Evelyn Garcia Morales, president of the Clark County School District Board of Trustees, speaks during a school board meeting at the CCSD Greer Education Center on East Flamingo Road Wednesday, March 6, 2024.
Published Wednesday, March 6, 2024 | 7:26 a.m.
Updated Wednesday, March 6, 2024 | 9:21 p.m.
The Clark County School Board will hire a search firm to help the board gather community feedback on the next superintendent, the board decided tonight.
The board stopped short of committing to a national versus local search to replace Jesus Jara, who stepped down last month. But it will put out a request for proposals from search firms, from which the board will select a firm to help gather feedback to determine how far and wide to advertise.
“If the broad community feedback comes back and says hey, we want fresh, shiny new things, then we’re going to listen to them,” said board member Lola Brooks. “If they say we don’t, we’re going to listen to them.”
In its first in-depth discussion since accepting Jara’s resignation and approving his severance package on Feb. 22, the Board heard public comment that was almost entirely in favor of a national search. Many board members also wanted a wide search although some were in favor of promoting from within, which would be quicker and cost less money.
Mary Beth Sewald, president and CEO of the Vegas Chamber, said the CCSD superintendent is one of the most important leaders in Nevada because that person has a profound impact on every aspect of the community and economy.
“Whoever the School Board selects for this role should not be predetermined,” she said. “This decision is far too important to be limited by geography, familiarity or expediency. To set artificial barriers by only looking at local candidates will only disenchant and disenfranchise the entire community.”
Amber Stidham, chief strategy officer for the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance, said the regional development authority’s mission is to attract diverse businesses and job opportunities.
“What comes out of the public education system is incredibly important to us,” she said. “Student attainment is incredibly important to all of us.”
The Vegas Chamber and LVGEA were among the signers of a joint letter to the School Board from 17 local education, local government, business, nonprofit, labor and other public interest groups that requested a national search.
The coalition said the search should be transparent, come with a set of minimum qualifications, and allow for robust community participation. A national search could include local candidates.
“All of the above requests are reasonable; and all of them can be incorporated into a positive, inclusive process that is completed before the start of the next school year,” the letter said.
Jara resigned on Feb. 23 after nearly six years with CCSD. His top deputy, Brenda Larsen-Mitchell, is the interim superintendent.
Board President Evelyn Garcia Morales supported promoting from within for stability and consistency, a prompt appointment, and because the pay range — at least the $320,000-$395,000 that Jara earned — is not competitive enough for experienced, high-level people coming from other large school systems.
“Any change in an organization automatically creates a loss of knowledge,” she said. “If we as a board, and as we listen to the members of our community, are truly focused on student outcomes, I wonder how making any decision to do a national search will impact the ongoing work that needs to take place in the stability of the organization.”
Board member Irene Bustamante Adams said community engagement and ownership are critical in agreeing on the qualities of a new leader for the fifth-largest school district in the country.
“If we are not in unison on the right things that we want, we’re going make it a nightmare for that person,” she said. “It’s upon us to make sure that we’re asking for the criteria that we want, and that person right now is probably watching us, either nationally or locally.”
