Online charter school to open this fall

Students who don't want to attend high school in the fall may not have to.

Instead, they can earn the required credits from home through the newly approved online charter school, Silver State High School.

After being denied sponsorship through the Carson City School Board, the charter was approved unanimously by the Nevada State Board of Education on Saturday.

"This is just absolutely super," said organizer Steve Knight. "It opens up an opportunity for those students who have dropped out or who aren't succeeding in the traditional classroom."

Knight also encourages home-schooled students to log on.

"Studies show they get a really good education, but they don't earn high school credits," he explained. "And that can limit their college opportunities. Through distance education, they can earn their credits and it won't be that dissimilar than regular home school."

The school, which will begin registration Monday, will serve students in Northern Nevada with a headquarters most likely in Carson City.

Students will have the same course requirements as other public schools and will have to communicate with teachers at least once a week via telephone, e-mail, video conference or in person.

They will also be required to pass the Nevada High School Proficiency Exam, as well as meet the requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

"We have to be accountable to the state," Knight said. "All the state-mandated tests will be proctored in person and our test scores will be compared with the rest of the counties to hopefully show we're doing as well or better."

Although some Carson City School Board trustees argued that students who are failing in school need more structure, not less, Knight disagreed.

"Generally speaking, many of the students who are not doing well in school are just fabulous on a computer," he said. "They like the one-on-one challenge and they excel at it. Every one we pick up is a success story."

Starting Monday, students can register at www.silverstatehs.org. The target enrollment is 210 students, with an expected opening in August. Organizers are in the process of securing a building and hiring staff.

Despite Carson City's denial of the application, Knight said he is eager to work with the school district.

"I'm disappointed Carson City didn't take the opportunity to embrace this," he said. "Despite that, I'm looking forward to working cooperatively and collaboratively with them."

Silver State High School will be Carson City's second charter school set to open this fall. The Carson City Montessori School, endorsed last month by the Carson City School Board, is now accepting applications for enrollment.

Contact Teri Vance at tvance@nevadaappeal.com at 881-1272.