More charter schools in Henderson? City Council takes important step

The Henderson City Council on Tuesday moved a step closer to applying to sponsor charter schools.

Council members unanimously approved an item directing staff to apply for Henderson to sponsor charter schools. But the city will wait to apply until the Nevada Department of Education fully sets up the system for applying to sponsor charter schools.

Lisa Ford, the Nevada Department of Education’s chief strategy officer, said the department is working with the National Association of Charter School Authorizers to create the process for municipalities to become school sponsors.

Ford said the Department of Education plans to present the charter school application process to the State Board of Education in December or early next year. The board then will need to vote to approve it before Henderson can officially apply.

Mayor Michelle Romero said the council voted on the item now because “we want to be ready on day one, when they have those guidelines in place.”

Sponsoring charter schools will allow Henderson to “better serve the needs of our children and be more flexible and provide options for parents,” Romero said.

Kim Metcalf, a professor at UNLV’s College of Education, explained that charter schools are publicly funded per student like normal public schools, but have to pay for more of their capital expenses and operate independently from the school district.

“I think the thing that it accomplishes for them is it grants them some independence from CCSD,” Metcalf said.

Contact Mark Credico at mcredico@reviewjournal.com. Follow him on Instagram @writermark2.