My Child Is Struggling at School — What Are My Options?

Your child is failing classes, refusing to go to school, or coming home in tears. Maybe the report card is full of red. Maybe kindergarten is supposed to be the easy year and it isn't. Whatever brought you to this page, you are looking at one big question: is this the wrong school, or does my child need something the school can give them?

Both can be true. The answer changes what you should do next. This guide walks through the real options Nevada parents have, in the order most families need them.

Step 1: Get a Specific Picture of What Is Wrong

"Struggling" is a vague word. Before you make any decisions, get specific:

• Academics: which subjects, which skills inside those subjects, since when?
• Behavior or social: is your child in trouble, withdrawn, anxious, isolated?
• Attendance: is your child missing school often? (Even excused absences add up — 18 days a year is the chronic absenteeism threshold.)
• Physical: sleep, eating, headaches, stomachaches before school?

Write it down. You will need this for every conversation that follows. Schools respond better to specific concerns than to "she's struggling."

Step 2: Talk to the Teacher First — and Ask for Data

Email the teacher and ask for a meeting. Bring your list. At the meeting, ask:

• What are you seeing in class?
• What are her current reading and math levels relative to grade?
• What growth has she shown this year, if any?
• What interventions has the school already tried?
• What can we do at home that would make the biggest difference in the next 30 days?

If the teacher cannot give specifics, that itself is information. A school that does not know where your child is academically is unlikely to move her forward.

Step 3: Ask About RTI / MTSS

Every Nevada public and charter school is required to have a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), often still called Response to Intervention (RTI). It is a tiered system for students who need extra help:

• Tier 1: Standard classroom instruction.
• Tier 2: Small-group intervention, usually 20–30 minutes a few times a week, on top of regular class.
• Tier 3: One-on-one or very small group, more intensive, with regular progress monitoring.

If your child is failing, ask in writing: "Is my child receiving Tier 2 or Tier 3 support? If not, can we start that process?" RTI does not require a formal evaluation — it is something the school can begin right away.

Step 4: Consider a Formal Evaluation (IEP or 504)

If RTI is not enough, the next step is a special education evaluation. Two paths exist:

IEP (Individualized Education Program)

An IEP is for students who qualify for special education under one of 13 federal disability categories — including specific learning disability (dyslexia, dyscalculia), speech/language impairment, ADHD if it impairs learning, autism, and others. An IEP gives your child legally enforceable specialized instruction, related services (speech therapy, occupational therapy), and accommodations.

To start: submit a written request for evaluation to the school principal or special education coordinator. Use the words "I am requesting a special education evaluation under IDEA." The school has 15 school days to respond and 60 calendar days to complete the evaluation once you sign consent. This is your right under federal law — the school cannot refuse without explanation.

504 Plan

A 504 plan is for students with a documented physical or mental impairment that limits a major life activity (including learning) but who do not qualify for an IEP. It provides accommodations — extended test time, preferential seating, breaks, modified assignments — without the specialized instruction an IEP includes.

ADHD is the most common reason for a 504 plan in Nevada elementary schools. So is anxiety. So is a recent diagnosis of dyslexia where the gap is not yet wide enough for IEP qualification.

Both processes are free. Both are legally protected. Both move slowly — start now if you think your child needs one.

Step 5: Decide Whether to Transfer

If the school is responsive — they have data, they are running RTI, they are willing to evaluate — give the support a real chance. Switching schools mid-process restarts the clock and your child loses continuity with adults who are starting to know her.

If the school is not responsive — vague answers, no progress monitoring, refusal to evaluate, dismissive about your concerns — a transfer may be the right move. So might a transfer if the practical fit is wrong: a class size of 35, a commute that exhausts your child, a building culture where she does not feel safe.

A school that is highly rated for the average student can still be the wrong school for your specific child.

Step 6: Your Transfer Options in Nevada

CCSD Open Enrollment / Variance (Clark County)

CCSD allows transfers to non-zoned schools through the Zone Variance process, applied each spring for the following school year. Mid-year transfers are also possible but harder. Apply at ccsd.net (search "Zone Variance"). Transportation is the family's responsibility.

WCSD Open Enrollment (Washoe County)

Washoe County uses an open enrollment lottery for non-zoned transfers, typically opening in January. Apply at washoeschools.net.

Apply to a Charter School

Any Nevada student can apply to any charter school regardless of address. Most charters use a lottery when applications exceed seats. Open windows vary by school — check each charter's website. The State Public Charter School Authority (SPCSA) authorizes 60+ schools statewide; districts authorize others. Mid-year admission is possible when seats open from attrition.

Search Nevada charter schools by NSPF rating and grade level on NevadaSchools.org.

Switch to a Magnet Program

CCSD and WCSD both run magnet programs — STEM, IB, dual-language, performing arts, career and technical. Most use a lottery or application. Application windows generally open in January for the following fall.

Step 7: For Kindergarten and First Grade Specifically

Failing kindergarten is unusual and worth taking seriously, but the answer is rarely "this child is bad at school." More common explanations:

• Late birthday or social-emotional readiness gap. A child who turned 5 in late August is six months younger than her September-born peers. That gap is huge at age 5.
• Undiagnosed vision or hearing issue. Get both screened — many parents are surprised what shows up.
• Speech / language gap. Often the first sign of an underlying learning difference; usually screenable through the school for free.
• Anxiety, separation issues, or trauma. Especially if school refusal is part of the picture.
• Mismatch with the program. Some kindergarten classrooms are play-based; others are highly academic. A child can struggle in one and thrive in the other.

Talk to your pediatrician at the same time you talk to the school. A medical perspective often catches things educators miss, and vice versa.

What This Looks Like in Practice

Most parents we hear from end up doing some combination of:

1. Getting an evaluation started at the current school (often the highest-leverage move and the slowest). 2. Researching 2–3 alternative schools using NSPF data and visiting in person. 3. Applying to whichever transfer pathway opens first. 4. Pulling the trigger if and only if the current school does not respond meaningfully to the documented concern.

There is no one right answer — but there is a wrong move, and that is doing nothing while the school year ends.

Compare schools by rating, grade level, and district at NevadaSchools.org. If your child has identified needs, also look at chronic absenteeism rates and Closing Opportunity Gaps scores — those reflect whether a school is actually serving students who need extra support, not just the average kid.