Charter School Association of Nevada
Legislative Outlook 2017
Chartering better education for Nevada
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Let us know if your school is in the news!
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I bet most people don’t know that charter schools were first popularized by a teachers union boss.
His name was Albert Shanker, and it was 1988. He was then the President of the American Federation of Teachers. Shanker called for the reform of traditional public schools by establishing “schools of choice.” He envisioned a hybrid form of public schools, free from many state laws and district regulations, making them more accountable for student outcomes. In a 2014 New York Times Sunday Review retrospective look at the school reformer, he was said to have “outlined a new kind of public school where teachers could experiment with fresh and innovative ways to reach students.” Shanker imagined charter schools as “high performing educational laboratories from which traditional public schools could learn.”
Such impassioned reform models followed in the wake of the now classic 1983 Department of Education study, “A Nation at Risk.” Thirty-four years later, the U.S. is more challenged than ever on the education front, outshined by both developed and developing nations. And in Nevada, we’ve been perennially scraping the bottom of state school rankings for far too long. If the Silver State’s education system isn’t ripe for innovative reforms, then I’ll eat my Irish tweed cap. Obviously, Nevada needs to do better. As Superintendent of Education Dr. Steve Canavero recently said, “Nevada’s goal is to become the fastest improving state in the U.S.” Goals are nice, but it’s imperative that we improve if we want to keep up with the economic development possibilities that have been laid at our desert doorstep.
How does Nevada improve its public school system?
Public charter schools are by no means a panacea for all educational ills. But they have a clear and transformative role to play, as Shanker believed. I say transformative, not merely because they are a public school alternative for parents whose kids are struggling, but also because they can indeed be models for turning around underperforming district schools. Educators agree: Every Nevada student, regardless of zip code, deserves a seat at a high-quality public school. Removing barriers (like facilities and transportation funding) for the operation of charter schools will create opportunity for those innovative approaches to work.
While charters are public schools, they operate independently with site-based school boards in contrast to the “one-size-fits-all” approach of large district schools. Teachers have more say in the curriculums they teach and more flexibility in the methods they use to personalize learning. As such, charter schools can be the laboratory-like instrument Shanker talked about to deliver alternate learning approaches that traditional public schools might emulate.
Cases in point: Small Mariposa Academy of Language and Learning, in the Neil Road area of southeast Reno, was the first Nevada public school to pioneer a dual-language curriculum. Today, numerous schools statewide have followed Mariposa’s example. ACE (Academy for Career Education) in Reno, pioneered transforming the standard high school core curriculum with “career-applicable training methods in construction and engineering” that is a model for the kind of Career Technical Education (CTE) Gov. Sandoval has hallmarked as one of the “New Nevada’s” principal educational initiatives.
The recently approved reorganization plan to decentralize the Clark County School District’s 350 schools also gives greater autonomy through local school governance, including budget decisions to site-based “school organization teams.” Comprised of teachers, school staff and parents, this reform model is something former Nevada State Board of Education member Victor Wakefield has said is “pulled straight out of the charter school playbook.” Wakefield is right. Some charter schools can be a model, or at least a partner, in what CCSD reformers are trying to accomplish. Now is the ideal time to partner together, not to erect barriers in a political turf war.
You can’t change the culture of education in Nevada without the proverbial buck stopping at some educators’ desks. Better it land with local stakeholders in the schools in which they teach and lead. Residents of Nevada must grapple with the uncomfortable truth that generationally underperforming schools are all too often located in the state’s most depressed socio-economic areas. Only a no-excuses approach and a belief that every Nevada child deserves the opportunity for equity of access will ever pull us higher on those lists we’re all so tired of being on the bottom of.
Standards and accountability
Setting rigorous standards for high quality schools that refuse to reward or overlook failure is something on which charter schools are predicated. The charter school sector has a record of accountability, despite claims to the contrary. The sector has seen the closing of some 200 charter schools each year or about 3 percent of the nation’s charters.
Transform or close the worst performing schools and replicate the best — this is the aim of the national charter movement and the way the Charter School Authority in Nevada is approaching its duties. Currently just two charter schools in Nevada have been put on notice that their charters may be revoked, if improvements aren’t quickly made. Others have been disciplined and are in the process of remediating their performance. When was the last time you heard about a failing public school being told that change is necessary in order to continue existing…?
I firmly believe that strategic partnerships are frequently very good for business and the economy. The same can be said for the education system in Nevada. A new, cooperative partnership between school districts and public charter schools would strengthen both systems. More importantly, it would help more Nevada students succeed.
That’s something Al Shanker would applaud, even while carrying a picket sign.
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Honors Academy of Literature
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The Honors Academy of Literature is a K-8 charter school in Reno. Its mission is to offer differentiated curriculum that supports education equity through a love of learning and educational discovery through Children's Literature.
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We approach education at the individual level, looking at each student and making a plan to best educate. At the same time, we develop an intrinsic motivation to learn by appealing to students' interests and offering a high-interest curriculum connected to real-world experiences. We appreciate getting to know each of our families and working together with them in the best interest of their child.
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- Dr. Andi Morency, Principal Honors Academy of Literature
For more information on Honors Academy of Literature click here
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Nevada Connections Academy
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Connections Academy is a Nevada virtual school program that serves students in grades K-12 providing a personalized approach to education. Instruction is tailored to the needs, learning styles, and interests of every student, so each can reach his or her own potential.
"Nevada Connections Academy prides itself on helping all students reach their educational goals through a rigorous, individualized, and relevant curriculum supported by the development of meaningful relationships with caring adults."
-Steven Werlein, Principal Nevada Connections Academy
For more information on Connections Academy click
here
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Las Vegas Weekly - February 16th, 2017
Agassi says his school has always been about stealing the best practices from operators like Democracy Prep, and that he’ll be more effective for the community by attracting such an operator to Southern Nevada and directing his foundation’s resources in a more strategic way. “I think it’s a win across the board,” he says.
Review Journal - February 16th, 2017
American Leadership Academy will open a charter school by the start of the 2017-18 academic year, under a plan unanimously approved by the North Las Vegas City Council on Wednesday night.
Education Next – February 14th, 2017
As a country, we can choose to increase spending by billions of dollars for very modest results – or, for a small fraction of the cost, we can achieve much more by simply letting great educators open up schools.
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools – February 1th, 2017
This year, for the first time, the number of students who attend charter public schools is estimated to have surpassed 3 million. In fact, it’s closer to 3.1 million. This means that over 200,000 more children are attending charter schools this school year than attended last year and, given that the federal government
estimates
a total change in public school enrollment of just over 100,000 students, it also means that more parents are making the move to charter schools.
The Washington Times– February 16th, 2017
A small rural county in Florida’s Panhandle is going to become the first district in the state to have all of its students attend a charter school.
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Opinion/Commentary Articles
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Please Note: The following is a sampling of opinion articles about charter schools that appeared in the media. The opinions in these articles do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Charter School Association of Nevada (CSAN).
City Journal - February 15th, 2017
We should work to make traditional public schools as good as they can possibly be—but where layers of rules and regulations have made reform difficult, charters offer the chance of a clean slate. As taxpayer-funded public schools, charters are open to all students and subject to the same accountability systems as traditional public schools. What makes charters unique is their freedom from the unnecessary, outdated, and counterproductive work rules vigorously defended by the teachers’ unions.
Huffington Post- February 15th, 2017
While I understand the rules of the traditional public education system - go to the nearest school, no matter how bad it is, and no matter what kind of trouble it might lead to - I don’t agree with them. I believe every parent should have the right to expect more and to seek out the right school for their children, just as mine did. And just as I would later do for my children.
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Education Blogs, Forums and Resources
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Below are some other great education reform news, blog and discussion sites that may be of interest:
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The following is a list of events put on by Schools and organizations throughout the state:
Coral Academy of Science Las Vegas Teacher Job Fair
Date:
Saturday, March 4th
Time:
10:00AM -2:00PM
Description:
Coral Academy of Science Las Vegas (CASLV) is a K-12 state sponsored, tuition-free public charter school where students are selected by a lottery system. The school’s curriculum focuses on STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. The school’s mission is to provide a safe, rigorous college preparatory environment, promoting social responsibility and a culturally-diverse community dedicated to becoming lifelong learners bound for success. Since its founding in 2007, the school has won a multitude of prestigious awards, honors and accolades. Most recently, Washington Post listed CASLV as one of the top schools in Nevada and the nation in its list of "America’s Most Challenging High Schools." For the 2016-17 school year, CASLV opened two new campuses in the Centennial Hills area and Nellis Air Force Base.
Where:
Coral Academy of Science Las Vegas
1051 Sandy Ridge Ave.
Date:
Thursday, March 2nd
Time:
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Eastern
Description:
This course, presented by a nationally recognized education attorney, will provide a comprehensive overview of the laws applicable to charter schools, including general education students, special education students, and discipline. The course is for charter school administrators and governing board members, school attorneys, parent attorneys, and attorneys in other practice areas who have an interest in school law and school choice. In this seminar, our experienced faculty will walk you through the laws that govern charter schools. Learn how to handle with issues, matters and cases involving charter schools.
Topics:
- School Choice, Charter Schools and Constitutionality
- Sources of Charter School Law
- Legislative and Case Law Updates
- Complying with Federal Laws
- Special Education and Charter Schools
- Discipline of Special Needs Students
- Avoiding Exclusionary Practices
- Navigating the Application, Approval and Renewal Process
- Accountability Standards
- Funding Sources
Registration:
Click here to register
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