Latest news with #StatePublicCharterSchoolAuthority
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
State scrutinizes 2 Las Vegas charter schools over their finances
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The state agency that oversees charter schools is narrowing in on the finances of several valley schools, claiming they have too much debt to stay open. Sage Collegiate Public Charter School and Nevada Prep Academy Charter School were brought before the State Public Charter School Authority (SPCSA) on Friday to discuss their budgets. 'We've taken steps to address obstacles like chronic absenteeism and student achievement, and we've taken steps to tackle the financial challenges as well,' Sage Collegiate Principal Sandra Kinne told members of the SPCSA. Charter school enrollment in Nevada has increased so much that the schools collectively are the second-largest district in the state. Last year, the agency closed Eagle Charter School after it failed to pay back more than $800,000 in taxpayer money. That was the first time in the agency's history it has closed a school. State moves to seize assets of Las Vegas charter school, claims it failed to pay back over $800K in taxpayer money Sage Collegiate opened three years ago on Charleston Boulevard near Valley View Boulevard. 'Families deserve options for their children in a public setting,' Kinne told 8 News Now on Jan. 19, 2023. But the State Public Charter School Authority said Sage Collegiate has taken on too much debt. 'We use the audit financials because this is a very high-stakes decision and so we use an objective third-party that has reviewed what has happened in the past, rather than sort of hopes for the future,' Katie Broughton, SPCSA's director of authorizing, said. The agency sought on Friday to give Sage Collegiate a Notice of Breach, which is the step before issuing a Notice of Intent to Revoke. Kinne said 25% of its pupil-centered funding goes to rent. 'A Notice of Breach prohibits us tackling the biggest challenge, which is our rent,' Kinne said. She argued that a Notice of Breach would prevent Sage Collegiate from taking out loans. But according to the State Public Charter School Authority, Sage's current financial position is strained, heavily leveraged and reliant on multiple loans. The agency also accused Sage of not paying its teacher retirement contributions to the state. 'I can't sit here and personally say you're in a better financial position if you're not able to pay your teachers their full compensation package that they are owed,' Melissa Mackedon, the executive director of SPCSA, said. The agency voted to give Sage Collegiate until May to respond on how it's tackling its financial issues. The state agency also scrutinized Nevada Prep Charter School. According to the agency, Nevada Prep has missed three lease payments and its 'debt is consuming approximately 30% of the state revenue' it receives. SPCSA gave the school until the agency's next meeting on May 30 to present more information. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
State report shows Nevada charter schools outperform public schools in test scores
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – A report from a state agency said the quality of charter schools is decreasing as the number of them increases. However, that won't dissuade Republican Governor Joe Lombardo. He's all in on school choice. 'Increasing the number of charter schools that are available within all the participating jurisdictions,' Lombardo told 8 News Now on Monday. A report from the State Public Charter School Authority that was submitted to the Nevada Department of Education included data on student performance. It showed that test scores for SBAC, also known as Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, were higher among charter students than their public-school peers. In the 2023-2024 school year, elementary and middle school students scored 13% higher in ELA and 12% higher in math compared to public school students, according to the SPCSA's report. 'Charter schools are accountable schools. If they don't do a good job, they close them. That's the difference with the school district. If they do a poor job, [lawmakers] give them more money,' Valeria Gurr, a school choice advocate, said. Gurr said charter schools outperform public schools and the data shows – she's right. High school charters graduated 2% more students than public schools in the 2023-2024 year, according to the SPCSA report. 'It's not one versus the other. It's about how we all co-exist in the system. So we that can serve kids the best – is possible for them,' Gurr said. The report from the State Public Charter School Authority highlighted some problems with charter schools. It showed that pre-COVID, 2% of charters were 1-star schools, but in the 2023-2024 academic year that number climbed to 15%. The increase in 1-star schools comes as charters grow in Nevada. 8 News Now previously reported on the state closing Eagle Charter School for failing to pay back more than $800,000 in taxpayer funds. Eagle was open for less than a year. In an interview with our 8 News Now Investigators, Gov. Lombardo reiterated his support for school choice. 'School choice is all-encompassing. It's charter schools, it's different education opportunities. It's open zoning, the ability to receive transportation to go to a different school versus a traditional place where you reside,' Lombardo said. In the 2024-2025 school year, more students were enrolled in Nevada charter schools than in the Washoe County School District, making charters the second largest school system behind the Clark County School District. Five new charter schools are scheduled to open this fall for students, four of them are in Clark County. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
