Parents, founders press SPCSA to complete Pioneer Technology and Arts Academy enrollment audit

Public commenters and school representatives pressed the Nevada State Public Charter School Authority on June 18 to direct staff to complete an enrollment audit for Pioneer Technology and Arts Academy Nevada (PTAAN) using a June 14 roster they say met SPCSA guidance.

Rudy Pamantuan, a PTAAN board member, told the authority, “Please remove PTAAN from agenda item 5 d and direct SPCSA staff to complete the audit using the June 14 roster of 103 verified students.” He said PTAAN had uploaded a roster on June 2 and an updated, fully documented 103‑student roster on June 14, and that families had already prepared for an August opening.

PTAAN treasurer Annette Dawson Owens asked the board to “strike PTAAN from the not opening list in agenda 5 d and instruct staff to audit our June 14 roster,” and described the principal hire and budget the governing board had submitted, saying the principal’s contract was executed June 6 and the year‑one salary was “$28,333, exactly what’s budgeted for a 100 student cap.” Founder Shubham Handy said staff emails dated April 18 and May 7 told schools they could continue enrolling and submit a final roster “72 hours before the audit,” and that PTAAN followed that written rule.

Speakers representing PTAAN repeatedly said the school met enrollment thresholds and other preopening requirements: presenters said the group had 103 verified files for the audit and that 115 students were counted as ready to enroll. PTAAN advocates also described the program as Nevada’s first K‑12 artificial intelligence pathway, with a student body they said was 62% children of color, 48% girls, and many from Title I households.

Multiple callers who identified themselves as PTAAN supporters asked the board to order staff to complete the audit. Parent Nubia Ramos said, “PTAN is a free public school focused on AI innovation,” and described her children’s enthusiasm for the program. Attorney and caller Kara Hendricks said in public comment that the emails provided to the board “are clear that the school has up to 72 hours prior to the scheduled audit date to submit supplemental information, and they did that.”

Chair Dr. Holmes Sutton acknowledged the concerns but told public commenters the authority could not take action on an item not placed on the agenda for decision. She said, “The items not agendized cannot come before the public meeting for action,” and noted open meeting law limits the board’s ability to act without prior public notice.

Executive Director Melissa Makadan confirmed the board could work with staff to agendize the matter for a future meeting but did not present staff direction or a motion on the floor at this meeting. No formal audit order or reversal of the staff’s placement of PTAAN on the not‑opening list was made during the session.

The discussion put into sharper relief several concrete items the authority will need to resolve if it takes up the matter later: the school’s submitted rosters (June 2 and June 14), the timing of SPCSA staff communications about a June 1 cutoff versus a 72‑hour pre‑audit deadline, the submitted principal contract dated June 6 with year‑one pay of $28,333, and PTAAN’s representations about student demographics and funding partners such as Arizona State University and prospective College of Southern Nevada articulation agreements.

Chair Holmes Sutton closed public comment without a board decision on the enrollment audit and said the authority would need to follow open‑meeting requirements before it could act. PTAAN representatives asked the board to place the item on a future agenda so staff could complete the audit and confirm the school’s August opening.