Charter school suffers crowding

Terry Webster

Thursday, Oct. 19, 2000 | 10:41 a.m.

Both of Clark County's computer-based charter schools have had rocky start-ups.

Now open for less than a month, Techworld was forced to send about 50 students back to their regular schools this week after exceeding building capacity limits.

The city of Las Vegas Building Department cracked down on Techworld, a charter school for sixth and seventh graders, after learning it was operating over its 49-student capacity at each of its locations at Second Baptist and Victory Baptist churches.

Clark County School District officials estimated Techworld's total student enrollment at 150.

The return of the 50 students to their regular classroom setting isn't likely to cause problems for the School District, unless all of the students are placed at the same school, said Craig Kadlub, who oversees the district's charter schools.

Parents of Techworld students received a letter from the school Saturday stating their children had to go to a traditional school on Monday.

Techworld is not alone in its start-up difficulties.

Last spring Odyssey Charter School faced possible closure when the Nevada Department of Education moved to pull the school's state funding because of improper attendance records and other issues.

Odyssey and the state worked out an agreement, however, and the school marked its second year of operation this fall.

"We're doing very well," Vee Wilson, Odyssey chief administrator, said.

As Techworld sorts out its facility issues -- the school has until Dec. 31 to find a new location -- state officials are fielding questions about the school's relationship with the churches.

Deputy superintendent Keith Rheault said the state has received questions about whether all of the students are members of the two churches. A church voice mail system that answers telephone calls for the school also is being questioned.

Since Techworld is a public school, the state plans to look into the issues, Rheault said.

But he added, "I don't believe there's a problem. I think the biggest problem is that they had to send 40 to 50 students back into their (regular) schools."

There is nothing in state law that prohibits churches from renting space to charter schools, Rheault said.

"It's a gray area," he said.

Techworld officials did not return repeated telephone calls seeking comment.

Aside from Techworld and Odyssey, the Clark County School District oversees Keystone Academy in Sandy Valley, a remote area of the district.

Techworld and Keystone employ classroom settings, while Odyssey focuses on a curriculum designed to teach students on their computers at home.