District and Charter Reopening Plan Guidance


2021-2022 School Year

For the 2021-22 School Year, the Nevada Department of Education issued Guidance Memorandum 21-02: Guidance for 2021-22 School Year Reopening Plans  in alignment with Emergency Directive 044.

County school districts and the State Public Charter School Authority (collectively known as local education agencies or LEAs) receiving American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act Elementary and SecondarySchool Emergency Federal Relief funding were required to create Plans for Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services in alignment with federal guidance. Guidance Memo #21-02 instructed LEAs to include references to the distance education options being offered to students in their federally required plans. The ARP Act further required that the LEA seek public comment on the plan and take those comments into account in the development of the plan. The plans must be made publicly available on each LEA's website and were due on July 14, 2021. LEAs are required to revisit their plans at least every six months. 

    2020-2021 School Year

    For the 2020-21 School Year, the Nevada Department of Education developed the PathForward Plan, leading to a Statewide Reopening of Schools Committee which went on to develop Nevada’sPath Forward: A Framework for a Safe, Efficient, and Equitable Return to SchoolBuildings. EmergencyDirective 022 required that school districts and charter schools develop plans for reopening school buildings and providing instruction based on the Framework and subsequent guidance from the Department. The Department then released Guidance Memorandum 20-05 Path Forward Programs of Distance Education Guidance. Schools and districts subsequently developed reopening plans and submitted them for approval to their board of trustees and/or charter sponsor no fewer than 20 days before the first day of the 2020-21 school year. Significant additional guidance was provided throughout the course of the school year related to numerous policies and procedures and may be found on our COVID-19 page. 

      2019-2020 School Year

      On March 15, 2020 of the 2019-2020 School Year, Emergency Directive 001 was issued, closing all K-12 school buildings  due to the emerging COVID-19 crisis. Emergency Directive 005 required the Department to provide guidance and minimum requirements regarding Emergency Programs of Distance Education, as school building closures were extended (in Directives 005, 014, and 015). Significant additional guidance was provided throughout the course of the school year related to numerous policies and procedures and may be found on our COVID-19 page.