Changes made for charter school

Monday, Jan. 26, 1998 | 10:43 a.m.

Nevada has joined the charter school revolution, becoming the 29th state within the past six years to enact laws creating an alternative to traditional public schools.

Critics, however, say the state hasn't thoroughly thought through the issues associated with Charter School.

The Center for Education Reform, an education watchdog organization in Washington, D.C., calls Nevada's charter school law the ninth weakest in the nation.

The law, Senate Bill 220, was passed last summer by the Legislature, which mandated that no one could apply for a charter until regulations were approved by the State Board of Education.

Before the board could give final approval to the proposed regulations it had to have a public meeting to hear comments.

Friday, the board conducted the public meeting in Las Vegas, after which it fine tuned and approved the regulations.

Anyone who wants to begin a charter school has until Feb. 15 to submit a letter of intent with the Department of Education.

The full application must be completed by April 1.

The law prohibits creation of schools for religious, racial or ethnic reasons or to establish a private school.

The primary reason for charter schools, according to the law, is to serve at-risk students.

Critics say among the things that make Nevada's law weak is that it restricts the number of open-enrollment schools and allows for only one charter-granting agency -- local school boards.

There may be four open-enrollment charter schools in Clark County, but there are no restrictions on the number of such schools created specifically for at-risk students.

The bill also mandates collective bargaining with employees for the first six years of the school's charter. After that the school has the ability to decide on its own whether it wants to participate in the bargaining agreement.

Robert McCord, Clark County School District's deputy assistant superintendent for educational accountability, raised these questions:

But at least, board members say, there is a law on the books.

"We felt passing the charter-school law was very important," said David Sheffield, board president. "We want to provide very opportunity for students and parents across the state to improve education."

Sheffield would like to see the Legislature give traditional public schools some of the same leeway it has given charter schools -- to relax some of the restrictions.

The law permits the creation of 22 charter schools, excluding those created specifically for at-risk students.

Charter schools began for a variety of reasons.

Lisa Carlos, with West Ed in San Francisco, said California's began as an alternative to vouchers. Other states, she said, promote charter schools as a way of re-structuring traditional schools.

McCord, former chairman of the board of West Ed, will have some responsibility for the charter schools in Clark County.

He said interest thus far has been limited, probably because of the absence of regulations.

Much has been written on the subject since Minnesota established the first charter school in 1992.

City Academy, in St. Paul, targeted drop-outs. Since it first opened it doors, 90 percent of the graduates of the charter school have qualified for college programs.

The schools are legally independent, publicly funded schools authorized to provide public education through a charter, or contract, with a sponsoring agent.

In Nevada, the sponsor will be the local school boards.

In exchange for easing restrictions on the schools, they are held accountable by the results of the outcomes their charters say they intend to achieve.

For purposes of funding, charter schools are treated just like districts -- they receive the same total per pupil funding from the state as does the local districts.

In Nevada, that is about $4,500.

Board member Donna Husted said one issue not addressed by the new law is start-up costs for the charter schools, an oversight that must be corrected.

Supporters of charter schools say they give greater control of the student's education to those at the lower levels -- it enables parents, teachers and communities to have greater impact.