25/02/2026
IMPORTANT HOMESCHOOL VS VIRTUAL SCHOOL HISTORY IN NV
A smidge of history pertaining to the lines drawn between homeschooling and NV charter schools which offer distance education. (And why I believe even THEY would not want to be called homeschooling)
Way back in 2001, there were 7ish charter schools in NV and MANY of them operated virtually. The public was very confused about the difference between homeschooling and being enrolled in a school, done from home.
This then confused legislators when they heard, "I'm homeschooling through Odyssey", or "I'm homeschooling through Nevada Virtual Academy".
Remember, charter schools were new, and people were questioning should they even be funded as a public school.
In 2001 Senator Terry Care brought forth SB399- a bill creating charter school requirements, how they are accountable etc. One of his presentation pieces was a graph that showed the different educational options, and their corresponding funding and accountability. He was showing how different homeschooling is from a virtual school, done at home. These virtual schools wanted the funding and had to fight for it.
In his bill, it went so far as to say homeschoolers (students exempt from compulsory attendance) were ineligible to enroll in virtual charter schools. Meaning, you were one or the other, but not both. NHN strongly supported this. The bill was passed and it was the start of some clarity of educational options in NV.
While the charter schools wanted that funding, and were the originators in saying Homeschooling is NOT Virtual Charter Schooling, they continued to use the word homeschooling. They advertised to homeschoolers, they had tv ads telling people they could homeschool through their school.
Over the years more and more charters were trying to open in NV and the opinion of Virtual Education was tanking. It was imperative that homeschoolers kept their option safe and separate.
Nevada Homeschool Network has continually held that a separation of options is important for all involved. Not just schools, but parents and legislators. We began using Senator Care's chart as a speaking point and as a way of strengthening our argument why homeschoolers should NOT have government regulation, while THEY were using it for why THEY should get funding.
When NV formed it's State Public Charter School Authority Board- charged with opening high quality charter schools in the state of NV, we knew it was important to have homeschool representation. To that end, Elissa Wahl was appointed by then Governor Sandoval to serve as a board member, for 5 years.
I am glad to say, all those years were well spent. Charter schools were seen as equals to the district schools and received funding, and opened many more seats to kids. And homeschooling in NV, as you may know, was created under the law as a separate option with no governmental interference.
So, while I have finished with my 30 year homeschooling journey, I will continue to educate people with the history and the reasons why we need separation between options.
