Accountability Means: Charter School Accountability

Since 2017, NSEA has asked the Legislature for greater controls and oversight over charter schools, especially given the separate and unequal dynamics between charter schools and our traditional neighborhood public schools. Initially, NSEA asked for a moratorium on new charters and then a cap on charter expansion. Instead, the Legislature required the Authority to develop and implement a growth management plan. Despite that, Nevada has experienced a supercharged growth in charter schools, and an accompanying growth in the charter school budget.

In FY19, 43,845 students were enrolled in charter schools. The projected enrollment for next fiscal year is 64,336. This is an increase of over 20K students or 46% in just 5 years. Since the passage of the charter school growth management program in 2021, charter schools have grown more than 20%. Contrast that with the overall public school enrollment, including both our school districts and charters. Enrollment is projected to decline by about 23,000 students over 5 years, a 4% reduction with a projected 2% reduction starting in 2021. “Growth Management” seems to have taken on a different meaning than when originally discussed here 4 years ago.

The proposed appropriation to charters in FY24 is $608M, the second largest in the state, now ahead of the Washoe County School District.

While NSEA is usually at this table talking about the need for additional education funding, charters take a bigger piece of the pie each year, to the detriment of school districts.

NSEA has also called for greater charter accountability related to charter operations, especially related to significantly lower levels of diversity in the students charters serve. While the Authority has succeeded in reigning in the worst charter schools and has made some incremental improvements, there is still a stark difference in student demographics, especially related to low-income students. Currently 81% of Nevada students qualifying for free and reduced lunch. Charters only enroll 46%. Even just looking at new charter students, the Charter School Authority still isn’t meeting its own goal of matching the overall statewide demographics. Last session, NSEA asked for charter school teachers to be held to the same standard as neighborhood public school teachers, but even that legislation was watered down.

NSEA appreciates the legislature taking a closer look at the Charter School Authority budget but would point out that the Charter School Authority does not have the same control over individual charter school budgets and operations that districts do over their schools. The accountability called for in this hearing should be demanded of each individual charter school, many of which enroll more students than several of our smaller rural school districts.