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.
Thursday, August 27, 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:
- Community members and members of committees to form shared talking points related to new charter applications .
Board Approved the Consent Agenda
Consent agenda highlights included:
- Reviewed the Friday, July 31, 2026, Meeting Minutes
Explore the consent agenda items.
SPCSA Executive Director's Report
Highlights from the report include:
- School Highlight: Director Mackedon spotlighted Coral Academy Sandy Ridge High School for being ranked the #1 Charter High School in Nevada, #240 in U.S. High Schools across the nation, and ranked #54 across national charter schools.
- Delinquent Schools PERS Updates: Received a report that Innovations Charter School has an outstanding balance, and the school provided a written statement that a payment was made.
- Current events in the Charter Space: The SPCSA appeared before the Interim Finance Committee on August 13th and the Audit Subcommittee on August 20th. At the next board meeting, a written report and presentation will share the results of the Audit Subcommittee's progress.
- Executive directors and deputies have been participating in Governor Lombardo's Organizational Leadership Development (GOLD) program. This has included six workshops, executive coaching, and more. Director Mackedon has attended 4 of the 6 workshops and has engaged in executive coaching. The remaining workshops will focus on accountability and driving execution in government.
Board Received an Update on Closure Plans
The State Public Charter School Authority board accepted final closure reports for TEACH Las Vegas and Eagle Charter School after all outstanding PERS payments and claims were settled. Closing Administrator Josh Kern confirmed administrative duties will end once remaining wrap-up items are complete, while the SPCSA Executive Director highlighted the need for early financial oversight to prevent future closures.
Explore the Sage Collegiate Closure Checklist.
Explore the NV Prep Closure Checklist.
Board Proposed Changes to the SPCSA's Organizational Performance Framework
Key changes to the Organizational Performance Framework are highlighted below:
- Streamlining Framework Ratings: Proposed removal of overall organizational ratings to eliminate confusion between "good standing" and "notice of concern" statuses, aligning presentation directly with the financial performance framework.
- Refining Accountability Thresholds: Schools receiving three or more "does not meet" ratings may face a notice of concern—moving to October board consideration—to provide clear guidance for gray-area schools while emphasizing targeted improvement over punitive labels.
- Implementation & Board Approval: The board unanimously approved the changes, which will be communicated during the October rating notifications without altering the metrics evaluated over the previous year.
Explore the presentation.
Board Received a Presentation on an overview of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
SPCSA staff provided the board with an overview of IDEA and discussed the SPCSA's role in supporting IDEA implementation across its portfolio of charter schools.
Highlights of the presentation included:
- Overview of SPCSA special education funding, IDEA resources, and student performance metrics (graduation, dropout, and inclusion rates) benchmarked against state data.
- Clarification that legal compliance and educator licensure responsibilities belong entirely to individual school boards, not Contracted Management Organizations (CMOs).
- Review of proactive staff supports alongside active oversight mechanisms, including structured complaint processes and unannounced enrollment monitoring. Additionally, an announced campaign in which the SPCSA SPED team members call schools posing as a parent, and if a student is denied based on a disability, a meeting is then held with the SPCSA.
Explore the presentation.
Board Provided Recommendations on New Charter Applications
SPCSA staff provided recommendations related to the new charter applications across four schools (Legal Prep Charter Academy, Nevada Early College & Career Academy (NECCA), Nexus Charter School, and Pathways in Education – Las Vegas).
Highlights for the approvals/denials related to each school can be found below:
- Legal Prep Charter Academy – Approved [6-1]
- Nevada Early College & Career Academy (NECCA) – Approved [7-0]
- Nexus Charter School – Approved [6-1]
- Pathways in Education – Las Vegas – Denied [0-7]
Explore the charter applications: Legal Prep Charter Academy, NECCA, Nexus Charter School, Pathways in Education.
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
- Governance Training for the board + Ethics Training
Explore the calendar.
The next Meeting of the SPCSA Board is scheduled for October 9, 2026, at 9:00 a.m.
