Public School System in Clark County
The greater Clark County School District (CCSD) covers approximately 7,910 square miles and encompasses all of Clark County, including the Las Vegas metropolitan area and all outlying and rural communities.

With more than 280,000 students, CCSD is the sixth largest school district in the United States and is one of the area’s largest employers with more than 32,000 employees. The CCSD is organized into five geographic regions: Northwest, Northeast, East, Southeast and Southwest. Under the leadership of a region superintendent, each region is responsible for developing programs and services tailored to the needs of its community.

In the 2004-05 school year, the Clark County School District operated 301 schools, including 186 elementary, 48 middle and 38 high schools. It also has 29 alternative and six special schools. The district operates 69 elementary schools on a year-round calendar.

Located in one of the fastest growing areas of the country, the district operates one of the nation’s largest school construction and modernization programs. Approximately $3.5 billion is being spent through 2008 to build new schools and improve existing ones.

Public Schools Requirements and Overview
Nevada state law requires school attendance for all children who are between the ages 7 and 17. A child must be five years old on or before September 30 to attend kindergarten, which is part of the regular school program. A child must be six years old on or before September 30 to enter the first grade in any public school.

State laws require that a child must attend a state-approved kindergarten program or take a developmental assessment test to enter first grade. There are no exceptions to the age requirement except for students who became residents of Nevada after they completed kindergarten or first grade in another state.

Participation and proficiency level in several of the state-required tests are used as the primary indicators of school, district and state-level academic achievement The state of Nevada’s system for assessing students is the Nevada Proficiency Examination Program. The program consists of several different tests taken by students enrolled in public schools in specific grades and specific programs.

School accountability reports contain detailed information about each school in Nevada. These reports are prepared annually in compliance with the federal No Child Left Behind Act requiring all Nevada school districts to inform citizens about the performance of local schools. Schools use these reports to develop academic plans to improve student achievement.

Strict accountability of public schools is a key piece of the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). Appropriately, school districts are required to report to their communities the success of their schools in meeting the many goals established in the law.

Accountability reports are distributed to all parents of students attending schools in the Clark County School District (CCSD). A copy of the school’s accountability report may be requested at the school site. The 2003-2004 school report can be viewed online at http://ccsd.net/schools/

Clark County School District
2832 E. Flamingo Rd.
Las Vegas, NV 89121
(702) 799-5310
www.ccsd.net

Links to local and state Educational Resources:
Nevada Department of Education
Clark County School District
Clark County List of all Public Schools (Elementary, Middle, High School & Education Services
Las Vegas and Clark County Library District
Nevada Adult Education
Las Vegas Education Directory of Schools

Selecting the Right School
Looking for the right school is a staged process – you have to gather one fact at a time and fill in the picture gradually until you have enough information to make the best decision for your children. Here are some tips that we have assembled at Re/MAX Central that we recommend to our clients: First and foremost, use the web to save yourself valuable time – most schools today have a web site that can provide you with a great deal of information that can help you refine your search. And, most school web sites will provide meaningful statistics or provide links to same, enabling you to have some sense of how the school stacks up academically to others that you may be assessing.

Utilize word of mouth if you have contacts in the local community – people you work with can be a valuable source of information as well as your REALTOR® at Re/MAX Central or even friends of friends who are living in the area.

Personal visits will tell you so much about a school – there is no substitute for making an on site visit to the school and meeting with the school administrators, teachers and others. And, be prepared to follow up your initial visit with an evaluation for your child. Prepare beforehand and bring a list of questions that you want to discuss – ask about grading, testing, homework requirements, demographics, teacher student ration and the amount of parental participation in the school.

Make a final balanced analysis – after you’ve done all of your research take a hard look at the big picture and factor in not only the school and your assessment of it, but the neighborhood where you must live in most cases to get your children into the school, but the time of commuting to live there, cost of a home in this area and other intangibles that you’ve picked up during your assessment process. It goes without saying, but we tell our clients that your family’s ability to adjust to a new environment may be dependent to a large extent to how happy your children are in their new school. It’s a very important decision!

Before and After-School Programs in Las Vegas Area
Safekey is a before and after-school program for children in kindergarten through fifth grades. The recreation departments of the cities of Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas and Boulder City, as well as Clark County’s recreation department, administer Safekey programs in conjunction with Las Vegas area schools.

Safekey is designed for school-aged children whose parents or guardians are working before or after school hours. At several area schools, teachers or other educators administer the program, which provides study sessions and assistance with homework.

Recreational activities are also offered, including arts and crafts, theater, dance and cooking. A nutritional snack is provided daily. Most schools conduct Safekey programs before school from 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and after school from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Charter Schools
In 1997, the state legislature of Nevada passed laws allowing for the formation of charter schools in the state. Although sponsored by the local school district, charter schools maintain their own board of directors and operate independently of the district’s policies and regulations.

Charter schools are required to abide by state and county laws but are given a great deal of latitude in the day-to-day operation of the schools. The purpose of such alternative education is to improve education via a setting where innovation, experimentation and research can identify effective methods of instruction and then share those findings with more traditional classroom programs.

For information about charter schools in the Las Vegas metro area, contact the Clark County School District at (702) 799-5011.

Home Schooling
Home schooling offers parents another option in educating their children and is supported by the state of Nevada. The Nevada State Board of Education has approved more than 30 correspondence programs for parents to choose from when considering home schooling their children.

For information about Nevada laws and guidelines for home schooling, call the Nevada Department of Education’s home school consultant at (755) 687-9238, or view the state home schooling web site.

Parents must file a notice of intent to home school form, as well as provide evidence that the child is enrolled in an approved correspondence program, with the Clark County School District. To contact the school district regarding home schooling, call (702) 799-8642

Private Schools in the greater Las Vegas Area
Here is a small sample of the more than 100 private schools that can be found in our community just below and some additional links to other sites that list a broader range of schools: All Private Schools.org.

The Alexander Dawson School at Rainbow Mountain
10845 W. Desert Inn Rd.
Las Vegas, NV 89135
(702) 949-3600
www.alexanderdawsonschool.org - This independent school serves pre-K–8th grade.

Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy
1201 W. Lake Mead Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89106
(702) 948-6000
www.agassiprep.org - This charter school currently has 250 students in grades 3–7.

Faith Lutheran Jr. Sr. High School
2015 S. Hualapai Way
Las Vegas, NV 89117
(702) 804-4400
www.faithlutheranlv.org - Serving grades 6–12, this school offers a college preparatory curriculum, advanced placement and honors classes.

Foothills Montessori School
1401 Amador Ln.
Henderson, NV 89012
(702) 407-0790
www.foothillsmontessori.com - Foothills offers programs for pre-K–7th grades.

Hillcrest Academy
1051 Sandy Ridge Ave.
Henderson, NV 89052
(702) 597-2778
www.hillcrestacademy.com - This non-denominated school is licensed for pre-K–5th grade.

Kids Turf Academy Center
7885 W. Rochelle Ave.
Las Vegas, NV 89147
(702) 579-9133 - This private school serves grades pre-K–1st grade.

The Meadows School
8601 Scholar Ln.
Las Vegas, NV 89128-7302
(702) 254-1610
www.themeadowsschool.org - This independent and nonsectarian school serves children in grades K-12.

The Milton I. Schwartz Hebrew Academy of Summerlin
9700 W. Hillpointe Rd.
Las Vegas, NV 89134
(702) 255-5400
www.lvhebrewacademy.com - An independent Jewish Day School, this academy provides small classes. Children from age 2–8th grade.

Montessori Children’s World School
3551 E. Sunset Rd.
Henderson, NV 89120
(702) 451-9801
www.montessorilasvegas.com - A private Montessori facility, the school serves from age 2–elementary.

Mountain View Christian Schools
3900 E. Bonanza Rd.
Las Vegas, NV 89110
(702) 452-1300
www.mvcs.net - This Christian school serves more than 700 children in grades pre-K–12.

Trinity Christian Schools
950 E. Sahara Ave.
Las Vegas, NV 89104-3023
(702) 735-5778
www.tcs-lasvegas.org - A Christian faith-based institution, this school provides small classes for preschool (12 months to 5 years old) and kindergarten through 12th grades.

Wasatch Academy
120 South 100 West
Mt. Pleasant, UT 84647
(800) 634-4690
www.wacad.org

Colleges and Universities in the Greater Las Vegas area
We’ve assembled a resource section below that will give you an in depth look at our major public and private educational institutions, which are considered some of the finest in the nation, if not the world!

Community College of Southern Nevada (CCSN)
6375 W. Charleston Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89146
(702) 651-CCSN (2276)
www.ccsn.nevada.edu

The Community College of Southern Nevada (CCSN) is Nevada’s largest institution of higher education and the third largest single-college, multi-campus community college of its type in the nation. The college operates in more than 50 locations including three main campuses and 12 learning centers across four counties.

CCSN is based on three main campuses-the West Charleston Campus in Las Vegas, the Cheyenne Campus in North Las Vegas and the Henderson Campus in Henderson. CCSN pioneered an educational model of shared college academic and computing centers on high school campuses. These centers are located at Palo Verde, Western, Pahrump Valley and Green Valley high schools. CCSN also offers online learning for hundreds of courses.

DeVry University
2490 Paseo Verde Pkwy., Ste. 150
Henderson, NV 89074
(866) 783-3879
www.devry.edu

As part of one of the largest private higher educational systems in North America, DeVry’s Las Vegas Center is located in the resort area of Green Valley in Henderson. At the Las Vegas Center, the university offers graduate programs and certificates in accounting, business administration, human resource management, information systems management, network and communications management and project management.

A graduate program in public administration is also offered, as well as certificate programs in educational management, electronic commerce management, entrepreneurship, financial analysis, health services management and information security.

Las Vegas College
4100 W. Flamingo Rd., Ste. 2100
Las Vegas, NV 89103
(702) 368-6200
www.lasvegas-colleg.com

This two-year institution offers comprehensive programs in the business, administrative, medical, computer and legal fields. The college recently added a Henderson campus in addition to its Las Vegas location.

Founded in 1979, Las Vegas College is a member of Rhodes College system, a branch of Corinthian Colleges, Inc., which consists of private post-secondary learning institutions throughout the nation. The college offers small classes and faculty members are drawn from the workplace so that students may be trained for real-world jobs.

Lesley University
10640 Brianhurst Ave.
Las Vegas, NV 89144
(866) 600-7031
www.lesleyuniversity.com

Lesley University offers nationally recognized programs for teachers at its learning site in Las Vegas. Programs include master of education degrees in creative arts in learning; technology in education; and literacy: language, reading and writing. Classes also are offered to teachers to help improve classroom skills through professional development.

National University
10120 S. Eastern Ave., Ste.
206 Henderson, NV 89052
(702) 492-4939
www.nu.edu

National University has 26 campuses in 11 major metropolitan areas, including Henderson. The university provides access to high-quality lifelong learning opportunities to a diverse population of adult learners. At the Henderson center, online courses are offered for associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees. The university also offers online certificate programs.

NOVA Southeastern University (NSU)
5740 S. Eastern Ave., Ste.
160 Las Vegas, NV 89119
(702) 365-6682
www.nova.edu

NOVA Southeastern University (NSU) based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, developed the Las Vegas Student Educational Center, which offers a variety of degree programs to Southern Nevada residents. On-site and online classes are provided. Programs include bachelors in elementary education and special education; specialist in education; masters in education and speech language pathology; and doctoral degrees in audiology, business administration and education.

Nevada State College (NSC)
1125 Nevada State Dr.
Henderson, NV 89015
(702) 992-2012
www.nsc.nevada.edu

A new college within the University and Community College System of Nevada, Nevada State College (NSC) specializes in providing a four-year baccalaureate education. Founded in 2002, the college was established to meet the needs of students who are interested in bachelor’s degrees in much-needed fields such as nursing and education, which are two principal areas of emphasis for NSC. The college also offers other disciplines in the arts and sciences.

Regis University-Las Vegas Campus
1401 N. Green Valley Pkwy.,
Ste. 100 Henderson, NV 89074
(702) 990-0375
www.regis.edu

Established in 1999, Regis University-Las Vegas Campus is an extension of Regis University in Denver, which was founded in 1877. The Las Vegas Campus serves adult learners throughout Southern Nevada. At the Las Vegas Campus, Regis offers bachelor’s degrees in business administration, liberal studies and elementary education. Master’s degrees are offered in business administration, liberal studies, education and education with teacher licensure. The university also offers a teacher licensure program in elementary and secondary education for those who have a bachelor’s degree.

Sierra Nevada College
5812 S. Pecos Rd.,
Ste. B Las Vegas, NV 89120
(702) 434-6599
www.sierranevada.edu

Sierra Nevada College’s main campus is in Incline Village, Nevada, an alpine mountain community on the north shore of Lake Tahoe. A private, independent, accredited four-year liberal arts college, the college offers numerous courses at satellite centers in Nevada, including Las Vegas center. The Las Vegas campus of Sierra Nevada College offers a teacher education program.

University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV)
4505 S. Maryland Pkwy., Box 451070
Las Vegas, NV 89154-1001
(702) 895-3201
www.unlv.edu

University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) is a doctoral-degree granting institution that offers more than 200 undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degrees. Nested on a 337-acre campus in the city of Las Vegas, the university has nearly 27,000 students and approximately 850 faculty members. Located in one of the nation’s fastest growing areas, UNLV is also is experiencing significant growth. Since 1995, UNLV has created 91 new degree programs (21 at the doctoral level), established Nevada’s only law and dental schools, built 15 new facilities and acquired three more, renovated six buildings and granted almost 30,000 undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Founded in 1957, UNLV made great strides toward its goal of becoming a top-notch research institution when the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching placed the university in the category of Doctoral/Research University-Intensive. It was previously classified as a Master’s Comprehensive Institution.

Also, UNLV now ranks in the National Doctoral Universities category of the U.S. News & World Report’s annual America’s Best Colleges Guidebook. UNLV offers 19 colleges and schools in fields such as architecture, business, communications, computer science, dental medicine, education, engineering, fine arts, health and human sciences, hotel administration, law, liberal arts, nursing, sciences, social work and urban affairs. It also has graduate and honors colleges. In addition to providing its students, faculty and employees with opportunities and challenges to enrich their lives, UNLV offers outreach programs for the Southern Nevada community. UNLV’s School of Dental Medicine operates a dental center that serves Medicaid patients, most under the age of 20. The university’s William S. Boyd School of Law provides free legal services to children and families involved in abuse and neglect proceedings. UNLV also operates the Nevada Caregiver Support Center, which provides behavioral health care for patients with dementia.