Sierra Crest will be missed

Douglas County's experiment with a charter school appears to be coming to an end this year, and that's too bad.

Whatever Sierra Crest Academy's failures, it provided a safe haven for children in need of the civilizing influence of school, but who had trouble adapting to the challenges of the public school system.

Sierra Crest is not a failure. Its population, while not at capacity, was sizable at 71 students. It provided a curriculum that was original, and had a higher teacher-student ratio than any public school in the district.

The school was on the No Child Left Behind watch list last year, but so was Douglas High School and a couple of other traditional schools.

But unfortunately, the designation does not allow the school to seek a sponsorship from the state of Nevada.

We can understand the school district's desire not to sponsor any more charter schools. The purpose of a charter school is to be independent of the district. Having the district oversee the school makes that difficult.

With impending budget cuts on all fronts, finding a way to help those students who need it most will be more and more difficult.

The loss of Sierra Crest Academy will be particularly hard on those students who can't afford private school, but who need to find an alternative to public school