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? 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). 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: 1-775-321-6111; Phone Conference ID: 894 302 869#. During the public comment periods, callers will dial *5 to raise their hand. The moderator will call out the last 4 numbers of the caller's phone number, at that time you will dial *6 to unmute and make comment. There is 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, November 15, 2025
State Public Charter School Authority Board Meeting
Access the meeting agenda and playback.
What happened at this meeting?
Public Comment
Public comment highlights included:
- Concern regarding payroll and PERS issues surrounding missed payments.
- Concern regarding the non-renewal for Nevada Prep
Board Approved the Consent Agenda
Highlights included:
- July 2025 SPCSA Board meeting minutes
SPCSA Executive Director's Report
Highlights from the report include:
- School Highlight:
- PERS Contributions: Outstanding PERS contribution balances from SPCSA schools can be found here.
- New Schools Update:
- Graduation Rates: Explore the graduation rate presentation.
Board Approved a Revolving Loan Application for Alpine Academy
The Board approved a revolving loan application for Alpine Academy in the amount of $117,000, per the disbursement schedule identified in the recommendation memo.
Board Approved Pahrump Valley Academy's Resubmitted Charter Application
The Board approved Pahrump Valley Academy's resubmitted charter applications, with several conditions outlined below, including securing a formal partnership with a high-quality classical education partner, submitting a revised incubation year budget, submitting a revised professional development plan, and submitting a fully executed lease. At the conclusion of the enrollment audit in June, the Academy must have at least 223 students enrolled for the 2026-27 school year.
Explore the recommendation memo.
Board Approved Nevada Rise Academy's Request to Relocate to a New Facility
The Board granted a Good Cause Exemption request and approved Nevada Rise Academy's request to relocate to 2101 E. Owens Ave., beginning in the 2026-27 school year. The school is purchasing the building, which was formerly occupied by another charter school.
Explore the recommendation memo.
Board Approved Academies of Math and Science as a Proven Provider Under NAC388A.270
The Board approved Academies of Math and Science as a proven provider under NAC388A.270. This approval follows AMS' response to an RFP for being matched with an eligible Nevada charter school identified for restart. Additional highlights included:
- AMS was one of Arizona's top performing charter networks in the state.
- AMS opens schools in economically disadvantage communities.
- Several research based practices (science of reading, MTSS, 3-year strategic plan) are used through AMS institutions as well as a record of a clean audit history.
Explore the approval briefing memo.
Board Approved Removing a Notice of Concern for Young Women's Leadership Academy
The Board approved removing a Notice of Concern for Young Women's Leadership Academy's academic performance, as the school received a 3-star rating on the SPCSA Academic Performance Framework.
Explore the recommendation memo.
Board Approved Elevating Notices of Concern for Nevada Prep Charter School
The Board approved elevating the academic Notices of Concern for Nevada Prep Charter School's elementary and middle schools to academic Notices of Breach due to its second consecutive one-star NSPF rating, and earning a Below Standard on the SPCSA Academic Performance Framework (elementary school) and a Does Not Meet Standard on the SPCSA Academic Performance Framework (middle school).
Explore the recommendation memo.
Board Approved the Charter Application and Rubric for 2026 Applications
The Board approved the 2026 charter application and rubric for 2026 applications. Highlights of the presentation included:
- Reviewed procedure and criteria for soliciting and evaluating charter school applications along with a timeline.
- Each section requires a written narrative and allows for attachments
- Provided an overview of revisions to the existing process (e.g.,including the definition of the teacher, consolidation of questions that inquired duplicative information, etc.)
Explore the application template and the rubric.
Board Approved the 2026 Demographic and Needs Assessment
The Board reviewed and approved the 2026 demographic and needs assessment. The needs assessment included:
- Students in historically underperforming groups (i.e., American Indian, Black, Hispanic, Pacific Islander, English Language Leaners, students in foster care, students who are homeless, and students with disabilities) continue to underperform in Math and ELA in the Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBAC).
- Foster children have been identified over the past three years (2022-25) to be the most at risk group for dropping out of school.
- As future Needs Assessments are developed, the SPCSA will consider changes and revise definitions of demographic and academic needs, as appropriate.
Explore the needs assessment.
Board Heard an Update on the TEACH and Eagle Closures
Josh Kern, closing administrator for TEACH Las Vegas and Eagle Charter School, provided an update. Highlights included:
- Committed to minimizing during the transition period.
- The board finds Josh Kern as qualified and having the expertise.
- Support from the board on the success so far.
Board Heard an Update on 2025-26 Enrollment Data
Staff provided an update on enrollment for the 2025-26 school year for SPCSA-sponsored schools. Highlights included:
- Described the process that data are validated, also known as "Validation Day".
- This data is critical for making informed decisions regarding funding.
- The SPCSA has become the second largest Local Education Agency (LEA) in the state of Nevada.
Explore the presentation.
Board Took Action on Renewal Applications
The Board voted to approve Democracy Prep at the Agassi Campus' renewal application for a three-year term, with conditions round obtaining a current, valid agreement with the facility owner/operator, a sustainable transition plan, identify all services performed by the national CMO; submit a sustainable transition plan for each service, and submit a sustainable, board-approved operating budget for FY2027. Explore the recommendation memo.
The Board voted to approve Explore Academy's renewal application for a three-year term, with the enrollment caps outlined for the next three school years in the recommendation memo. Explore the recommendation memo.
The Board voted to approve Freedom Classical Academy's renewal application for a four-year term, with the enrollment caps outlined for the next three school years in the recommendation memo. Explore the recommendation memo.
The Board voted to approve Legacy Traditional Schools' renewal application for a five-year term, with the enrollment caps outlined for the next three school years in the recommendation memo. Explore the recommendation memo.
The Board voted to deny Nevada Prep Charter School's renewal application for a three-year term, and no subsequent charter contracts will be issued to NV Prep. Explore the recommendation memo.
Board Appointed a Closing Administrator
The Board voted to appoint Josh Kern with TenSquare as closing administrator for the schools above who were denied a charter school contract, as per the item above.
Long-Range Calendar (next 3 months):
Agenda items over the next three SPCSA board meetings are anticipated to include:
- Financial Performance Framework results
- Annual report to the Department of Education
- State of the SPCSA
Explore the calendar.
The next Meeting of the SPCSA Board is scheduled for Friday, January 23, at 9:00 a.m.
