Clark County School District Superintendent Jesus Jara takes questions from reporters during a CCSD New Teacher Kickoff event at Resorts World Las Vegas Thursday, July 27, 2023. Over 1,000 teachers took part in the event in preparation for the 2023-2024 school year that begins Monday, Aug. 7.
Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024 | 5:58 p.m.
Jesus Jara, the embattled superintendent of the Clark County School District, wants to resign from his post with a buyout worth at least a year of his annual salary, the district announced today.
Barring that, he could be terminated.
In a “conditional resignation” letter to School Board President Evelyn Garcia Morales, Jara did not give a reason why he seeks to resign. He did say it would be effective Feb. 21 and conditioned on the Board accepting an amendment to his contract next week that would release him and grant a buyout of one year of his $395,000 salary, plus the value of unused sick and vacation time, “all benefits,” and retirement plan contributions.
“Without the Board’s approval and execution of the Third (contract) Amendment, this resignation is of no effect,” he wrote.
The conditional resignation appears on a newly posted agenda for a Feb. 7 School Board meeting where Jara’s employment status is the only substantial item.
Listed immediately after the resignation on the agenda is an item titled “termination for convenience of superintendent employment agreement.”
A statement from the School Board today likewise did not give a reason why Jara would leave. It also didn’t say whether he was being fired or if he was resigning, or if there was a preference. The statement phrased his presumed departure like this: “On Wednesday, February 7th, the CCSD Board of Trustees will consider an agenda item to end Superintendent Jara’s contract sooner than the contract’s expiration date of June 2026.”
“This decision is being considered due to the mutual benefit of both parties, recognizing that CCSD is in the strongest possible position to consider this transition,” the statement continued. “This is a natural transition point as the district embarks on revising our five-year plan, which is set to expire this year.”
Deputy Superintendent Brenda Larsen-Mitchell is proposed to step in as superintendent, according to the Feb. 7 meeting agenda. It is not clear if her position would be interim or more permanent.
Jara came to CCSD from Florida in 2018 following the retirement of Superintendent Pat Skorkowsky, a homegrown CCSD administrator.
With a tenure of five years and seven months, Jara is a relatively longtime superintendent for CCSD, the fifth-largest school district in the country. CCSD has about 300,000 students, 40,000 employees and more than 350 schools.
Under his current contract, which was last renewed in 2022, Jara would only be due a payout of unused salary and benefits if he was fired “for convenience,” or for no given reason. If he resigned voluntarily or was fired for cause, he would not get a payout.
It was not immediately clear why that term is proposed to be amended.
Jara’s time in CCSD has been tumultuous. The former biology teacher, coach and principal was at the helm throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and was most recently at the eye of a storm of contract negotiations with the Clark County Education Association teachers union.
The former allies’ relationship broke down last year. The union voted “no confidence” in Jara to handle an influx of state funding, then called for his resignation or firing. Later last year, Nevada’s Assembly Speaker and Senate Majority Leader called for Jara’s resignation or firing, and Jara alluded to the calls being politically motivated because CCEA is a major campaign donor; the legislative leaders denied coordinating with the union. At the time, he said he would stay in CCSD as long as the School Board, which oversees him, would have him.
In 2021, the School Board fired him for convenience, but the termination was reversed weeks later when one board member changed her vote.
In its statement, the Board said that Jara and the board have “sought to improve student outcomes, strengthen the district's finances, and implement systems to support student learning.”
“We currently have a unique opportunity to lead the district on a path forward without disrupting the district’s stability and remaining laser-focused on student outcomes in our district,” the statement said.
The Board said it would not comment further “out of respect for the process” and would discuss the matter at the Feb. 7 meeting.
