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, May 15, 2026
State Public Charter School Authority Board Meeting
Access the meeting agenda and playback.
What happened at this meeting?
Public Comment
Public comment highlights included:
- Reconsideration of Purpose Leadership Academy not being advanced to a full review for this application cycle
Board Approved the Consent Agenda
Consent agenda highlights included:
- Updated condition deadlines for schools deferring opening to the 2027-28 school year
- Reductions to enrollment caps for Democracy Prep at the Agassi Campus and Explore Knowledge Academy
- Transportation grant to Alpine Academy
Explore the consent agenda items.
SPCSA Executive Director's Report
Highlights from the report include:
- School Highlight: Director Mackedon spotlighted Explore Academy's peer mediation program, which provides students with a structured and supportive process for resolving conflicts.
- Delinquent Schools PERS Updates: The updated balance can be found here.
- Current events in the Charter Space: Recent site visits included site visits in Clark, Washoe, and Churchill Counties. SPCSA employee Karen Gordon was recognized by Governor Lombardo during Employee Appreciation Week.
- New Charter Applications Update: 10 applications were received. Following the completeness review, staff returned applications to address deficiencies. Applicants had about 48 hours to resubmit, and six applications have since been moved forward to the full review process.
- Sage Collegiate Open Meeting Law Violation Corrective Action: This is regarding a portion of a recent board meeting that was found to be in violation of open meeting law. The document can be found here.
- Gratitude to the SPCSA student member Odalis Ayala as her term ends and she graduates.
Board Received an Update on Closure Plans for Sage Collegiate Public Charter School and NV Prep
Closing administrator Josh Kern spoke of the need to preserve assets to ensure there are sufficient funds to get the schools through their last day and facilitate an orderly wind down of operations, and priority creditors have been identified. Staff and payroll are included in the priority creditor designation.
Explore the Sage Collegiate Closure Checklist.
Explore the NV Prep Closure Checklist.
Board Received an Update on Academies of Math and Science (AMS) Nellis' Campus
SPCSA staff provided an update regarding AMS' activities as they prepare to open in Fall of 2026. Highlights of the presentation included:
- The founding principal is onboarded, and staffing has accelerated.
- 20 of 23 teaching positions have been filled. Three open positions are a second grade teacher, special education teacher, and a music teacher.
- Four of five administrative roles have been filled. The school is currently seeking an assistant principal.
- 385 kids have fully enrolled, with 270 outstanding applications that the enrollment team is actively working on to move into an enrolled status. Opportunities for kindergarten exist (33% at capacity) and 6-8 grades are almost at capacity. The goal is 600 students for the first day of the next school year.
- May 21 is their next parent meeting.
Board Discussed the SPCSA Language Access Plan
Staff provided an update to the SPCSA Language Access Plan. Board feedback will be incorporated, and the public comment period will open for public input. The final approval of the plan will occur at the June 26 board meeting.
Board questions were on data sources and self-identification as part of the data collection process for the plan.
Explore the Plan.
Long-Range Calendar (next 3 months):
Agenda items over the next three SPCSA board meetings are anticipated to include:
- CSP grant overview
- Competency-based pilot program
- Board elections
Explore the calendar.
Public Comment
Public comment highlights included:
- Concern for Purpose Leadership Academy's application not moving forward to the review period
The next Meeting of the SPCSA Board is scheduled for Friday, June 26, 2026, at 9:00 a.m.
