Hearing for Nevada Connections Academy postponed

A large turnout of Nevada Connections Academy supporters caused the State Public Charter School Authority to postpone a public hearing on the online charter school’s possible closure until January.

More than 50 parents and students packed the System of Higher Education building on Friday, overflowing into the lobby to protest the school’s possible closure over a 2015 graduation rate of 35.6 percent.

Authority members voted to postpone the public hearing until Jan. 27, since the crowd could not fit into the room and it could not be live-streamed.

But parents were still given the opportunity to speak, with many painting Nevada Connections as an oasis for students with severe medical issues, bullying problems or other challenges at traditional schools.

Parent Danielle Belinski said her daughter has an individualized education plan and has excelled in the online program.

“It’s boosted her confidence, it has helped her tremendously,” she said. “To see this program go under would just be detrimental to her.”

The school may be closed if it does not agree to new contractual terms with the authority or work out some other agreement.

It attempted a to obtain a preliminary injunction to stop the public hearing through Carson City District Court, but did not receive one.

The school since has submitted its own suggestions for school improvement, arguing in part that the state should calculate its graduation rate differently.

Nevada Connections has maintained that it serves a tough student population, with about half of its 2015 student cohort enrolled as credit-deficient.

“I’d encourage staff and Connections Academy to see if a cure can be found,” Authority Board Chair Adam Johnson said. “Then on the 27th, we will resume this hearing and at that date we will also have accommodations that will allow for as many as necessary to be a part of this process, so that all families who want to take part in this certainly can take part in this.”

Beacon Academy of Nevada also was put on notice, for a graduation rate of 52.6 percent, but now has a new agreement that will turn it into a school with more alternative students.

The school’s new contract with the authority would increase its at-risk enrollment to at least 75 percent, thus qualifying the school for the Alternative Performance Framework and changing its accountability standards.

Going forward, Beacon Academy will only accept students who are credit-deficient, have disciplinary problems or face other obstacles toward graduation.

Meanwhile, graduation rates for current students in the school who are not considered at-risk must rise to 55 percent next year and 60 percent in 2018.

Contact Amelia Pak-Harvey at 702-383-4630 or apak-harvey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AmeliaPakHarvey on Twitter.