Clark County School District Superintendent Jesus Jara waits for the start of a school board meeting as teachers protest outside the Clark County School District Education Center Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023. The Clark County School District and the Clark County Education Association, the teachers union, are in contract negotiations.
Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023 | 2 a.m.
CCSD-CCEA contract roadblock
Clark County School District Superintendent Jesus Jara sent a memo to all teachers Friday explaining the district’s last contract offer before declaring an impasse in negotiations, framing the offer in a way that confirms a Sun analysis of the district’s proposal that found the CCSD offer is $44.7 million more than the union’s demands.
Jara said that the district’s last offer totaled about $638 million over the two-year contract — more than any prior contract in CCSD’s history — without including the district’s share of money created by this year’s teacher raise bill, Senate Bill 231.
Jara said the district wants to give teachers the raises that SB 231 envisions, with the bill’s June 2025 sunset date noted, and have offered to set aside two-thirds of CCSD’s $173.8 million share — or $114.7 million — of the $250 million statewide pot for teachers.
In other words, CCSD’s base proposal plus the SB231 funds over the two year life of the contract totals $752.7 million, substantially more than the $708 million the CCEA has demanded.
In his Friday memo, Jara said CCSD has repeatedly told the Clark County Education Association that the district is “open to being creative” on how to use the SB 231 funds, and has proposed to continue the wage increases past the sunset date if the state renews the funding — addressing a persistent concern CCSD has about the permanence of the money.
Separate from SB 231 funds, CCSD has offered 11% raises across the board, $10,000 incentives for certain special education teachers and teachers in “hard-to-fill” positions, plus a new salary schedule, a step on the pay scale each year, and increases to health benefits and coach pay. Among other demands, CCEA seeks 18% across-the-board raises and differential pay for special ed and hard-to-fill jobs that is lower than CCSD’s offer but open to more educators, with the SB 231 funds baked in. CCSD characterized CCEA’s demands as unaffordable and inequitable.
“You may have doubts and questions about what has been offered at the bargaining table, but please understand that the District values you,” Jara wrote.
As the Sun reported Friday, CCEA’s ask totaled $708 million, including SB 231 money, making it appear like CCSD is proposing less than the union’s demands.
CCSD declared impasse with CCEA on Tuesday after 11 bargaining sessions failed to yield a compromise on a new two-year contract. The contract matter will now go to arbitration, which Jara said “became the only way to move forward.” Teachers remain under the terms of the last contract until a new one is signed.
“I understand this is not the outcome many of you wanted. It wasn’t what I wanted either. We remain confident that an arbitrator will see our offer as the most reasonable and beneficial option for educators,” Jara wrote. “We look forward to seeing you get the raises you deserve.”
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