[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6658911,"mediaKeyId","2474429-d5b0dbdcd6c465f0fb2f11523b93f8cc","parentId",2474429,"title","State Public Charter School Authority briefs committee on role, accountability; charter leaders, students press for support","audioSeconds",814,"startMs",4896000,"endMs",5710000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2474429-d5b0dbdcd6c465f0fb2f11523b93f8cc&start=4896&end=5710","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2474429-d5b0dbdcd6c465f0fb2f11523b93f8cc/thumbnail_4896000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6658911/Nevada/State-Public-Charter-School-Authority-briefs-committee-on-role-accountability-charter-leaders-students-press-for-support","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6658911-b718492a8b8f7e1c5f991bae38ae228a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770995210&Signature=KCLsBNSowFgfNTNeJPvHj~0JG4t6eQ0u5BSqPQk0estM3jJMGh3Zrwxva0nI5QIbmGDMZa0MQilac-JdmRLW2H3nZMrthLhJTu-g6qlahbjwKIoy-rWAjEZwqGHAt~Q9w~E3Lqu8rC7PVGAHIgLlA1Y1QHK~09oArTuZx8Ymkg2T6DsPlKHWkUMR0hLAcMoKN1WkpZ4efUQQNyzH4bEh3Z3Z~7oNLHxReHVcl6CVCu18JhAlYgGtk3xs58gmdjRWlYI0Hg3XK8Q-htJfcpFo1oROb0KUBJwaimRH7KIrfW3-GJvWs~hc~qAqfvwcGtMJ5OI3gUuz5oY5jy6xQOntMQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Nevada Legislature","date","2025-03-03T23:49:06.393Z","article","The Senate Committee on Education on Wednesday received a presentation from the State Public Charter School Authority (SPCSA) explaining its authorizing responsibilities, role as a local education agency (LEA), and oversight framework for Nevada charter schools.

Melissa Mackinnon (presentation name in the record: Melissa Mackadden) briefed the committee on the SPCSA's statutory purposes in NRS 388.15: to authorize high-quality charter schools statewide, oversee performance and compliance, and model best practices for authorizing. She explained that in Nevada the SPCSA functions unusually as both an authorizer and as the LEA for the charter schools it sponsors, which means the authority is responsible for ensuring that federal programs and special-education services are provided and for allocating federal and some state grant funds to eligible charter schools.

Mackinnon told the committee the SPCSA currently authorizes 44 charter holders operating on 80 campuses across Churchill, Clark, Elko, Washoe and White Pine counties and that it is the third-largest LEA in Nevada; with the recent transfer of Clark County-authorized charter schools to the SPCSA it will become the second-largest LEA in the state next school year. She described the SPCSA board's responsibilities to approve or deny applications, conduct site evaluations, monitor academic and financial performance frameworks, and consider renewal or termination of charter contracts.

The presentation outlined differences in accountability between district-authorized schools and SPCSA-sponsored schools, noting that charter schools are subject to an additional academic performance framework, a financial performance framework, regular site evaluations, and automatic termination provisions (for example: a three-times-in-five-years 1-star rating triggers termination under state law).

Committee members asked about closures and authorizing controls. Mackinnon said the authority has refined practices since the COVID-era pauses in accountability and that it approves roughly 43% of applications that come before it. She described enrollment-threshold policies the SPCSA now uses to prevent financially unsustainable openings and described outreach and monitoring tools intended to ensure charter schools serve representative student populations.

The committee then heard more than 30 public commenters by phone and in the hearing room, chiefly parents, staff, students and charter leaders who testified in support of charter schools and of the SPCSA. Testimony described charter campuses' experiences serving students with individualized education programs (IEPs) and English-language learners, and asked the Legislature to maintain or increase funding for charter transportation and facilities. Speakers from Pinecrest Academy, Coral Academy of Science Las Vegas, Vegas Vista Academy, Amplus Academy and other SPCSA schools described the range of special-education services they offer, enrollment of higher shares of disadvantaged students at some campuses, and local partnerships that provide internships and career pathways.

Students and parents from East Las Vegas spoke about facilities concerns, including requests for larger buildings, windows and gym upgrades; several student speakers who attend high-performing charter campuses urged funding equity and better facilities for schools in their neighborhoods. Teacher and staff speakers highlighted pathways for paraprofessionals to gain teacher licensure through ARL and PPP routes and praised specific charter-led programs that helped staff obtain teaching credentials.

Members of local education and labor organizations raised concerns about educational management organizations (EMOs) and charter finance in general during public comment: Washoe Education Association leadership urged attention to arrangements that send public dollars to for-profit management organizations and noted that, on average, charter schools enroll a smaller share of students with more intensive special-education needs. The SPCSA and charter speakers said the authority is active in monitoring special-education services and cited efforts to improve representation and oversight.

The SPCSA provided to committee staff and offered to supply academic and subgroup performance data by request. The presentation and comments will inform committee members as they consider legislation affecting charter authorization, funding, and oversight.

Sources: Presentation by the State Public Charter School Authority to the Nevada Senate Committee on Education; public testimony at the committee hearing.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","3/3/2025 - Senate Committee on Education","oneSentenceSummary","The State Public Charter School Authority outlined its authorizing, LEA, and oversight roles to the Senate Committee on Education; charter-school leaders, teachers, and dozens of parents, staff and students testified in favor, citing special-education services, transportation needs and facilities disparities in East Las Vegas.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature NV, Nevada","taxId",78440,"location","Nevada","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6658916,"Senate committee hears two-year pilot to fund CNA licensure for high school CTE students",1784,3089000,4873000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2474429-d5b0dbdcd6c465f0fb2f11523b93f8cc&start=3089&end=4873","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2474429-d5b0dbdcd6c465f0fb2f11523b93f8cc/thumbnail_3089000.jpg","/articles/6658916/Nevada/Senate-committee-hears-two-year-pilot-to-fund-CNA-licensure-for-high-school-CTE-students","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6658916-0117a29a0c23175c7389f6da0be31087/orig.mp4?Expires=1770995210&Signature=KUUmVmvNNAK0h~HaMLvtMzVQgW0j-RoLQABaWJsg6gkhpmyrfj0D20YNVCPzo3-uXX~qzMAxloz1UDxlVGp5ky064kywNa1J~M03rYsVYCZb9yG77GBXeZR4gFkrecQXCgFhTBq5pfahJIAEi-89J~mqQucvTi57jjO4~EnxaDaOjy4I0aaHiaAatEU3BjOFY00p1bC5Fbt-o6QKxvzsnTq5KCYvEyu1NmKzU4G6JqlWKn4ZT7JEESdOYJoga0o~eD4~2kgKofqKk~QjBfjHbBH~hDb~5rTQTSUVOuKqTw7tmNQjcNi2~93G~GStjciVYpEHTBaqRAkzaZc6xOThLQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 176 drew testimony Wednesday as the Senate Committee on Education considered a conceptual amendment narrowing the bill's scope to fund licensure and certification exam fees for high school students completing certified nursing assistant (CNA) career-and-technical-education programs.

Sen. Fabian Donate, sponsor of SB176, said the amendment removes earlier references to other programs and the Millennium Scholarship and focuses the pilot on CNAs. Donate and co-presenter Leticia Delgado told the committee the change responds to a documented shortage of nursing assistants in Nevada and that costs for students to sit for CNA licensure can run from roughly $75 up to $300. Donate said the pilot is intended to remove that financial barrier for students who complete their CTE coursework and elect to pursue licensure.

The sponsor indicated an enrollment projection of about 233 students across existing high-school CNA programs and an estimated cost of about $300 per student; the conceptual amendment contains an appropriation broken down for districts so funds can be distributed to help students take exams and apply for licensure. Donate described the plan as a two-year pilot, with districts receiving the funds and the Board of Nursing and other agencies coordinating scheduling and certification logistics.

Three students from Southwest Career and Technical Academy testified about the economic barrier the fee presented. Alejandra Chavez Ruiz and Alexis Lee described needing family support or part-time work to pay licensure and fingerprinting fees, and William Dang said nearly half his CNA class did not obtain certification because of costs. Their testimony was cited by proponents as evidence that cost is a tangible barrier to credential attainment and workforce entry.

Supporters included the Nevada Hospital Association, the Nevada Association of School Boards, the Nevada Association of School Superintendents and industry groups; they described CNAs as part of a workforce pipeline that feeds hospitals and long-term-care providers. The Board of Nursing's executive director, Cathy Dinauer, told the committee the board already manages CNA program scheduling and could help track where certified students go to work; she said the board has a staff member responsible for CNA programs and could assist with testing and follow-up.

Committee members asked whether charter schools would be eligible for funds; Donate said the amendment as drafted covered public school CTE programs and that he was open to discussing charter inclusion offline. Senators also asked about income thresholds; Donate said the pilot was designed to be simple and pay fees for CTE students who opted to take a licensure exam rather than creating a means test.

Members asked where unused funds would go; Donate replied the appropriation would be to school districts and any unspent money would return to the general fund. The sponsor and supporters described the proposal as a targeted, two-year pilot that would be evaluated by tracking whether students sat for exams, attained credentials, and entered related employment.

Public comment and supporters at the hearing included the Nevada Association of School Boards, Nevada Hospital Association, and regional workforce organizations. No committee vote was recorded at the conclusion of the hearing.

Sources: Hearing testimony before the Nevada Senate Committee on Education; statements by sponsor and Board of Nursing.","Senate Bill 176, narrowed in amendment to focus on certified nursing assistant (CNA) programs, would fund licensure exam fees (estimated $300 per student) for eligible public high school CTE students in a two-year pilot; sponsors said the change aims to remove cost barriers for students entering health-care jobs.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6658921,"Senate committee hears bill to lower seal-of-financial-literacy GPA and expand instruction to K–2",1825,1216000,3041000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2474429-d5b0dbdcd6c465f0fb2f11523b93f8cc&start=1216&end=3041","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2474429-d5b0dbdcd6c465f0fb2f11523b93f8cc/thumbnail_1216000.jpg","/articles/6658921/Nevada/Senate-committee-hears-bill-to-lower-seal-of-financial-literacy-GPA-and-expand-instruction-to-K2","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6658921-96d2c6ba88cf9f958b7fb1c05dfcc455/orig.mp4?Expires=1770995210&Signature=aK-2Z3imbjMVHUn6F0qI7StlGppUq~fKkHxjoa~s7j6Mp-~IZ~2xSNQdrk3~zvRjgG0JSG0cgaOs4B-d-665N-rYrO9KNR0phOE11ggsnGPzo9dTnXifUSQMEHMoWakXVx2mWu07Hr3Q5vdg3APu8dD4y4YDcav77bVu2Hl6B5dAuFva3lbp2wvUPNdMAdPJFO6zyFdv17nT3~n2Bxazm9uRbM7gbQGLWqVMP1q-7aEjvRP4VEWV5os9Esdw9znk7y5TGPXqp5ZQAmizaqQ3qwKFl7Ol23qedOaB65wSt8PvLzhRA6OGyxS6PDjYrEU49LYzks7SlglpeDzzoAoOoA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Committee on Education Chair Angie Taylor on Wednesday heard testimony on Senate Bill 229, a bill sponsored by Sen. Marilyn Dondero Loop that would expand the state's financial-literacy program and change requirements for the state seal of financial literacy.

The bill would add kindergarten through second grade to the existing K'12 requirement for financial-literacy instruction and would lower the GPA threshold for a diploma bearing the state seal of financial literacy to 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. The measure also revises how students may demonstrate proficiency for the seal: among the options in the bill are earning three credits in relevant career-and-technical-education courses, a B or higher in a college-level/dual-credit course in a related subject, scoring at least 85% on a department-provided financial-literacy assessment, or completing an objective exam or project tied to financial literacy.

The bill sponsor, Sen. Marilyn Dondero Loop, said Nevada has a bipartisan history of promoting financial literacy and that the changes would \"ensure more students will benefit from the instruction.\" She framed earlier legislative actions going back to 2009 and 2017 that created and expanded financial-literacy instruction and the state advisory council that developed the state seal and supporting resources.

Former Nevada Youth Legislator Evan Gong and Michelle Wheatfield, principal of Faye Heron Elementary School and member of the State Financial Literacy Advisory Council, testified in support. Gong described watching peers struggle with postgraduation financial decisions and said, \"financial literacy empowers people no matter their age, education level, or choice of career.\" Wheatfield, who said she has children who started financial-literacy lessons in kindergarten, told the committee the advisory council has compiled vetted curricula and a website of resources for teachers and families.

Officials from the Nevada Department of Education told the committee that financial-literacy instruction already exists across grades 3'12 and that the department has an assessment teachers can use; the bill would formally extend instruction into early elementary grades. Amanda Hughes of the Department of Education said the department currently does not centrally track how many seals each school issues and that local schools record and award the seal themselves.

Committee members asked how instruction would be scheduled and how quality would be ensured. Hughes and Wheatfield said financial literacy is currently embedded in social studies at the elementary level and that the department is working to provide professional development to help teachers integrate financial-literacy lessons across math and social studies.

Business and nonprofit representatives — including Trevor Parrish of the Las Vegas Chamber, the Nevada Credit Union League, and the Nevada Banker Association — testified in support, saying earlier exposure and easier access to the state seal would strengthen the future workforce.

No committee vote was recorded at the hearing; the hearing was opened for public comment and then closed.

Supporters said the bill expands access and builds a longer pathway so students encounter financial concepts earlier; department staff warned that local implementation practices vary and that tracking of seal issuance is done by districts and schools. Several senators asked for clarification on assessment options, including why the ACT-related option was removed (the department said the ACT did not specifically address financial-literacy content) and asked how the 85% assessment threshold would be administered.

If enacted as written, school districts and charter schools would continue to choose from approved, vetted curricula but would also be required to provide professional development to teachers in the subject areas in which financial literacy is taught.

The hearing record includes written and oral support from business groups, school leaders, and parents. The committee closed the hearing without a recorded committee vote.

Sources: Hearing testimony before the Nevada Senate Committee on Education; Nevada Department of Education statements at the hearing.","Senate Bill 229 would expand financial-literacy instruction to kindergarten through second grade and lower the GPA threshold to earn Nevada's state seal of financial literacy to 2.5; supporters said the change will broaden access, while education officials said tracking and program quality vary by district.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

State Public Charter School Authority briefs committee on role, accountability; charter leaders, students press for support

Senate committee hears two-year pilot to fund CNA licensure for high school CTE students

Senate committee hears bill to lower seal-of-financial-literacy GPA and expand instruction to K–2