North Las Vegas-run homeschool academy to return in fall

A homeschooling program launched by the City of North Las Vegas during the COVID-19 pandemic will return for a second school year.

Southern Nevada Urban Micro Academy serves children in first through eighth grades who live in North Las Vegas or whose family members work in the city. Enrollment is free and the number of children in a classroom is capped at a maximum of 15.

Interested families can complete an intent to enroll form, after which they will be given a registration form to fill out, the city announced Monday.

The academy opened in August 2020 in response to the pandemic to help children of essential workers or those struggling with distance learning. Nearly 100 students were enrolled last school year.

“What started out as a solution to a problem that resulted from the global pandemic has quickly turned into a successful learning model that has benefited our students and community,” City Councilwoman Pamela Goynes-Brown said in a news release.

The nonprofit Nevada Action for School Options operated the program last school year.

It’s a homeschooling program — not a school — according to state law. Participating children must withdraw from their public schools.

Some of the academy’s employees are licensed, including as teachers or substitute teachers, but some aren’t. It’s not a requirement for homeschooled children to be taught by a licensed educator.

Funding for the program has come largely from federal coronavirus relief money the City of North Las Vegas has received.

A contract is being finalized for the upcoming school year and the city council is expected to vote on it during a July 7 meeting, a city spokesman said.

For more information or to complete an intent to enroll form, call 702-625-9715 or visit bit.ly/3A9tems.

Contact Julie Wootton-Greener at jgreener@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2921. Follow @julieswootton on Twitter.