Charter Schools in Las Vegas
Charter Schools in Henderson
Charter schools in Las Vegas and Henderson provide parents with an additional choice in public education. Charter schools can either be sponsored by the local school district, Clark County School District, or by the State of Nevada.
From the State of Nevada Department of Education:
Charter Schools in Nevada are public schools funded by the state. Charter Schools are set up by a committee with the desire to provide an educational situation that better meets the needs of some students. Currently the Nevada State Public Charter School Authority (SPCSA) is the only sponsor accepting applications for new charter schools. The SPCSA Governing Board (GB) has adopted standards from the National Charter School Resource Center to ensure these schools are held to high standards and serve students in the best possible manner. There is no charge to attend a charter school although there may be a fee for certain specific items or events. Charter schools must be in a traditional “brick and mortar” building or provide “distance education”. Charter schools must be in compliance with the contract or written charter that was entered into with the SPCSA GB, the Carson City Governing Board, the Clark County School District Governing Board, or the Washoe County School District Governing Board. Charter schools are governed by NRS 388A, NAC 386, and various other regulations and codes-check with your sponsor for clarification.
Charter Schools in Las Vegas & Henderson
Charters Schools for the 2023 -2024 School Year
Mater Academy
Nevada Prep
Nevada Rise
Nevada State High School
Nevada Virtual Academy
Pinecrest Academy
PilotED
Quest Preparatory Academy
Sage Collegiate
Signature Prep
Silver Sands Montessori
Somerset Academy
Southern Nevada Trades High School
Sports Leadership and Management Academy
Strong Start Academy
TEACH NV
Young Women’s Leadership Academy
Las Vegas Charter Schools | Pros & Cons
While the pros and cons of any education choice should be made by the parents, and if applicable the child, there are things that set a charter school apart from traditional public education.
Charter school admission is lottery-based and limited to the number of students planned for in the upcoming academic year. In contrast, your zoned public school is required to accept your child and accommodate as necessary.
Las Vegas charter schools do not always have the services or amenities that a public school may offer, including cafeterias, a hot lunch program, free or reduced lunch program, libraries, before and after school care, and transportation.
Transportation should be considered when enrolling your child in a Las Vegas charter school. Unlike your zoned school in the Clark County School district, Las Vegas charter schools are not required to provide your child transportation.
Parent involvement can be a criterion of enrollment in a charter school. Ask questions about what is expected of you in terms of volunteer hours and the cost for supplies that you may not incur in a zoned public school.
The school’s curriculum is often a reason parents turn to Las Vegas charter schools for their children. Charter schools are able to adopt a curriculum and philosophy that is different than traditional public education. While charter schools are still required to meet or exceed the Nevada Academic Content Standards, they are free to choose how to teach those standards.
When choosing a charter school, consider the grades they serve and their plans for the future. Many schools only offer education through grade 5, others have expanded education programs through grade 8, while there are very few currently offering a complete high school program.
Many of you have asked us how to determine school rankings! That’s a great question and the answer is by visiting www.NevadaReportCard.com. The Nevada Report Card site gives data and information on all public and state-funded charter schools.
We have downloaded and simplified the data for schools in the Clark County School District including state-sponsored charter schools.
