Ray Brewer
Exterior of the Clark County School District main office in Las Vegas, Nevada Thursday, August 31, 2023.
Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024 | 2 a.m.
A new report recommends that the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights direct the federal government to study whether every child in Nevada is getting the same educational opportunities and experiences.
The report, released last week by the Nevada Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, examines educator shortages statewide and how the lack of teachers and other school professionals creates inequities in access, quality of teaching, student learning and student discipline.
In 2022-23, there were 2,922 vacancies out of 30,491 teacher and professional staff positions statewide, creating a vacancy rate of 9.6%, the report said. While it was an improvement versus the 2021-22 vacancy rate of 12.4%, it’s still above the 2020-21 vacancy rate of 8.27%.
The report presented five findings:
An overreliance on long-term substitute teachers can result in gaps in students’ learning.
Structural problems with the pipeline of behavioral health professionals contribute to shortages of providers, which can lead to the poor behavioral health of students.
The shortage of in-school behavioral health professionals poses “grave concerns” as violence increases.
Shortages of teachers and professional staff are especially high in rural areas of the state.
In urban school districts like Clark County School District, teacher vacancies are concentrated in schools with high percentages of Black and Latino students.
The report also suggests that the federal commission issue several recommendations to Nevada’s governor:
Support and fund professional development for long-term substitute teachers, and workforce development for new educators and behavioral health professionals.
Provide tuition assistance for students in education and behavioral and mental health career programs.
Encourage rural students to enroll in degree programs that address shortages of teachers, behavioral and mental health providers, and disability services paraprofessionals.
Continue to fund degree programs using a model that mitigates shortages of teachers while amplifying the diversification of the teacher workforce.
Strategically recruit, prepare, and support diverse groups of emerging educators such as the Nevada Educator Preparation Institute & Collaborative at UNLV.
Visit www.usccr.gov to read the full report.
Support pros may get bonuses
Many CCSD support professionals are now eligible for principal-determined bonuses of up to $2,000 each after the School Board approved an agreement Thursday setting aside $21.4 million for the incentives.
The district and ESEA negotiated the bonuses, which may be awarded in increments of $250, $500, $1,000 or $2,000, to school-based support professionals like classroom aides this summer. The incentives, which may not total more than $2,000 per person, will be funded through the individual school’s budget.
The amount given to each employee must be the same at any given school site. Otherwise, the principal has sole discretion as to whether the incentive will be made available at all, and if so, for how much, according to the agreement.
Bonuses will be given in a single payment in July to staffers employed as school-based support professionals between at least Thursday and May 20.
More magnet programs honored
Thirty-five CCSD magnet programs took national honors this year from Magnet Schools of America.
Nine programs received Top School of Excellence recognition, seven programs were awarded the Magnet School of Excellence designation, and 18 schools were awarded the Magnet School of Distinction designation.
The Top Magnet School of Excellence Award went to Advanced Technologies Academy; Hyde Park Academy of Science and Mathematics; Las Vegas Academy of the Arts; Mabel Hoggard Math and Science Magnet Elementary School; Mike O’Callaghan i3 Learn Academy; Roger D. Gehring Academy of Science and Technology; Sandy Searles Miller Academy for International Studies; Thurman White Academy of the Performing Arts; and Walter Bracken STEAM Academy.
The Magnet School of Excellence Award went to East Career and Technical Academy; Eldorado High School Technology and Military Science; Gilbert Academy of Creative Arts; Jo Mackey iLead Academy for the Digital Sciences; Roy W. Martin Middle School International Baccalaureate; Sheila Tarr Academy of International Studies; and West Career and Technical Academy.
The Magnet School of Distinction Award went to Basic Academy of International Studies; Brown Academy of International Studies; Clarence A. Piggott Academy of International Studies; Del Sol Academy of the Performing Arts; Gordon McCaw STEAM Academy; Helen Anderson Toland International Academy; James Cashman Middle School Academy of Mathematics, Science and Engineering; K.O. Knudson Academy of the Arts; Lied STEM Academy; Northwest Career and Technical Academy; Rancho High School’s Academy of Aviation Technology and Academy of Pre-Medicine; Southeast Career and Technical Academy; Southwest Career and Technical Academy; Spring Valley High School International Baccalaureate; The STEM and Medical Academy at Jim Bridger Middle School; Valley High School International Baccalaureate; Veterans Tribute Career and Technical Academy; and Walter Johnson Junior High School Academy of International Studies.
Magnet Schools of America recognized 29 CCSD programs last year.
