Nevada Ed-Watch: 08/29/22

¿Qué es la SPCSA y de qué es responsable? Considerado como uno de los distritos escolares de Nevada, el SPCSA patrocina y supervisa las escuelas públicas charter. La Autoridad está formada por siete miembros designados responsables de supervisar las normas educativas y operativas y hacer que las escuelas patrocinadas sean responsables del rendimiento académico de los estudiantes. 

¿Con qué frecuencia se reúne el Consejo de Administración de SPCSA? El SPCSA suele reunirse una vez al mes, generalmente los viernes. 

Haga clic aquí para consultar el calendario y los materiales de las reuniones de la SPCSA.

¿Pueden los miembros de la comunidad participar en las reuniones de la Junta de SPCSA? Aunque todas las reuniones de la SPCSA se celebran normalmente en público en el edificio del Departamento de Educación de Nevada en Carson City y en el edificio del Departamento de Educación de Nevada en Las Vegas (sala de juntas del 1er piso), todas las reuniones se celebran ahora virtualmente debido a la crisis COVID-19. Los miembros del público pueden ver la reunión en línea a través del enlace en la página web de Aviso Público de SPCSA y la agenda y cualquier material de apoyo se puede encontrar aquí. El público puede hacer comentarios sobre cualquier punto del orden del día al principio de la reunión o sobre cualquier asunto relacionado con SPCSA al final de cada reunión del Consejo. Los miembros de la comunidad que hagan comentarios públicos pueden utilizar la siguiente línea de conferencia telefónica: 1-312-584-2401; extensión 3952176# con un límite de tiempo de tres minutos por orador. Alternativamente, los comentarios del público pueden enviarse por escrito a publiccomment@spcsa.nv.gov, y cualquier comentario público de este tipo recibido antes de la reunión se facilitará a la Autoridad y se incluirá en el acta escrita de la reunión.

Haga clic aquí para ver una lista de todos los miembros de SPCSA.
Haga clic aquí para ver una lista de todas las escuelas patrocinadas por SPCSA.

Monday, August 29, 2022
State Public Charter School Authority Board Meeting
Access the meeting agenda and playback.

¿Qué ocurrió en esta reunión? 

Comentario público nº 1 

Se escucharon comentarios del público sobre:

• Support for Rooted School – Clark County and Southern Nevada Trades High School

Informe del Director Ejecutivo de SPCSA

Entre los aspectos más destacados del informe figuran:

• Initiatives Related to Serving All Students Equitably: School plans are due to SPCSA staff by September 30. Staff will then provide feedback and prepare for those plans to be implemented for the 2023-2024 school year. An update on plans submitted will be provided at the October board meeting.
• Legislative Session & Interim Committees: There is a meeting of the Interim Legislative Committee on August 30 for its biannual work session. It will consider recommendations and proposals in advance of the 2023 Legislative Session. Explore the Interim Committee’s recommendations.
• State Infrastructure Bank: The State Infrastructure Bank has a dedicated $15 million revolving loan account for charter school capital needs, which can include financing or refinancing outstanding debts, development, construction, etc. of charter school facilities (both new and existing). Information on this program has been sent to schools, and the Authority will likely treat these requests similar to bonding requests, in terms of board approvals. Review the State Infrastructure Bank’s application.
• Growth Management Plan: The Authority has shifted the timeline to coincide with new school applications and will be sending a survey to schools in coming weeks on five-year expansion plans.
• Federal Emergency Grant Funding: ESSER I funding closes at the end of September, and the Authority is working to ensure schools have expended these funds. They are gaining approvals for the final third of the ESSER funds. Explore the emergency funding allocations as of August 2022.
• New Schools and Campuses that Opened in August 2022: Eight new schools/campuses have successfully their opened doors for the 2022-2023 school year. Facilities, permitting, and enrollment challenges were noted. Explore the briefing memo.
• 2021-2022 School Year Academic Performance Data: The State received a waiver from the federal government and star ratings for schools will not be calculated for the 2021-2022 school year, similar to the 2020-2021 school year. Instead, index scores will be used.
• 2023 Proposed Board Meeting Dates: Explore the proposed 2023 meeting dates.

Board Received an Update on Mater Academy’s Programs That Serve Students with Individualized Educational Plans (IEPs)

Mater Academy’s Bonanza campus opened during the pandemic and saw a tremendous need for specialized programs and supports for students. There are three specialized programs, one at each campus. Positive behavior supports and differentiated instruction are provided to students, as well as after-school tutoring that helps students work towards mastery of their IEP goals, improves performance on standardized assessments,  and increases grade-level content mastery, improves behavior, and increases motivation. Students can also participate in extracurricular activities and clubs, which helps build peer connections and increase self-confidence.

Explore the presentation.

Board Approved Recommended Updates and Changes to the Site Evaluation Process for the 2021-2022 School Year

Staff reviewed updates and four proposed changes to site evaluation processes. Changes include strengthening the differentiating process, including better defining the evaluation and purpose, and implementing procedures before, during, and after both types of evaluation; conducting an optional follow-up site evaluation debrief with school leadership 3-7 days after the evaluation; providing a site evaluation feedback survey after the evaluation; and updating the Organizational Performance Chart in the site evaluation report.

Explore the presentation and the proposed 2022-2023 handbook.

Board Received an Update on the Closure of Argent Preparatory Academy

Argent Prep had been placed into receivership and closed at the end of the 2017-2018 school year. This was the final report from the receiver, as the court recently granted the motion to terminate the receivership.

Explore the update and the order granting the motion to terminate receivership.

Solicitudes de modificación de contratos escolares aprobadas por la Junta

The Board approved PilotED – Cactus Park Elementary School’s request to provide temporary transportation for students from its permanent facility, located at 3115 Las Vegas Blvd., to its temporary facility at 1780 Betty Ln.

Explore la solicitud y el memorándum de recomendación.

Board Reviewed Charter School Applications

SPCSA staff provided the Board with their recommendations relating to the following charter school applications from the 2022 application cycle, and the Board took the following actions:

Southern Nevada Trades High School (SNTHS): This school aims to promote excellence in academic and career and technical education, preparing students for post-secondary education and careers in construction-related professions. It would serve grades 9-12, with a proposed opening in August 2023.

The board voted to approve SNTHS’ application with certain conditions, including providing a detailed plan for hiring the principal by September 30 and providing evidence that the principal has been hired by March 1, 2023; providing a fully executed agreement with ACE Charter School regarding ongoing services and supports to be provided by ACE Charter School by November 30; and providing a revised budget that includes an ELL/TESOL Teacher during the first year of operation by November 30.

Explore the application and the recommendation memo.

Rooted School – Clark County: This school aims to rapidly reduce America’s wealth gap by connecting underserved and talented teenagers with career and financial pathways. It would serve grades 9-12, with a proposed opening in August 2023.

The board voted not to approve Rooted School’s application as submitted, based on the recommendation of the review committee. The school was encouraged to review feedback, meet with staff, and resubmit its application within 30 days to address the identified issues and discrepancies. If the application is resubmitted, the Board may take up the approval of the resubmission at its November meeting.

Explore the application and the recommendation memo.

Mind Your Books Charter School: This school aims to improve academic achievement of at-risk students, encourage the use of effective and innovative teaching methods, and provide an accurate measurement of educational achievement by pioneering a wrap-around model of high-quality educational best practices and developing social-emotional wellness strategies. It would serve grades K-8, with a proposed opening in August 2023.

The board voted not to approve Mind Your Books Charter School’s application as submitted, based on the recommendation of the review committee.

Explore the application and the recommendation memo.

Additional resources on these schools, including achievement data, budget workbooks, and public input, can be found here.

Calendario a largo plazo (próximos 3 meses):

Se prevé que entre los puntos del orden del día de las tres próximas reuniones de la Junta de SPCSA figuren:

• Marco de rendimiento académico
• Revisión de la evaluación estatal y de los datos de rendimiento escolar
• Resubmitted new charter school applications

The next Meeting of the SPCSA Board is scheduled for Friday, October 7, 2022 @ 9:00 a.m.