[complete report]

LAW

Year Passed

1997; last amended in 2007.

Rank

20th weakest of the nation's 40 charter laws.

Grade

C

GENERAL DATA

• Limited operational autonomy discourages applicants

MULTIPLE AUTHORIZERS - YES (3)

Approval

School boards upon approval from the state board. Applicants may apply directly to the state committee of charter schools and any public college or university as of 2007. No university has yet to authorize.

Appeal

Yes. If an application is denied, it may be appealed to the State Board Subcommittee on Charter Schools, which will recommend approval or denial to the state board. If the state approves the charter, it will be the sponsor. If the state denies the application, the decision may be appealed to the district county court in which the proposed charter will be located.

NUMBER OF SCHOOLS ALLOWED

Cap

No cap

OPERATIONAL AUTONOMY

State

Limited. Schools do not receive a blanket waiver and must comply with various rules relating to curriculum and governance. Conversion charter schools are not allowed. Virtual schools are allowed. Management contracts with ESPs are not restricted.

Local

Limited. There is no waiver for rules and regulations. Schools must get permission from sponsor for various actions, including purchasing property.

Teacher Freedom

Yes. Teachers are not covered by district bargaining agreement. Employees of the charter school must participate in the retirement system of the school district in which the charter school is located.

EQUITY

Student Funding

• Schools are supposed to be funded through the same means as other public schools.

• Authorizers may deduct up to 3 percent for administrative fees.

• Funds pass through the state.

• Average per pupil revenue - $6,800

"Each pupil who is enrolled in a charter school, including, without limitation, a pupil who is enrolled in a program of special education in a charter school, must be included in the count of pupils in the school district for the purposes of apportionments and allowances from the state distributive school account pursuant to NRS 387.121 to 387.126, inclusive, unless the pupil is exempt from compulsory attendance pursuant to NRS 392.070. A charter school is entitled to receive its proportionate share of any other money available from federal, state or local sources that the school or the pupils who are enrolled in the school are eligible to receive." [Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 386.570]

Facilities Funding

None