Online Schools: Nevada

Nicknamed the "Battle-Born State," Nevada entered the Union in the midst of the Civil War, just before the Presidential Election of 1864. Nevada's abundant natural resources, which include gold, silver, lead, copper, pumice, and sulfur, among others, have created a booming mining industry. Tourism related businesses (such as casino hotels and outdoor recreational business) comprise the largest sector of Nevada's economy. The state depends on the leisure and hospitality sector for 27 percent of its industrial base, compared to ten percent nationwide.

Nevada’s current education landscape may be described as "bi-modal," with two major urban school districts— Clark County (Las Vegas), and Washoe County (Reno) — and 15 rural districts scattered across the state’s vast, often remote expanses. The state has experienced explosive enrollment growth in the urban districts as well as in Clark County. Since passage of the Nevada Education Reform Act in 1997, Clark County’s enrollment has jumped from 190,822 to 283,245, in 2004, making it the nation’s fifth largest district. Washoe County’s growth during that same period, while slow compared to Clark County’s, has also been rapid. The district has gone from 51,205 students to 63,698. 51% of Nevada's students are students of color, with Hispanic students the fastest-growing group, constituting approximately 32 percent of the overall Nevada school population (up from 26% between 2001-02). Online schools may well be a viable solution. In response to these mushrooming student populations, K-12 online schools in Nevada have undergone significant development.

Nevada Virtual Academy, the state's full-time K-12 program for online learning, offers over 140 core subjects as well as elective courses. Honors, Advanced Placement, and credit recovery courses are readily available. The elementary and middle school programs (as well as the high school) boast a number of world languages like Latin, French, Spanish, German, and Chinese. As part of the public school system, Nevada's Virtual Academy is tuition free for all K-12 students. All students in grades K-8 must be tested in Analytical Writing, the ITBS, and the Nevada Criterion Referenced Test before moving on between grade levels and schools. Nevada online schools continue to exceed the state's Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), a key metric of a school's progress based on standards developed through 2001's No Child Left Behind (NCLB) education reform act.

A limited number of courses at the postsecondary level are offered in Nevada. The University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) offers several online programs through the department of International Gaming Institute (IGI) and the School of Social Work. Though it does not offer degrees, UNLV provides a variety of continuing education courses in the fields of gaming and social work. Students may earn professional certificates in Employment Law, Federal Tax Law, Sports Law, Technical Writing, Hospitality Marketing, and Introduction to Casino Management. The number of courses changes from semester to semester, based on instructor availability and student enrollment. With the demonstrated success of its K-12 online schools, Nevada has made improvements to widen the breadth of its distance learning programs at the college level. Though most colleges offer associate degrees and certificates, the College of Southern Nevada provides bachelors in science and dental hygiene. Additionally, Nevada State College has set up a task force in order to evaluate the efficacy and potential viability of online programs on its own campus.

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