Nevada higher ed system maintains alerted grading system

LAS VEGAS — The coronavirus pandemic is prompting Nevada's public higher education system to continue allowing students the option to receive satisfactory/unsatisfactory grades instead of being scored on traditional letter grades through the current academic year.

Nevada System of Higher Education made the decision covering all eight public universities and colleges after many students requested the grading option because of the interruption to learning caused by the pandemic, the Las Vegas Sun reported.

The fall semester ends in two weeks and was conducted mostly virtually.

"Our hope in announcing this decision is to alleviate the strain many students are experiencing during this unprecedented circumstance," NSHE Chancellor Melody Rose said in a statement.

The scoring system was put into place during the spring semester, which was abruptly altered at the outset of the pandemic in mid-March.

In other developments:

• Some public charter schools in metro Las Vegas have returned to 100 percent distance learning following the Thanksgiving break, and the change is expected to last at least a week, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.

The move comes amid an elevated level of COVID-19 transmission in the metro area, across the state and nationwide.

Schools operating under fully distance education temporarily include Mater Academy, Doral Academy, about half of Pinecrest Academy's campuses and one Somerset Academy campus.

The Clark County School District has operated under fully distance learning since school started in mid-August. That format that will continue through the end of the semester.

• The city of Henderson has announced it will provide $10,000 grants to 100 eligible restaurants in the Las Vegas suburb to help them during the pandemic, KVVU-TV reported.

Eligibility criteria include having made changes to comply with Gov. Steve Sisolak's latest directive reducing restaurant capacity and requiring reservations.

The grant money can be used for a variety of expenses, including new seating and tables for social distancing, disinfecting costs, heating for outdoor seating and new lighting or tent structures.

Nevada last week tightened capacity caps on businesses to 25% of what fire codes allow.