oversees public charter schools. The Authority consists of seven 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? The SPCSA typically meets one a month, generally on Fridays. 

Click here for SPCSA meeting schedule and materials.

Can community members engage at SPCSA Board Meetings? While all meetings of the SPCSA are typically 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), all meetings are now held virtually due to the COVID-19 crisis. Members of the public may view the meeting online via the link on the SPCSA’s Public Notice web page and the agenda and any supporting materials can be found here. Public comment may be given on any agenda item at the beginning of the meeting, or public comment regarding any matter that is SPCSA-related may be given at the conclusion of each Board meeting. Members of the community giving public comment can utilize the following conference call line: 1-312-584-2401; extension 3952176# with a time limit of three minutes per speaker. Alternatively, public comment may be submitted in writing to 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, February 26, 2021

State Public Charter School Authority Board Meeting

Click here to see the meeting agenda

What happened at this meeting? 

No members of the public provided comment during this meeting.

SPCSA Executive Directors’ and SPCSA Staff Report:

  • Update on Financial Performance Framework Ratings
    • Staff has sent final performance framework ratings to schools. All performance frameworks are now available to the public under the Performance Reports Tab on the SPCSA website.
  • Initiatives Related to Serving All Students Equitably
    • SPCSA is in the process of working with the Nevada Department of Education to provide schools with access to training on how to review their own discipline data. Earlier this month, SPCSA sent each school a report comparing their school’s demographics to those of district and neighborhood schools within their local communities. Schools can use the information to understand whether their school population is representative of the community.
    • SPCSA will continue to make updates to its website to make it easier for families to select a school and access enrollment, and is currently awaiting feedback from stakeholders before making an initial round of changes. The purpose of these updates is to remove barriers to access to schools.
    • SPCSA has been working to collect demographic data for licensed educators. This data shows that there is a noticeable discrepancy between licensed staff and students. 70% of public school teachers are White, while White students only make up 30% of enrollment.
    • SCPSA is seeing some opportunities to access training to all SPCSA-sponsored schools, particularly on culturally responsive practices and restorative justice.

Click here to view the update memo.

  • Project Aware and MTSS Pilot
    • Last Spring, the Authority engaged in a process with the NDE and UNR’s PBIS Technical Assistance Center to explore ways to support schools with MTSS  (Multi-Tiered Systems of Support). SPCSA has established a pilot program to support a small cohort of schools with this implementation and is currently working with 6 schools on this pilot. Project AWARE is a 5-year grant program focused on promoting equity, restorative justice practices, cultural responsiveness, social-emotional learning, and mental health awareness. Project AWARE will focus on 5 strategies.

Schools from all over Nevada will be able to participate.

Click here to view the presentation.

  • Future SPCSA Board meetings
    • SPCSA is looking to transition to an in-person component to SPCSA board meetings. A potential first step is to have board members in Southern Nevada meet in person beginning at the March meeting. SPCSA will work within constraints to make sure its board can continue to socially distance and abide by State guidance and hopes to gradually move to in-person board meetings.

Board Approved Change to In-Person Learning Guidance

  • SPCSA has seen COVID-19 test positivity and case rates decline. Vaccines are rolling out to all counties where SPCSA schools are located. In early February, Director Feiden held focus groups and through those focus groups has learned that schools have developed significant measures to mitigate COVID-19. Schools have increased in-person learning steadily over the past months. Schools continue to raise concerns about the academic development and mental health of students. On February 12, the CDC released updated guidance which includes guidance for K-12 mitigation. It emphasizes:
  • Consistent implementation of layered mitigation strategies to reduce transmission, such as correct use of masks;
  • Monitoring of indicators of community transmission to assess community risk; and
  • Implementation of a phased mitigation learning model.

On February 17, Governor’s Directive 038 was announced. The directive has two major impacts on schools:

  • Schools that have facilitated at least 20 days of in-person instruction, whether hybrid or full-time, can increase in-person learning from 50% to 75% room capacity. Schools that haven’t facilitated any in-person learning will have to do so for 20 days at 50% room capacity before increasing to 75% room capacity.
  • Schools that have facilitated at least 20 days of in-person learning (hybrid or full), can go to 3 feet distance learning. Adults are still required 6 feet from students and other adults.

The board approved a motion to lift the Authority’s additional in-person learning restrictions on flagged counties and to instead align with the Governor’s instructions in Directive 038 per Director Feiden’s recommended. Schools are responsible for their reopening plans when there are changes and must submit those plans to the NDE through the SPCSA. This ensures that the SPCSA is aware of school plans in order to answer questions that may arise from community members and families.

Click here to read the guidance memo.
Click here to read Nevada’s ROADMAP TO RECOVERY: Pre-K – 12 Education.
Click here to read Governor’s Directive 038.

Board Approved Amendments Charter School Contracts

  • Nevada Prep: The board approved a motion to grant Nevada Prep a Good Cause Exemption and approve the school’s requests, with conditions. The school is approved to:
    • Relocate to a facility at 1780 N. Betty Lane in Las Vegas.
    • Expand its grade configuration to the 3rd grade beginning in the 2021–22 school year. The school is not requesting a change in the enrollment cap for the 2021-22 school year.
    • Expand the enrollment caps for the school beginning in the 2022–23 school year to accommodate slow growth within grades 3–8.
  • The school must also complete the following two conditions:
    • Complete pre-opening process for new charter school facilities
    • Submit NWA Map results from the beginning, middle, and end of the year

Click here to read SPCSA staff’s recommendation memo.

  • Coral Academy of Science Las Vegas: The board approved a motion to grant Coral Academy of Science Las Vegas approval to expand to a seventh location, in Henderson, for the 2022-2023 school year. The school must complete the following conditions:
    • Lease or purchase a parcel on in Henderson by June 30, 2021
    • Continue to promote the school in multiple languages
    • Implement a weighted lottery system that enables the school ensure student demographics are comparable to schools in the local area.
    • Complete pre-opening process for new charter school facilities.

Click here to read SPCSA staff’s recommendation memo.

Board Heard Update on New Schools

  • Las Vegas Collegiate – Las Vegas Collegiate was conditionally approved by the Authority in December 2019 but deferred its school opening from Fall 2020 to Fall 2021. School leadership shared that they are currently looking at two facilities for the Fall opening, will be facilitating a number of community engagement strategies to grow enrollment, and have filled 50% of its open positions for hire.
  • Sage Collegiate – Sage Collegiate was conditionally approved by the Authority to open in December 2020. School leadership shared that they are working with Building Hope and have identified a potential permanent facility. The school has made an offer on the facility and is going through the process to finalize the agreement; however, the facility is not expected to be ready under December 2021. The school expects to get a temporary site proposal at a Boys and Girls Club location for Year 1 and anticipates a long-term partnership with Boys and Girls Club even after the move into the permanent building.
  • CIVICA – The Authority conditionally approved CIVICA to open in May 2020. Current enrollment is anticipated to be 340 students. School leadership shared their community engagement efforts, including hosting information sessions for families, and on-the-spot enrollment events at Maya Cinemas. CIVICA has completed its hiring with internal transferred and will begin Interviewing and hiring external candidates next week. The schools expect to see the exterior walls of the new school site going up in the next week. CIVICA has also finalized all 5 conditions that were due to the SPCSA and submitted a letter of intent to receive Charter School Program grant funds.
  • Eagle Academy – The Authority conditionally approved Eagle in January 2021  to open its campus for Fall 2021. School leadership shared that they are working on securing a facility. If unable to find a facility for the upcoming school year, the school will defer to open in 2022 and take advantage of the 18 months for board training, hiring, community outreach, and other initiatives.

Board Heard Update on Nevada Connections Academy

  • Last year, the Authority approved a 3-year contract for Nevada Connections Academy (NCA) which goes through June 20, 2023. Under the contract, the school serves grades 9-12, and enrollment for grades 9-10 is capped at 850 students. The contract further stipulates that students can enter grades 11-12 at NCA if they have matriculated through the school from the 9th or 10th grades; however, the school may not take enrollments for grades 11-12 from new students. If the school receives a 1-star rating at the end of the 2020-21 or 2021-22 school years, this will result in the school’s closure. Over the last nine months, SPCSA staff shared that they have seen the NCA’s strong dedication to improvement. NCA’s leadership gave a presentation to the Authority, reporting that Performance Framework targets are on track for this school year. The school has been working on improving feedback to students as well as webmail communications. The school also reported a completion rate of 94% for all benchmark assessments which increased from 92% in Fall 2020. The school is working to make sure students are mastering all of their courses and are providing interventions in areas needed. The school has also implemented ACT preparation for 9th-11th graders and now has a full College & Career Readiness program along with increased dual credit options. 10.6% of 12th graders are now in CTE programs, an increase from 2.6% previously.

Board Heard Update from Quest Academy

Representatives of Quest Academy provided an update on the school’s progress and transition from receivership to a full board. On October 15th, 2020, Quest transitioned to an independent board. There is currently a board vacancy that they expect to fill by April, and also anticipate adding two additional members to the board by the 2021-2022 school year. Quest is utilizing a data dashboard that enables them to monitor student learning and growth in order to stay on track to improve the star ratings of the elementary and middle schools.

Click here to see the full update provided by Quest.  

Board Approved TEACH Las Vegas Charter Contract   

The mission of TEACH Las Vegas is to create a high quality, innovative K – 12 teaching and learning environment in North Las Vegas that focuses on literacy; integrating state of-the-art technologies across the core curriculum to achieve academic proficiency for all students.

The approved contract allows TEACH Las Vegas to open a grades K-7 for the 2021-2022 school year, with an eventual growth to K-12.

TEACH’s initial application was denied in December 2020 due to deficiencies noted by staff across various domains in their application to open a school. Upon resubmission, reviewers found that the deficiencies were addressed. Board members expressed their appreciation for the specific attention made by the school to ensure their community engagement efforts were authentically grounded in the community they are looking to serve.

The contract was approved with conditions, including:

  • Provide 2020-2021 end of year data for existing schools in California
  • Submit growth data to the SCPSA at multiple points throughout the year for progress monitoring
  • Submit evidence that the school has a partnership to provide dual-enrollment courses

Click here to see the SPCSA staff’s recommendation memo.

Board Heard Presentation from Academica Nevada on Diversifying School Faculty

Academica Nevada is a for-profit Education Management Organization (EMO) that provides a suite of services for establishing and supporting operations for charter schools. Academica services 24 charter school campuses in Nevada, including Doral, Pinecrest, Somerset and Mater Academies, as well as CIVICA and SLAM!.

Academica staff provided an overview of the efforts they plan to undertake in order to diversify the faculty of the schools they support to better reflect the population of students being served. Staff shared that they had not been previously aware of the need to ensure that educators are representative of the students they are serving. Efforts to address the current disparities include “diversity awareness training”, increasing opportunities for licensure for support staff, and targeted recruitment at universities with diverse student bodies.

Currently, faculty members that identify as White are over-represented at Academica Nevada schools.

Board members discussed the need to expand their diversification efforts to all staff and the need to include families from the schools in discussions and planning. Additionally, board members recommended ensuring Academica is thought partnering with other schools who are exemplifying leadership in this area.  

Click here to see the full presentation.

Board Heard Update on Strategic Plan Progress

Director Feiden provided an update on the progress to date regarding the three 5-year goals outlined in the SPCSA’s strategic plan. The board will receive annual updates related to the progress towards achieving the goals. Due to the pandemic, SBAC assessments were not administered, impacting the metrics for Goal 2, outlined below.

Goal 1: Provide families with access to high-quality schools. This goal focuses on ensuring all SPCSA schools are considered high-quality via the statewide star-rating accountability system, as well as ensuring schools are in compliance with the SPCSA’s Organizational and Financial Frameworks.

Goal 2: Ensure that every SPCSA student succeeds – including those from historically underserved student groups. Some data points aligned to these metrics are not available due to student assessments not being administered, however other data points were available that indicate this goal is on track.

Goal 3: Increase the diversity of students served by SPCSA schools. This goal focuses on ensuring English Learners, students experiencing poverty, and students with disabilities are being equitably served at a rate that is greater than or equal to statewide averages.

Board Heard Update on 2021 Legislative Session

SPCSA staff has been meeting with legislators, local school districts, and the Department of Education to align on legislation related to education in Nevada. SPCSA is tracking approximately 20 bills, with seven directly related to charter schools. SPCSA staff shared that a recent bill presentation to the Assembly Committee on Education, Assembly Bill 68, was successful and that a friendly amendment is to be incorporated in the language.

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Nevada Ed-Watch 1-28-21

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, January 28, 2021

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 voice recorded public comment regarding: 

  • Support for the gun safety resolution 
  • Concerns about the plan to bring students back to school buildings 
  • Concerns about some Trustees’ character
  • Concerns about student mental health as a reason to open schools 
  • Support for increased pay for School Psychologists 

Click here & here to view written public comment on agenda items submitted online. 

Trustees Approved Consent Agenda

Consent Agenda Highlights: 

Trustees also approved removal of Agenda Item 3.16 for further review.

Trustees Postponed Vote on Agreement with Campus 2020, LLC 

Trustees discussed the feasibility of an agreement between CCSD and Campus 2020, LLC to engage in a public/private partnership that allows the partner to purchase the land from CCSD, for CCSD to lease it, and then buy it back after 10 years. This agreement would reduce the cost for school building. Trustees raised concerns about the use of general operating funds to pay for the lease rather than bond dollars, which are used for school building construction. Some trustees recommended ensuring that this item comes before the bond oversight committee for discussion prior to trustee vote, however the bond oversight committee does not have authority on this item.  

This item will come back before the board at the February 11th meeting. A motion to postpone the vote indefinitely failed 3-4. 

Click here to view reference materials. 

Trustees Heard Presentation on CCSD’s Information Technology (IT) Organizational Structure

CCSD partnered with the Center for Educational Leadership and Technology for an organizational study intended to analyze current digital and physical structures. The study recommends adjustments on the items below so that the digital infrastructure supports current physical infrastructure more effectively. Recommendations included:

  • Proposed IT Organizational Structure in which there are clear roles and responsibilities, 
  • Staff development to support IT programs, projects, and services,
  • Staffing and funding suggestions,
  • End-user support services, and
  • cyber safety.

CCSD has acted on some of the recommendations including items regarding organizational structure and purchase of resources.

Click here to view the presentation.

Trustees Appointed Board Member to the Debt Management Commission and Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition

Trustees approved a motion to appoint Trustee Williams as Board Member to the Debt Management Commission and Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition. 

Click here to view the Debt Management Commission.

Trustees Appointed Board Member to the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association Board of Control

Trustees approved a motion to appoint Trustee Cavazos as Board Member to the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association Board of Control. 

Click here to view the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association appointee request.

Trustees Heard Presentation on Legislative Involvement and Advocacy 

Trustees approved a motion to adopt a board member plan regarding Trustee participation during the 81st (2021) session of the Nevada Legislature and Legislative Committee assignments. 

Click to view supporting documents:

Resolution Regarding Safe Storage of Firearms Notification

Trustees discussed a resolution regarding sending letters to parents and guardians that explains the importance of secure gun storage and the legal obligations to protect minors from accessing irresponsibly stored guns, to be included in annual registration materials at each school site, and requiring a signature. 

The letter would not prevent students from registering in a school if it is not signed. 

Trustees denied the motion to approve the resolution, but approved an amended motion to return the agenda item to the Board no later than June 1 with review and assessment of information by the Superintendent’s Safety Committee.

Trustees shared comments about the effectiveness of the letter to prevent student deaths, current Nevada law and 2nd Amendment Rights, and similar practices in other school districts to inform families of safe storage.

Click here to view Safe Storage Notification Resolution and list of current school districts that have passed safe storage or secure storage resolutions.

Trustees Heard Presentation on Current Budget Forecast

The State Department of Taxation recommends CCSD be removed from the fiscal watch list. Currently, CCSD is unable to create a definitive budget for the 2021-22 SY given variables such as COVID-19, recession, student enrollment, and State of Nevada funding reductions to K-12 education. With CCSD’s work to increase reserve money and over $300,000 of federal funding intended for COVID-related expenses, CCSD does not anticipate cuts. CCSD is not required to return to in-person learning to qualify for this federal funding. CCSD replenished funding for programs such as Read by Grade 3, GATE, and Senate Bill 178 (2017). The state has provided funding for 2% raises and healthcare, but due to the reduced total funding for CCSD, CCSD does not anticipate raises. 

Click here for the presentation.

Trustees Conducted Hearing for and Approved the New Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) of Negotiated Agreement Between CCSD and CCEA

Trustees heard public comment in support of the MOA and approved the MOA, which modifies the pay of school psychologists in an attempt to attract and retain school psychologists. The financial impact statement for 2021 is $527,693 and is projected to be $1,121,378 for 2022.

Click here to view the negotiated agreement. 
Click here to view the approval of the new memorandum of agreement.
Click here to view the correct agenda item.

Public Comment #2

Members of the public submitted public comment on non-agenda items regarding:

  • Support and concerns regarding in-person learning plans to bring students and educators back to school buildings
  • Concerns about vaccine rollout
  • Request to delay date of ACT until teachers have time to get vaccinated
  • Concerns about district and media communication of student suicides
  • Concerns about lack of access to disaggregated data
  • Decisions to resume or postpone student sports

Click below to view public comments on non-agenda items submitted online.

Click here for a statement from Governor Steve Sisolak on the safe reopening of schools.

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Nevada Ed-Watch 12/11/2020

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? Considered one of Nevada’s school districts, the SPCSA sponsors and oversees public charter schools. The Authority consists of seven 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? The SPCSA typically meets one a month, generally on Fridays. 

Click here for SPCSA meeting schedule and materials.

Can community members engage at SPCSA Board Meetings? While all meetings of the SPCSA are typically 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), all meetings are now held virtually due to the COVID-19 crisis. Members of the public may view the meeting online via the link on the SPCSA’s Public Notice web page and the agenda and any supporting materials can be found here. Public comment may be given on any agenda item at the beginning of the meeting, or public comment regarding any matter that is SPCSA-related may be given at the conclusion of each Board meeting. Members of the community giving public comment can utilize the following conference call line: 1-312-584-2401; extension 3952176# with a time limit of three minutes per speaker. Alternatively, public comment may be submitted in writing to 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, December 11, 2020

State Public Charter School Authority Board Meeting

Click here to see the meeting agenda

What happened at this meeting? 

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

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

The board heard an update on the SPCSA COVID-19 In-person Learning Guidance from Director Feiden, who noted that there were no major changes in status following the update given at the December 5, 2020 meeting.

School leaders will continue to work diligently with local health officials on the COVID-19 response. Director Feiden recommended that the best course of action is to maintain the current in-person guidance. SPCSA staff will continue to communicate with schools regularly to provide needed supports and information. SPCSA will convene an emergency board meeting if there is a change in the Governor’s directive or an update from the Nevada Department of Education regarding the COVID-19 response prior to the next scheduled on January 22. 

Members of the board requested information about access to the COVID-19 vaccine for teachers and expressed concerns about meeting the needs of Special Education students.

Click here to read the recommendation.

Board Heard Update on Validated Demographic Enrollment Data

Each year on October 1, the Nevada Department of Education (NDE) takes a snapshot of student enrollment, known as Validation Day. Enrollment data is collected at the student level. The data is validated by Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and charter schools and used by NDE, SPCSA, LEAs, charter schools, and other stakeholders, for official federal and state reporting and funding. 

Report highlights:

  • A total of 53,223 students enrolled at SPCSA-sponsored schools for the 2020-21 school year — a 7.7% increase in enrollment from prior year.

  • Almost one-third, or just over 17,000 students, were enrolled in Title 1 schools.
  • Enrollment increased year over year for Asian, Black, and Hispanic/Latino student populations, as well as FRL, IEP, and ELL.
  • Despite the increase in diverse student populations, SPCSA schools enroll fewer Hispanic/Latino and American Indian/Alaska Native students, ELLs, and other special populations as compared to the state average.
  • The ELL enrollment rate for new SPCSA-sponsored schools that opened for the 2020-21 school year exceeds both SPCSA and state ELL enrollment rates.

Board members requested seat number data for new schools and a process to collect student exit data to inform strategies that improve student retention.

Click here & here to view the presentation materials.

Board Heard Update on 4-Year Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rates

The 4-Year Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) is the percentage of students in a school’s cohort of first-time 9th graders that will graduate within four years. The rate is increased when new students transfer into the school and decreased when students transfer out. 

Highlights on graduation rates for SPCSA-sponsored schools:

  • The 4-year graduation rate for the Class of 2020 is 84.2%–a 6.4% increase from prior year.
  • 10 schools reported a 100% graduation rate–more than double the prior year.
  • Year over year graduation rates increased for all student groups, including students identifying as Asian, Black/African American, White, Pacific Islander, or two or more races, as well as ELLs and students with disabilities.

Click here to view the presentation materials.

Board Reviewed Four (4) School Renewal Applications

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

  • Elko Institute for Academic Achievement: Approved 
    • Elko Institute for Academic Achievement (EIAA) was approved for a 5-year renewal term. The board shared the following highlights:
      • EIAA Middle School has held a 5-star rating since the 2017-18 school year.
      • EIAA most recently received a perfect score under the Organizational Performance Framework.

Click here to see the full EIAA application report.

  • Alpine Academy: Approved
    • Alpine Academy was approved for a 6-year renewal term. The board shared the following highlights:
      • Alpine has exhibited adequate performance, not earning less than a 3-star rating.
      • Alpine most recently earned a perfect score under the Organizational Performance Framework.

Click here to see the full Alpine Academy application report. 

  • Equipo Academy: Approved
    • Equipo Academy was approved for a 6-year renewal term. The board shared the following highlights:
      • Equipo High School is rated 4-stars with a 5-star rating at the middle school.
      • The board commended Equipo for its dedication to improving performance and for its high graduation and FRL rates.

Click here to see the full Equipo Academy application report.

  • Silver Sands Montessori: Approved
    • Silver Sands Montessori was approved for a 6-year renewal term. The board shared the following highlights:
      • In almost every year Silver Sands Elementary has earned a minimum 3-star rating.
      • The board commended the Silver Sands team for their dedication to transforming its middle school from a 2-star to a 5-star rated school.

Click here to see the full Silver Sands Montessori application report.

Board Heard Recommendation on TEACH Las Vegas Application

The board denied a new charter school application for TEACH Las Vegas for the 2021-22 school year following recommendation by the SPCSA staff. Staff noted concerns that the application fails to satisfy NRS 388A.249, shows limited evidence of established community partnerships or how the school will meet the needs of the target population. The board also noted areas of strength in the application including a clear mission, a plan to continue parent engagement, a strong emphasis on data and individual student achievement, and a robust professional development plan.

Click here to see the TEACH Las Vegas application report.

Board Heard Update on 2021 Academic and Demographic Needs Assessment

The Academic and Demographic Needs Assessment is an evaluation of student demographic information, the academic needs of students, and the needs of students who are at risk of dropping out. The SPCSA board first approved the needs assessment at the July 26, 2019 meeting.

Proposed updates to the needs assessment for this year will include limited technical changes, dropout and graduation rates, enrollment and demographic information, and the addition of a new section to focus on the implementation of the needs assessment.

The updates aim to aid the SPCSA in assessing its impact and telling the public the story about the work the SPCSA is doing. The assessment will be brought to the board for possible action at the January 28 board meeting.

Click here to view the Academic and Demographic Needs Assessment.

Click here to view proposed updates.

Long-Range Calendar

In the coming months, the SPCSA board will engage in conversation on the pre-opening process for new charter schools, and expected new schools will provide an update on their work. At the request of board members, SPCSA will also consider rescheduling the March 26 and May 28 meeting dates that fall on or near CCSD’s spring break and Memorial Day respectively.

Click here to see the long-range calendar.

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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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Nevada Ed-Watch 10/23/20

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 5pm at the Edward A. Greer Education Center (Board Room): 2832 E. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, NV 89121.

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, October 22, 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 & here to view public comment submitted on agenda items.
  • Click here to view public comment submitted on non-agenda items.

Trustees Approved Consent Agenda 

Highlights:

  • Purchase awards totalling $1.1 million, including $580,000 for medical equipment and furniture for students with disabilities. 
  • Contract with Rethink Ed for a web-based package of supports for students on the Autism Spectrum.

Trustees Discussed Agreement for School Psychologist Contractors

The 5-year agreement with Jackson Therapy Partners, LLC provides for a limited number of school psychologist contractors to be placed in schools when the district is unable to recruit and directly hire individuals to fill school psychologist vacancies. Trustees discussed the need for a long-term strategy to strengthen the school-based mental health professional pipeline and improve working conditions for CCSD school psychologists. This item will come back before the board in November.

Click here to see the reference material

Trustees Approved Scholarship Funds 

The Susan Brager Occupational Education Scholarship provides $1,000 for an eligible CCSD high school senior engaged at least two years of occupational education. The scholarship is administered annually through the Public Education Foundation. 

Trustees Approved Contract with Applied Analysis

State law authorizes the Board of Trustees to issue general obligation bonds for the construction, design or purchase of new school buildings, remodeling and repairing existing buildings and ground, and acquiring sites for building schools. Trustees approved a contract with Applied Analysis, an economic and policy research analysis firm, to develop a legislative strategy that extends the district’s bonding authority for at least 10 additional years. 

Click here to see the reference materials 
Click here to see the contract

Trustees Provided Input on School Reopening 

Trustees heard a presentation on the COVID-19 positivity rates from Dr. Fermin Leguen, Acting Director of the Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD). Dr. Leguen shared that it is unlikely that metrics originally set to signal the safe reopening of CCSD schools will meet acceptable levels for reopening in the near future. Based on this, along with consideration of the impact of distance education on student learning, mental health, and community stability, Dr. Leguen shared that SNHD would be supportive of CCSD reopening under a hybrid-model with continued implementation of mitigation strategies such as mask-wearing and social distancing. Trustees expressed concerns about the safety of students and staff upon reopening with high positivity rates in the County. There is no current timeline for CCSD schools to reopen in-person.

Trustees also provided considerations for the district’s reopening plan, to be presented to Trustees at the November 12 meeting. Suggestions included: 

  • Prioritize in-person learning for young students, students with highest needs, and those least successful in distance learning 
  • Limit interaction between groups of students and adults 
  • Ensure employees have the option to continue to work from home 
  • Create an audit and monitoring system for ventilation improvements at school sites 
  • Create a comprehensive communication plan that outlines mitigation strategies and prepares the public in advance for the pivot to in-person school
  • Convene mental health professionals and experts within the district to identify social-emotional support strategies

This was not an action item. 

Click here to see the presentation

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

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Nevada Ed-Watch 7/29/20

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 5pm at the Edward A. Greer Education Center (Board Room): 2832 E. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, NV 89121.

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.

Tuesday, July 29, 2020

Clark County School District Board of Trustees Special 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 the comments was provided to Trustees.

  • Click here to view public comment on agenda item 3.01
  • Click here to view public comment on agenda item 3.02
  • Click here to view public comment on agenda item 3.03
  • Click here & here to view public comment on non-agenda items

Trustees Discussed District Relationship with State and Department of Education 

Assembly Bill 2 (AB2) of the 31st Nevada Legislative Special Session proposed using individual school carry-forward dollars to fill budget cuts for the district due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Schools were granted the ability to maintain a fund balance from year to year based on Assembly Bill 469 (2017).  AB2 did not pass, and was subject to controversy regarding who initiated the bill and whether Superintendent Jara misrepresented the role of CCSD in putting the bill forward.  

Trustees discussed the potential impact of alleged misrepresentation by Superintendent Jara. Some Trustees expressed concern that the public and private discourse related to AB2 damaged the District’s relationship with Legislators, the Nevada Department of Education, and the Governor’s office. Other trustees asserted that major projects are underway with the Nevada Department of Education, and that tension has historically existed between CCSD and the Nevada Legislature regarding the funding of schools, specifically in times of revenue shortfalls. 

Trustees referenced Balanced Governance policies to identify the role of the board in the communication process regarding potential bills to be brought forward to the legislature, as well as the Board’s intention to speak as one voice on all matters related to the district and directives to the Superintendent. No action was taken on this item. 

Click here to review the timeline provided by CCSD 
Click here to review the timeline submitted by Trustees 
Click here to view all reference documents 

Trustees Discussed Representations of Reopening Plan 

Based on guidance provided by the Nevada Department of Education (NDE) on June 24, 2020,  multiple interpretations surfaced regarding whether CCSD was required to submit a plan of learning in school year 2020-21 for approval that included 3 scenarios for reopening: distance learning only, hybrid learning, and in-person learning. Citing the NDE’s directive that districts or schools that do not submit adequate plans would be subject to escalating intervention (including revocation of a school district or school’s authority to implement education plans in cases of significant non-compliance), Trustees discussed the difference between submitting a plan for approval versus submitting a plan for review, and the associated consequences. Trustees also discussed confusion that arose from multiple disparate communications among individual Trustees and NDE staff, CCSD staff, Superintendent Jara, and State Superintendent Ebert.  

Before the transition from agenda item 3.02 to agenda item 3.03, Trustees voted 4-3 to adjourn the meeting prior to reviewing the final item: Termination for Convenience of the Employment Contract with Dr. Jesus F. Jara. 

Click here to view reference documents 
Click here to read about this in the Nevada Independent
Click here to read about this in the Las Vegas Review Journal 

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