Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Study details wide discontent, especially among teachers, with CCSD administration

ccsd

Sun file

The Clark County School District administration building in Las Vegas is seen in 2009. A new CCSD-commissioned study finds many people in and around the district feel that CCSD struggles or fails in several key areas, including being accountable for results, being transparent in communication, focusing on outcomes for every student and valuing the needs of all staff.

A study commissioned by the Clark County School District shows that staff, parents, students and community members generally have a negative view of district leadership, with front-line teachers especially disaffected.

The study gives CCSD credit for agreeing to the exercise in self-reflection and already making improvements over the last few months. Still, study authors concluded that officials needed to nonetheless take accountability for results, aim for more transparency in communication, focus on outcomes for every student and value the needs of all staff.

According to the resulting report, many people in and around the district feel that CCSD struggles, or fails,on each of these accounts.

One in four teachers who responded said they felt supported by CCSD administration. Little more than a quarter of teachers said top staff worked in the best interest of all students. About a third of all staff said leadership communicated transparently.

“The district has major communication issues and the current way the board and superintendent are operating is not resulting in any significant progress toward increased student achievement,” one of the findings reads. “While there has been a noticeable shift in the tone and focus of the Board of Trustees and the superintendent as mentioned by all stakeholder groups, there is still a long way to go.”

The independent “culture and climate review,” conducted between January and May, examined perceptions of the School Board, Superintendent Jesus Jara and his executive administrators, broadly querying “stakeholders” on work environment, understanding of district priorities and vision and the practices of the board and top administrators.

Public Consulting Group, the California-based firm contracted to conduct the study, gathered data through an online staff survey, interviews, focus groups, observations of board meetings and reviews of board documents and social media. CCSD paid Public Consulting Group about $274,000 to complete the study.

Here is a sampling of anonymous quotes included in the 50-page report:

— “The board has been an embarrassment and the central leadership doesn’t have empathy.” – Staffer

— “Nobody cares about us in district leadership.” – Staffer

— “Educators have to be included in the big decisions. There won’t be any improvement without soliciting their input.” – Staffer

— “The newly elected board agreed to be more collaborative and supportive of the community and teachers. There will be a positive impact on the district if that continues.” – Staffer

— “There is not a lot of communication from the superintendent … It is hard to measure success if nobody knows what is going on.” – Student

— “(Board members) forgot that they’re elected officials. They are loyal to their tribes, their cheering squads.” – Family/community member

The staff survey drew about 11,700 responses, with about 7,900 of them being from “school-based licensed personnel.” That category includes psychologists, social workers, counselors, nurses, speech pathologists and, especially, classroom teachers, although some licensed personnel also work in central services. Support staff and administrators, at the school and central office levels, rounded out the survey respondents.

Here is how staffers agreed with some survey questions; the report highlights different employee groups throughout:

— “I feel supported by the Board of Trustees:” 21% overall, and 16% of school-based licensed personnel, agreed.

— “The Board of Trustees works in the best interests of all students:” 25% overall, and 20% of all school-based staff, agreed.

— “I feel supported by CCSD leadership:” 50% of all school-based administrators, 25% of school-based licensed personnel, and 33% of staffers overall agreed.

— “CCSD leadership works in the best interests of all students:” 65% of central administrators, 27% of school-based licensed personnel, and 34% of staffers overall agreed.

— “CCSD leadership is transparent in their communication:” 46% of all support staff, 37% of administrative personnel, 27% of school-based personnel, and 32% of staffers overall agreed.

— District leadership and the School Board work well together: 33% of central services staff, 17% of school-based staff and 22% of staffers overall agreed.

— “I am proud of CCSD:” 61% of administrative personnel, 54% of support workers, 29% of licensed personnel, and 38% of all staff agreed.

The most positive trends were noted at the school or office level. Eighty-one percent of all staffers said their colleagues treated each other with respect, and 79% said they felt supported by their direct supervisors.

In particular, “the survey data show a trend that schools are perceived to be a supportive environment for staff and that it is highly likely that the low morale is due to issues occurring outside of their school.”

In comparing School Board meetings in fall 2021 and meetings this spring, the study notes that meetings have become shorter, less emotionally charged and more tightly focused. But it also docked the district for its now relatively brief meetings. Discussions were “not always deep” and board members — two of whom were elected in November — asked administrators many of their questions in private one-on-one briefings. The fall 2021 meetings averaged six hours long and included firing Jara for no given reasons and then reversing the decision within a few weeks.

Most of the five pages of recommendations focus on communication and outreach, as “perceptions from every stakeholder group were that transparency is more the exception than the norm.”

“In a large district such as CCSD, proactive, clear communication must be a daily priority,” the report reads. “Without that level of effort, a vacuum grows and rumors, inaccurate information and eventually resentment build.”

The board plans to discuss the results of the study at its meeting at 4 p.m. today at the Greer Education Center, 2832 E. Flamingo Road.

[email protected] / 702-990-8949 / @HillaryLVSun