Families in Nevada’s K-12 education ecosystem have more options than ever, and The Nevada Independent’s new school choice guide is here to break them down. 

We launched the guide last week with information on popular school choices available within Nevada school districts — magnet schools, career technical academies and open enrollment. The deadline for Clark County School District (CCSD) students to apply is Tuesday. 

The Washoe County School District’s (WCSD) deadline has passed. Both districts will reopen applications if there’s space remaining for these schools. 

All three options allow students to attend a different school than the one they assigned, or zoned for, based on their place of residence. 

CCSD’s magnet schools and career and technical academies are nationally recognized for the academic rigor and programming that they provide to K-12 students — including aviation, culinary arts, cybersecurity and performing and creative arts. Qualifications can vary between grade level and programs. Some require students to meet a certain grade point average or a try out for a performing arts program. 

The district has 45 magnet schools and nine career and technical academies. Approximately 38,000 students, or about 13 percent of district students, attend one of these schools. 

The district had 14,150 openings at its more than 50 magnet schools and career and technical academies for the 2025-26 school year, almost 1,000 more than the previous school year, according to data obtained through a public records request. That comes as new career technical schools have opened in the northeast and south regions of the valley, while existing schools have added magnet programs.

The demand for these schools exceeds the availability. The district received nearly 62,000 applications from about 26,000 students for a seat this school year. That’s almost 2,000 more applications, or a 3 percent increase, from the 2023-24 school year. 

Southeast Career and Technical Academy was the most applied to school, with about 5,000 applicants for this school year. Of those, fewer 500 applications were accepted. 

WCSD has two career academies: The Academy of Arts, Careers, and Technology (AACT), which serves about 600 students and takes in about 150 students as ninth graders each year.

Debbie Smith CTE Academy opened in August 2025 with about 700 students, but will ramp up to more than 800 students next school year, including about 200 freshmen.

Josh Hartzog, the director of WCSD’s career and technical education department, said in a Dec. 16 email that the district received more than 900 applications for AACT, and about 150 students were accepted. WCSD received more than 1,000 applications for Debbie Smith, and more than 200 students were accepted. 

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News briefs

💵 Applications open for grants for classroom projects — The Nevada Department of Education announced Wednesday it is accepting new applications for the DonorsChoose grant program, which provides select public school educators with up to $500 for classroom projects. Eligible requests will be funded on a first-come, first-served basis. 

A 2025 bill sponsored by Sen. Marilyn Dondero Loop (D-Las Vegas), SB90, allocated $15 million over the next two fiscal years for the grant program. 

In 2023, she sponsored another bill (SB339) that allocated $10 million for the program. 

“Ensuring our educators and staff across Nevada have the resources they need to support their students is essential,” Dondero Loop said in a statement. “As a retired Clark County teacher, I understand how common it is for educators to spend money out of pocket on classroom supplies.”

The department said in the Jan. 7 press release requests for instructional materials must align with Nevada Academic Content Standards.

Full-time preschool through 12th grade Nevada public school educators who spend at least half of their time directly educating or counseling students are eligible to create a project.

Educators can learn more about creating a DonorsChoose project on the organization’s project page.

🏢 City of Reno approves $90K to provide mental support to public, including students and families — Washoe County School District families can now access free mental health and substance use support through Care Solace, a service that helps individuals connect with mental health providers and community resources.

Care Solace does not provide therapy directly. Instead, Care Solace staff work one-on-one with individuals to identify appropriate providers based on insurance, location, language and personal preferences. Support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by phone, email or online. 

“Supporting the mental health and well-being of our students, families and staff is essential to student success,” said Paul LaMarca, chief student supports officer for the Washoe County School District. “Care Solace removes many of the barriers families face when trying to find help.” 

The service is funded by the City of Reno through its Opioid Recoveries Special Revenue Fund, which allocates settlement funds from the statewide opioid agreement toward prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery efforts across the community. 

To connect with Care Solace, visit its website or call 888-515-0595. 

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Reading assignments

🚌 Want to switch schools in Nevada? Answering questions on open enrollment rules

Nevada school districts, including in Clark and Washoe, provide students with the opportunity to attend a school they are not zoned for if there are available seats — a policy commonly known as open enrollment.

🏀 Lombardo leads 2026 ballot initiative to block students born male from female sports

It’s not clear how many transgender student athletes, if any, there are in Nevada.

🚩🏈 Flag football is exploding nationwide. Nevada girls were ahead of the curve.

Nevada may rank last nationwide for youth participation in sports, but when it comes to flag football, it’s a leader.

Extra credit

Reno Gazette-Journal: CDC just changed childhood vaccine policy. How is Nevada’s different?

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Featured social media post 

New year, new Clark County School Board leadership. Trustee Emily Stevens took over the role of president after Trustee Irene Bustamante Adams held the position for two years, the max allowed for board offices under its policy. Stevens was elected to the board in 2024.