Sierra Nevada Academy Charter School: Legal Violations and Lack of Supervision

Nicole Fernandez • September 20th, 2024

Overview

Sierra Nevada Academy (SNACS) is a charter school once celebrated for its innovative educational model, the “PLAY” model, now facing serious allegations of misconduct, mismanagement, and potential violations of state laws.

Reports about a middle school that has three teachers, expected to teach 5th-8th grade in 2½-hour blocks with no paid preparation time, raise serious questions about the safety and educational standards being enforced, reports being given by both families and staff alike.

Inadequate Staffing and Violations of Charter School Laws

SNACS is severely understaffed, employing only three teachers to manage four different grades. This situation directly violates charter school law NRS 388A.345, which requires charter schools to have enough staff to deliver quality instruction. The school’s leadership, including Principal Robert Ingalls and CEO Kimberly Regan, has been criticized for their management approach.

Teachers are required to create up to 20 lesson plans weekly, without being paid for the extra work done at home. One current employee stated, “I have no time to do anything anymore, and if I fall out of line, it could mean I lose my job.” This expectation breaches NRS 608.019, which mandates that employees receive adequate rest breaks and preparation periods, and NRS 608.018, which requires proper compensation for work performed outside of regular hours. As of now, more than half the staff has either been fired or quit due to these changes being too overwhelming.

The PLAY Model: A Failure

The PLAY model, developed by Kimberly Regan, allows students to explore their personal interests, promote engagement and self-regulation. However, its implementation at SNACS has been a failure. Teachers are expected to write lesson plans without aligning with state educational standards due to the overwhelming number of students and lack of preparation time. This violates NRS 389.018, which requires schools to be in alignment with Nevada State Content Standards.

Regan’s blog post claimed, “Using our newly developed “PLAY” Interactive Choice Boards and the power of play, our students stay engaged and focused,” but this is contrary to the reality at SNACS. The standards the middle school teachers are held to are impossible, and they are getting disciplined for their best efforts to manage their massive classes. This has been leading to students fighting on campus, refusing to do work, and simply walking out of class.

Hostile Work Environment and Employee Rights

Reports from parents of verbal abuse and intimidation by school administrators add another layer of concern. Teachers and parents have described employees being yelled at in front of their students, brushed off major concerns, and ultimately treating both teachers and students like they are nothing but a paycheck.

One former employee revealed, “They have zero empathy for their employees, or for the children. We’re nothing but a paycheck to them.”

Chaotic School Environment and Lack of Discipline

When it comes to the school’s discipline, it is incomprehensible. Students are found roaming around the school frequently with little to no consequences, creating chaos amongst other classrooms and a generally unsafe learning environment. Detention and phone calls home seem to be the only course of action to provide structure, further exacerbating the problem.

This violation of NRS 388.133, which requires all schools to have a plan to ensure a safe and respectful learning environment, is one of the biggest concerns amongst parents in the community. Without proper regulations in place, students are often unsupervised. Even though SNACS allegedly has an employee dedicated to watching the cameras, nothing is done to make sure the students are safe once they leave the classroom.

Shy Reader, a parent who previously admitted their child to SNACS, states, “My child wandered off campus, and the staff didn’t even notice. She was gone for hours, and no one said a thing to me.”

A Call for Oversight and Accountability

Immediate action is required to protect the rights of the teachers, ensure a safe and effective learning environment for the students, and bring the school into compliance with state laws.

The future of Sierra Nevada Academy—and the well-being of its students—depends on swift and decisive intervention.