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What choices are available to parents and students in Nevada who are considering the charter school option? What can you do if you don’t like the menu at the geographically mandated government educational cafeteria? Unfortunately, Nevadans have few alternatives.

There are currently only 20 charter schools in the state and one university school for the profoundly gifted. U.S. Charter Schools (USCS) reports that as of 2006, there were 4,500 students attending charter schools in the Silver State.

In contrast, USCS reports that Arizona had 499 charter schools with 86,409 students attending during the last academic year. Florida is listed as having 82,000 students attending 338 charter schools.

Abbe' D'Allanival has been quoted as saying, “The more alternatives, the more difficult the choice.” So perhaps some could argue the altruistic goal behind having few charter schools in Nevada is to ease educational decision making. How thoughtful.

For those seeking alternatives to the traditional system, here is the Nevada Department of Education’s list of charter schools:

Academy for Career Education
School year operation began: 2002-2003 (FY2003)
Sponsor: Washoe County School District
Grades: 10-12
Address: 2800 Vassar St., Reno, NV 89502
Phone: (775) 324-3900

Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy
School year operation began: 2001-2002 (FY2002)
Sponsor: Clark County School District
Grades: K-12 (K-10 for FY2007; K-11 for FY2008)
Address: 1201 West Lake Mead Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89106
Phone: (702) 948-6000

Bailey Charter Elementary School
School year operation began: 2001-2002 (FY2002)
Sponsor: Washoe County School District
Grades: K-6
Address: 1090 Bresson Ave., Reno, NV 89502
Phone: (775) 323-6767

Carson Montessori School
School year operation began: 2004-2005 (FY2005)
Sponsor: Carson City School District
Grades: K-6
Address: 2263 Mouton Dr., Carson City, NV 89706
Phone: (775) 887-9500 or (775) 887-9501

Coral Academy of Science
School year operation began: 2000-2001 (FY2001)
Sponsor: Washoe County School District
Grades: K-12 (4-12 currently)
Address: 1350 East Ninth St., Reno, NV 89512
Phone: (775) 323-2332 x114

Explore Knowledge Academy
School year operation began: 2003-2004 (FY2004)
Sponsor: Clark County School District
Grades: K-12
Address: 4801 South Sandhill Rd. and 4845 Community Lane, Las Vegas, NV 89121
Phone: (702) 870-5032

High Desert Montessori School
School year operation began: 2002-2003 (FY2003)
Sponsor: Washoe County School District
Grades: K-8 (K-7 currently)
Address: 2590 Orovada St., Reno, NV 89502
Phone: (775) 624-2800 x103

I Can Do Anything Charter High School
School year operation began: 1998-1999 (FY1999)
Sponsor: Washoe County School District
Grades: 9-12
Address: 1195 Corporate Blvd., Suite C, Reno, NV 89502
Phone: (775) 857-1544

Innovations International Charter School of Nevada
School year operation began: 2006-2007 (FY2007)
Sponsor: Clark County School District
Grades: K-12
Address: 1600 East Oakey Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89104
Phone: (702) 216-4337

Mariposa Academy of Language and Learning
School year operation began: 2002-2003 (FY2003)
Sponsor: Washoe County School District
Grades: K-6
Address: 3875 Glen St., Reno, NV 89502
Phone: (775) 826-4040

Nevada Connections Academy
School year operation began: 2007-2008 (FY2008)
Sponsor: Nevada State Board of Education
Grades: 4-12
Address: 5690 Riggins Court, Suite B, Reno, NV 89502
Phone: (775) 841-4581

Nevada State High School
School year operation began: 2004-2005 (FY2005)
Sponsor: Nevada State Board of Education
Grades: 11-12
Address: 1125 Nevada State Dr., Henderson, NV 89002
Phone: (702) 992-2017

Nevada Virtual Academy
School year operation began: 2007-2008 (FY2008)
Sponsor: Nevada State Board of Education
Grades: 4-8
Address: 187 East Warm Spring Rd., Suite C, Las Vegas, NV 89119
Phone: (501) 690-9140

Odyssey Charter Schools
School year operation began: 1999-2000 (FY2000)
Sponsor: Clark County School District
Grades: K-12
Address: 2251 South Jones Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89146
Phone: (702) 257-0578 x5550

One Hundred Academy of Excellence
School year operation began: 2006-2007 (FY2007)
Sponsor: Clark County School District
Grades: K-12 (K-5 currently)
Address: 2341 Comstock Dr., North Las Vegas, NV 89032
Phone: (702) 636-2551

Rainshadow Community Charter High School
School year operation began: 2003-2004 (FY2004)
Sponsor: Washoe County School District
Grades: 9-12
Address: 434 Washington St., Reno, NV 89503-4300
Phone: (775) 322-5566

Sierra Crest Academy
School year operation began: 2004-2005 (FY2005)
Sponsor: Douglas County School District
Grades: K-12 (7-10 currently)
Address: 1701 Lucerne St., Minden, NV 89423
Phone: (775) 783-9002

Sierra Nevada Academy
School year operation began: 1999-2000 (FY2000)
Sponsor: Washoe County School District
Grades: K-8
Address: 13880 Stead Blvd., Reno, NV 89506
Phone: (775) 677-4500 x13

Silver State High School
School year operation began: 2004-2005 (FY2005)
Sponsor: Nevada State Board of Education
Grades: 9-12
Address: 3719 North Carson St., Carson City, NV 89706
Phone: (775) 883-7900

WestCare Charter School
School year operation began: 2007-2008 (FY2008)
Sponsor: Clark County School District
Grades: 7-12
Address: 2025 Eagle Traceway, Las Vegas, NV 89117
Phone: (702) 528-2614

The Davidson Academy of Nevada
(Serving profoundly gifted students at UNR)
School year operation began: 2006-2007 (FY2007)
School year state payments began: 2007-2008 (FY2008)
Sponsor: None
Grades: Ungraded (non-traditional grades)
Address: 1670 North Virginia St., 2nd Floor, Reno, NV 89503
Phone: (775) 337-0171 x105

Joe Enge is education policy analyst at the Nevada Policy Research Institute.