Relocating to Las Vegas | Relocation Resources for Moving to Las Vegas

One of the highest priorities for relocating families is finding a new school for their children and providing a smooth transition so learning can continue and new friendships can be formed. This chapter will provide an overview for learning more about the educational resources available in the Las Vegas area. You will find facts about the Clark County School District, the fifth largest in the United States, as well as private-school resources. You will also be impressed with the selection of higher education institutions that are detailed in this section.

Southern Nevada education institutions and educators provide students throughout the community with the tools necessary to succeed in the classroom today and as part of the workforce for tomorrow. Educators are aware of the need for students to be competitive in the global economy, where innovation and problem solving are essential for success. The region’s educators and institutions provide educational opportunities, promote academic excellence, motivate students to excel and work to improve quality of teaching and learning by providing leadership to students from pre-K to the graduate level.

According to the Nevada State Board of Education, for a child to enter kindergarten, he or she must be 5 years old by September 30, and for the first grade, the child must be 6 years old by September 30. For a child to enroll in the second grade within the public schools of Nevada, the child must be 7 years old by September 30 of the school year and must have completed kindergarten and first grade. There are no exceptions to the age requirements except for students who became residents of Nevada after they completed kindergarten or first grade in another state that allows an earlier attendance age than Nevada. It is noted that the Nevada Revised Statutes only define minimum age requirements for kindergarten, first grade and second grade.

The Nevada Proficiency Examination Program (NPEP) is Nevada’s system for assessing students. In 2011–12, Nevada used the criterion-referenced test (CRT) or Nevada Alternate Assessment (NAA) to test students in Grades 3–8 in reading and mathematics, and in Grades 5 and 8 in science and writing. High school students (Grades 10–12) took the Nevada High School Proficiency Exam (HSPE) in reading, mathematics, science and writing, allowing for students to take the NAA for all subjects in Grade 11. Students must pass the HSPE to graduate. The CRT, NAA and HSPE are standardized tests that measure specific skills defined for each grade level by the state of Nevada. Nevada also used the English Language Proficiency Assessment (ELPA) to test all limited-English-proficient (LEP) students in Grades K–12 until they exit the English as a second language (ESL) program.

CLARK COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT
As the fifth largest school district in the United States, the Clark County School District (CCSD) encompasses all of Clark County, which covers 7,910 square miles and includes the metropolitan Las Vegas area, all outlying communities and all rural areas. Under state law, each of Nevada’s 17 counties has one school district responsible for K–12 education.

For students to graduate from CCSD, they must complete required coursework and pass the Nevada HSPE in reading, mathematics, writing and science. Students must earn 22.5 credits in the following subjects to graduate: English (4 credits); mathematics (3 credits); science (2 credits); U.S. History (1 credit); U.S. Government (1 credit); physical education (2 credits); world history, arts or humanities (1 credit); health (0.5 credit); computers (0.5 credit); and electives (7.5 credits).

To prepare students and parents for success, CCSD provides detailed curricula overviews for elementary (Grades K–2); elementary (Grades 3–5); middle school (Grades 6–8); and high school (Grades 9–12). These can be found online at http://ccsd.net/divisions/curriculum-professional-development-division.

CLARK COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AREAS
Under the leadership of their respective superintendents, the focus of the Area Service Centers and Superintendent’s Schools Division remains that of student achievement. Each service area and division provides services to schools and local school communities and serve as liaisons to central office departments and divisions as they work to ensure compliance with district, state and federal procedures, regulations and laws. CCSD’s schools are assigned to one of the following three service areas, which are subdivided further into performance zones:

— Three Areas

Area 1: 5240 Goldfield Street, North Las Vegas, NV 89031, (702) 799-1719

Area 2: 2298 Vegas Valley Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89169, (702) 799-1222

Area 3: 4760 West Desert Inn Road, Las Vegas, NV 89102, (702) 799-2640

CLARK COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT REPORT CARD
Regularly published 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 (NCLB) Act, which requires 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. Accountability reports are distributed to all parents of students attending schools in CCSD. A copy of any school’s accountability reports may be requested at the school website. The most recent reports can be viewed online at http://ccsd.net/schools/accountability-repotrs.php.