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Washoe trustees approve conditional restart for Encompass Academy after three 1-star ratings
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Summary
The Washoe County School District board approved a restart under a new charter contract for Encompass Academy with conditions that include a diagnostic needs assessment, an independently procured academic consultant, stakeholder outreach within 14 calendar days, and a January 30 deadline to meet restart conditions.
Trustee Dr. Nicolette moved and the board approved a conditional restart for Encompass Academy on Nov. 18, 2025, requiring the school to complete a diagnostic review, procure an academic consultant, provide stakeholder communication and meet conditions by Jan. 30, 2026.
District staff told trustees the action was required under Nevada law after three consecutive 1-star ratings under NRS 388A.300. Laura Davidson, the district's director of research and evaluation, told the board that Encompass serves a high-risk population — 100% of its students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch and its special-education share is roughly double district averages — and that a quirk in lagged graduation data means Encompass is positioned to earn a 2-star rating next year based on known graduation cohorts. Davidson said the district checked SB 460 exemption thresholds and that Encompass did not meet them this year.
Autumn Khan, principal of Encompass Academy, described the school's turnaround work and credited improvements in enrollment, attendance and school culture with raising on-time graduation. "It is great, great news that we're gonna be a 2 star school next year," Khan said, and described community partnerships (including the Boys & Girls Club) and quarterly family dinners to boost engagement.
Area Superintendent Melinda Baker summarized the board's recommended conditions: a diagnostic review including stakeholder input and root-cause analysis; procurement of an academic consultant determined by the needs assessment; quarterly progress reporting to the district; prompt communication to the learning community (the board amended the original 7-day notice to 14 calendar days to accommodate Thanksgiving); and a timeline that would put a draft restart contract before the board in April so the school could continue serving students with continuity.
Trustee Dr. Nicolette moved the restart motion; Trustee Westlake seconded. The board approved the motion (voice vote recorded as carried). The motion requires Encompass to return to the board with its recharter contract per the timelines discussed.
Next steps: the school is expected to complete the diagnostic and stakeholder input work and submit a restart application under the district's expedited review process so trustees can consider a new charter contract before the next school year.
(Reporting provenance: Encompass presentation and motion: Washoe County School District Board meeting, SEG 995 ' SEG 2093.)
