John Potter
Channel 2 News
Nevada charter schools are lately making the grade. A new national study from the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools says Nevada ranks in the top half when it comes to how state laws support charter schools. Nevada jumped 3 spots this year...we're now #20 out of the 42 states that allow public charter schools, based on how well the state supports "charter school quality, growth and accountability."
The state is supportive, but not just anyone can open a charter school. Local school boards have to apply authorize them, and submit an annual budget. But unlike other states, Nevada doesn't place any caps on charter school growth. The state allows new start-ups and virtual classes…even virtual schools, like Nevada Connections Academy, an online charter school. There, we met Principal Jennifer Dukek, who showed us a room full of teachers with headsets on. She told us, "Most of our teachers actually work from a cubicle space with a computer of front of them."
No classrooms at Nevada Connections Academy…not in the traditional sense. We watched as english teacher Jaclyn Campbell went on-phone and online with her students, checking in with "Kimber" for a daily lesson.
Education goes from teachers in cubicles…to a server….to Camden Holroyd's computer room at home. Camden is 13, a 9th grader and already preparing for college classes. He showed us the school's interactive website: "There's a list here that shows when the last lessons and the finals are..." He connects to school every day. "Every day you'll have a set amount of lessons that you have to do. And the great thing about this system is that you can do it in any order."
Camden is an advanced student. His mom Lynette says this is the only way he can stay ahead. She told us, "We needed this because we really wanted him to be prepared for college. And we felt in a classroom setting would be very hard for him, because he would be bored." For Camden, computer and textbooks are free, and his family gets over $200 a year for internet service.
Across town, "I Can Do Anything" charter school is free and open to all too. It was also the first licensed public charter school in Nevada. After 14 years, they've hit a high point. Principal Dr. Carol white told us, "I think the paradigm has shifted. The pendulum's starting to swing in the right direction. We've got the right people in the right place to make the good changes."
She says Nevada's charter schools as a whole, have come a long way. "We're showing that we're here, we're here to stay. We're putting our mark on the map and we're doing great things for kids."
From a minor player, to a worthy alternative.
All public charter schools are free and open to all, per state law. If you're considering one for your kids and would like to see a list with links to Nevada's charter schools, click this link: http://bit.ly/yOrEug
