Tag: budget forecast

Nevada Ed-Watch 3/25/21

Posted on by Opportunity 180

The Ed-Watch series is designed to increase access to information on what decisions are being made regarding public education in Clark County and Nevada.

Clark County School District Board of Trustees 

What is the Board of Trustees & what are they responsible for? The CCSD Trustees are publicly elected decision-makers for the school district. They are responsible for providing oversight to the Superintendent and establishing District-wide policy. Trustees are accountable to work with their communities to improve student achievement.

Click here to learn more and see a list of current Trustees
Click here to find your Trustee District

How often does the Board of Trustees meet? Trustees meet twice per month (second and fourth Thursdays) at 5 pm both virtually and at the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts High School, Lowden Theater: 875 E. Clark Avenue Las Vegas, Nevada, 89101

Click here for a full list of Trustees meetings and agendas
Click here to visit Hope For Nevada’s #NVEd Calendar

Can community members engage at Trustee Meetings? Decision-making bodies benefit greatly from hearing public input and multiple perspectives. Currently, members of the public can submit comments on agenda and non-agenda items through email or voice recording. Public comment can be submitted by email to Boardmtgcomments@nv.ccsd.net. To submit a voice recording on items listed on the meeting agenda, call 702-799-1166. Voice recorded public comment is limited to 1 minute 30 seconds.

Thursday, March 25, 2021

Clark County School District Board of Trustees Meeting

Click here to see the meeting agenda

What happened at this meeting?

Public Comment

Members of the public commented in-person, through voice recorded messages, and written public comment on non-agenda items regarding: 

  • Concerns about the health and safety of teachers and specialists returning to school buildings
  • Concerns that an agreement for specialists that facilitate Art, Music, Library, P.E., S.T.E.A.M., etc. is not being honored by CCSD 
  • Concerns that specialists are not being allowed to follow an MOA to teach in their content areas
  • Concerns that the district’s policy of random, mandatory COVID-19 testing limits access to testing for some staff
  • Concerns about employee morale
  • Concerns that an anti-racism and anti-bias policy has not been added to a CCSD Trustee meeting agenda
  • The need to address racial issues and restoration in West Las Vegas 
  • Support for the Nevada Legislature and Trustees to take action on anti-racism policies
  • The need for suicide prevention in the community
  • Concerns that the district is billing Medicaid for services to students that have not been rendered, and a request for an audit on Medicaid billing

Click here & here to view public comments submitted online.

Trustees Approved Consent Agenda With Adjustments

Trustees approved the consent agenda (6-0) with the deletion of agenda item 3.03 regarding Professional Services: Title IV, Part A Grant, Nevada Department of Education. One trustee was not present to vote.

Consent Agenda Highlights: 

  • Addendum to the Memorandum of Agreement between CCSD and Eye Care 4 Kids to extend access to school-based vision services to siblings under 18 years of age who reside with students enrolled in CCSD
  • Authorization to accept additional grant funding for The Social Workers in Schools grant project in the amount of $3,451,747.57 from the Nevada Department of Education to provide added social work and mental health support services to schools for a total grant amount of $17,193,033.37 
  • Purchase awards totaling $2,151,531.32
  • Authorization to extend the Contract for Services for Thunder Road Productions/Commercial Talent Agency to host 20 episodes of the Vegas PBS series Outdoor Nevada 

Trustees Heard Update on 2021 Budget 

The 2021 Amended Final Budget forecast has not changed since the Board was last updated at the February meeting. The forecast focuses on the ending fund balance which indicates CCSD’s anticipated reserves. Additional budget updates include:

  • Revenues have declined due to a decrease in enrollment and this has been taken into consideration for the budget.
  • CCSD is experiencing significant savings in all areas, including payroll, supplies, and services. This is primarily in school budgets–school carryover supplies, service level agreements (SLAs), and vacancy savings are now anticipated to be approximately just over $200 million in restricted fund balance.
  • The potential revenue shortfall due to lower than anticipated costs throughout the year is approximately $43.3 million. 
  • The unassigned fund balance is still at $54.3 million which is 2.25% of the revenues.

The district still anticipates significant fiscal impacts due to the pandemic. Uncertainties related to COVID-19’s impact on the budget persevere, including possible impacts of a recession and enrollment uncertainties. State funding reductions have been incorporated into the budget for this year, with additional anticipated changes going into next year.

CCSD has been allocated approximately $374 million through ESSER II federal funding. The district is working to prioritize the use of those funds in anticipation of any funding changes from the state as well as address additional needs related to COVID-19 and reopening schools.

CCSD has not received a final allocation for the newest round of federal funding through the American Rescue Act. Trustees will be provided with an update when more information on those funds becomes available.

Click here to view the budget update presentation.

Board Heard Update on Proposed Charter Schools

Trustees heard a briefing on the collaborative efforts between the State Public Charter School Authority (SPCSA) and CCSD. The genesis of this collaborative effort was the passage of Assembly Bill 462 in 2019 which mandates that the SPCSA collaborate with districts in which they are planning to place or expand charter schools. Under the bill, the SPCSA must notify the district when the following occurs:

  • A group of individuals submits an Intent to Apply to become a charter school
  • A group of individuals submits an application to operate a charter school
  • A school that is currently in operation submits a request to the SPCSA to amend its current charter contract

SCPSA assesses proposed schools based on six criteria: Demographics, Academic Geographics, Social-Emotional, Academic Learning Models, Financial Plan, and Successful History. Schools must meet standards in all six categories to receive approval to operate a charter school in Nevada.  In February 2021, SPCSA provided applications to CCSD for review and feedback on the following proposed public charter schools:

  • Battle Born Academy
  • PilotED Schools of Nevada
  • OLAM Academy of Nevada (OLAM Academy has recently withdrawn its application for consideration. CCSD anticipates that OLAM will reapply in one year.)

CCSD will submit its assessment questionnaires back to the SCPSA this month. In April 2021, the SPCSA staff will submit its recommendation to the SCPSA board for their approval or denial of the applications. In May 2021, the SPCSA will notify the public and the Nevada Department of Education regarding its decisions.

Trustees approved a motion (6-0) accepting a recommendation not to approve the proposed charter school applications. One trustee was not present to vote.

Click here to view the presentation.

Trustees Approved Notice of Intent to Amend CCSD Regulation 6150 Regarding Instructional Materials and Services

The CCSD K-12 Literacy and Language Development Department convened a task force representing all regions and Trustee districts to provide recommendations for the amendment of Regulation 6150, which provides guidance on the selection and provision of instructional materials and services. The task force is made up of region superintendents, school associate superintendents, principals, teachers, teacher librarians, and central office staff, including the Office of General Counsel, Human Resources, and the Equity and Diversity Education Committee.

Reasons for amendment of Regulation 6150 include:

  • Clarification of ambiguous language defining instructional materials
  • Better defined procedures for the selection of supplemental textbooks
  • The need to address school library staffing, reporting, and resources as approved in the amendment of CCSD Regulation 6161

Members of the public submitted comment in support of Regulation 6150.

Trustees passed a motion (6-0) to approve the Notice of Intent to amend CCSD Regulation 6150. One trustee was not present to vote.

Click here to read the Notice of Intent.
Click here to read public comment on this agenda item.

Board Heard Update on 2021 Legislative Session

As of March 25, 2021, 799 bills have been introduced in the Nevada Legislature, of which CCSD is tracking 265. CCSD staff noted that the deadline for bill introductions has been extended past March 26. By April 9, all bills must pass the committee in the house in which they were introduced. District staff provided an overview of bills that have been introduced in their respective committees: 

  • Senate Bill 102: SB102 changes the date by which a child is required to be five years old to attend kindergarten.
  • Senate Bill 173: SB173 invites schools to submit a plan to address learning loss by offering free summer school to students.
  • Senate Bill 182: SB182 requires P.E. instruction to include activities scientifically shown to reduce obesity.
  • Senate Bill 202: SB202 requires school districts to count credits in computer coding as a foreign language credit.
  • Senate Bill 220: SB220 requires school districts to establish alternative education opportunities for students to receive elective course credits after the state has identified apprenticeship programs that have certain exemptions.
  • Senate Bill 272: SB272 establishes the Nevada Educator Core where NDE will form a database of available tutors to provide in-person or online tutoring for public schools.
  • Assembly Bill 67: AB67 makes some changes to the restorative justice bill passed in 2019.
  • Assembly Bill 194: AB194 seeks to address the timelines for students appealing a suspension or expulsion.
  • Assembly Bill 195: AB195 establishes an English Language Learner Bill of Rights.
  • Assembly Bill 215: AB215 allows a 17-year-old to earn a diploma through adult education if they attended high school for four years but were credit deficient.
  • Assembly Bill 262: AB262 grants in-state tuition for Native American students. 
  • Assembly Bill 265: AB265 provides an alternative route to licensure for the educational administrative pathway.
  • Assembly Bill 319: AB319 allows the College of Southern Nevada (CSN) to enter into a cooperative agreement with CCSD for a pilot program targeting populations in under-resourced communities for expanded opportunities in dual enrollment credit courses.

Trustees engaged in a dialogue with staff members on additional bills, including AB176, AB195, AB265, AB319, and AB364. 

Board Approves Resolution to Oppose Appointed School Boards

Assembly Bill 255 (2021) seeks to change the method by which the board of school trustees is chosen from an elected method to a hybrid elected and appointed method. Trustees approved a motion 6-0 opposing changes to the method by which the board of trustees is chosen. One trustee was not present to vote.

Click here to read the resolution.
Click here to read public comment on this agenda item.
Click here to read more about this in the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

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Nevada Ed-Watch 2/25/21

Posted on by Opportunity 180

The Ed-Watch series is designed to increase access to information on what decisions are being made regarding public education in Clark County and Nevada.

Clark County School District Board of Trustees 

What is the Board of Trustees & what are they responsible for? The CCSD Trustees are publicly elected decision-makers for the school district. They are responsible for providing oversight to the Superintendent and establishing District-wide policy. Trustees are accountable to work with their communities to improve student achievement.

Click here to learn more and see a list of current Trustees
Click here to find your Trustee District

How often does the Board of Trustees meet? Trustees meet twice per month (second and fourth Thursdays) at 5 pm. While all meetings are typically held at the Edward A. Greer Education Center (Board Room): 2832 E. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, NV 89121, all meetings are now held virtually due to the COVID-19 crisis. 

Click here for a full list of Trustees meetings and agendas
Click here to visit Hope For Nevada’s #NVEd Calendar

Can community members engage at Trustee Meetings? Decision-making bodies benefit greatly from hearing public input and multiple perspectives. Currently, members of the public can submit comments on agenda and non-agenda items through email or voice recording. Public comment can be submitted by email to Boardmtgcomments@nv.ccsd.net. To submit a voice recording on items listed on the meeting agenda, call 702-799-1166. Voice recorded public comment is limited to 1 minute 30 seconds.

Thursday, February 25, 2021

Clark County School District Board of Trustees Meeting

Click here to see the meeting agenda

What happened at this meeting?

Public Comment

Members of the public commented in-person, through voice recorded messages, and written public comment on non-agenda items regarding: 

  • Requests for an immediate return to school buildings
  • Concerns about the emotional, academic, and psychological impact of continued distance learning on students
  • Concerns about depression in student athletes and restrictions in place by the Governor on school sports
  • Requests to return to full-time in-person learning rather than a hybrid model by Fall 2021
  • Concerns about the loss of motivation in students
  • Support for continued distance learning for the safety of students

Click here to view public comments submitted online.

Trustees Approved Consent Agenda (6-1)

Consent Agenda Highlights: 

Trustees Heard Presentation on the Projected 2021 Budget

As of December 2020, CCSD is still trending to have better than expected results in the 2021 projected fund balance. Salary and wage and supply and service costs have lowered for the District due to schools not being open for in-person learning. Revenue in areas such as student enrollment is lower than projected, but given the continued savings, CCSD anticipates an unassigned fund balance of just over $54 million and over $40 million in excess reserves going into 2021.

Budget uncertainties include the continued impact of COVID-19, state legislative funding reductions for K-12, student enrollment uncertainties, possible recession impacts, and potential restrictions on federal funds.

Click here to view the budget presentation.

Board Heard Presentation on Legislative Updates

Trustees heard discussion and updates regarding state legislation that could affect education, including reports of current legislative issues and events, the establishment of the district’s position on proposed legislation, and guidance to the Superintendent and legislative staff.

Legislative session update:

  • February 25 marked the 26th day of the 120 day legislative session.
  • All meetings of the legislature are virtual with no timetable for when the legislative building will be open to the public.
  • 359 bills have been introduced as of February 25, 2021 and CCSD is currently tracking 126 of those bills.
  • There are two important upcoming deadlines:
    • By March 12: The Legislature must take action on any initiative petitions. If no action is taken, the petitions will go to the 2022 ballot.
    • By March 15: Legislatures must introduce their bills.

Highlights on Bill Drafts introduced in Week One:

  • Superintendent Jara presents to Legislature – Superintendent Jara provided presentations to the Senate Commission on Education and the Assembly Commission on Education discussing the CCSD response to COVID-19 and the upcoming school reopening plan. 
  • Senate Bill 83 – SB83 authorizes the Nevada Department of Education (NDE) to waive or pause the requirements to administer criterion reference exams, known in Nevada as SBAC. The United States Department of Education recently announced that no waivers would be provided; however, the Department is granting flexibility with the testing window, the length of the exam, and an allowance for completing testing remotely if necessary. If SB83 passes, this bill would provide NDE and school districts with flexibilities in those areas.
  • Senate Bill 2 – SB2 is a bill draft from CCSD. This bill seeks to reduce the loads of educators. After what was described as a successful hearing, CCSD is currently awaiting a work session in order to move the bill forward to a vote of the full senate floor.
  • Senate Bill 27 – SB27, which was sponsored by the Department of Education, seeks to streamline the teacher licensing process. The purpose of the bill is to amend some issues of concern regarding removing the requirement for paraprofessionals to have to be licensed by the State and clarifying that an investigation by the State Superintendent is limited only to licensed employees. This bill passed the Senate Committee on Education on February 24, 2021.
  • Senate Bill 76 – SB76, sponsored by the NDE, seeks to reduce reporting frequency and remove commissions currently overseen by the Department. There was some opposition to getting rid of the Council on Academic Standards and the RPDP regional boards. At the direction of Chair Mo Dennis, the conversation with NDE will continue in order to bring a bill forward that the committee will approve.
  • Senate Bill 66 –  On February 24, CCSD presented their second bill draft to the Senate Committee on Education, SB66, which addresses internet connectivity. This bill receives support from all the school districts, Cox Communications, and the Vegas Chamber as well as the Governor’s Office of Science, Innovation, and Technology who will be tasked with putting together a gap analysis of the connectivity needs in the state and eventually a fiscal plan that the state can adopt. It is anticipated that the Senate Committee on Education will vote on this bill early next week.
  • Senate Bill 142 – SB142 repeals a provision that was passed last session that allows for a budgeted ending fund balance of no more than 16.6% to not be subject to negotiation for an employee organization. 
  • Assembly Bill 57 – AB57 is a bill draft from Washoe County School District that seeks to suspend student learning goals from the NEPF through the 2022-23 SY. In collaboration with CCA, a friendly amendment was provided to ensure that certain schools are still able to use the metric as a measure for potential bonuses. 
  • Assembly Bill 159 – AB159 is a COVID liability protection for schools and is sponsored by multiple Assembly members. 

Members of the public shared written and verbal comment regarding concerns that voter rights to select trustees will be impacted, concerns about trustee conduct, and concerns about the lack of communication from the Superintendent and trustees with the Black community.

Click here to read the 2021 Legislative Update.

Click here to read public comment on this agenda item.

Trustees Approve New Memorandum of Agreement Regarding the Negotiated Agreement between CCSD and the Education Support Employees Association

Trustees approved the New Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) Regarding the Negotiated Agreement between CCSD and the Education Support Employees Association. The agreement temporarily allows employees to perform work outside of their general job duties to minimize or eliminate any need for a reduction in force. There is no financial cost to implement the MOA.

One trustee abstained from vote due to their employment with the Nevada State Education Association and a fiscal note within the MOA that affects members.

Members of the public submitted recorded comment regarding concerns about the workload put on support staff and the potential to create unhappy and unsafe working conditions for support staff if the MOA is approved. 

Click here to read the reference materials for the approval.

Trustees Approved Amendment to the Negotiated Agreement between the Clark County School District and the Clark County Education Association

Trustees approved the Amendment to the Negotiated Agreement between the Clark County School District and the Clark County Education Association. The new MOA clears up technical and grammatical errors from the first agreement. The new MOA will see the inclusion of the flushing out of the Master Practitioner program. The board has frequently expressed a desire to home-grow teachers and keep leaders in the classroom. The Master Practitioner program is a 4-year process in which teachers will be rewarded by staying and becoming the in-school leaders that the district needs. There is a fiscal impact to this MOA which will not occur until the 2024-25 SY if all cohorts and members graduate. The financial impact would be rolling and would consist of  $539,240. 

One Trustee abstained from the vote due to their employment with the Nevada State Education Association.

Click here to read the reference materials for the approval.

Trustee Agenda Requests

  • Request for the CCSD Board of Trustees to set guidelines in the future for no-bid contracts 
  • Request to discuss legislation that creates appointed boards

Superintendent Communication

Superintendent Jara shared hopes for plans to celebrate the graduating class of 2021, potentially at an in-person venue, as well as a desire to get students back to campus strategically and safely, including to begin extracurricular activities. Seniors, who are normally not included in intramural sports at the end of the school year, will be included in them this school year. The board will share more information on these updates at a later date.

Upcoming Meeting Announcement

Monday, March 1 at 5:30 pm: Joint meeting with the AZAC

Wednesday, March 3 at 8:00 am: Work session at 8:00 am

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Nevada Ed-Watch 1-28-21

Posted on by Opportunity 180

The Ed-Watch series is designed to increase access to information on what decisions are being made regarding public education in Clark County and Nevada.

Clark County School District Board of Trustees 

What is the Board of Trustees & what are they responsible for? The CCSD Trustees are publicly elected decision-makers for the school district. They are responsible for providing oversight to the Superintendent and establishing District-wide policy. Trustees are accountable to work with their communities to improve student achievement.

Click here to learn more and see a list of current Trustees
Click here to find your Trustee District

How often does the Board of Trustees meet? Trustees meet twice per month (second and fourth Thursdays) at 5 pm. While all meetings are typically held at the Edward A. Greer Education Center (Board Room): 2832 E. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, NV 89121, all meetings are now held virtually due to the COVID-19 crisis. 

Click here for a full list of Trustees meetings and agendas
Click here to visit Hope For Nevada’s #NVEd Calendar

Can community members engage at Trustee Meetings? Decision-making bodies benefit greatly from hearing public input and multiple perspectives. Community members can sign up to speak after the agenda has been posted– by calling the Board Office at (702) 799-1072 at least 3 hours before the scheduled meeting, or signing up in-person at the beginning of the meeting. Prior to each agenda item being voted on, speakers can share their perspective after the Board’s discussion and prior to the vote.

Thursday, January 28, 2021

Clark County School District Board of Trustees Meeting

Click here to see the meeting agenda

What happened at this meeting?

Public Comment

Members of the public submitted voice recorded public comment regarding: 

  • Support for the gun safety resolution 
  • Concerns about the plan to bring students back to school buildings 
  • Concerns about some Trustees’ character
  • Concerns about student mental health as a reason to open schools 
  • Support for increased pay for School Psychologists 

Click here & here to view written public comment on agenda items submitted online. 

Trustees Approved Consent Agenda

Consent Agenda Highlights: 

Trustees also approved removal of Agenda Item 3.16 for further review.

Trustees Postponed Vote on Agreement with Campus 2020, LLC 

Trustees discussed the feasibility of an agreement between CCSD and Campus 2020, LLC to engage in a public/private partnership that allows the partner to purchase the land from CCSD, for CCSD to lease it, and then buy it back after 10 years. This agreement would reduce the cost for school building. Trustees raised concerns about the use of general operating funds to pay for the lease rather than bond dollars, which are used for school building construction. Some trustees recommended ensuring that this item comes before the bond oversight committee for discussion prior to trustee vote, however the bond oversight committee does not have authority on this item.  

This item will come back before the board at the February 11th meeting. A motion to postpone the vote indefinitely failed 3-4. 

Click here to view reference materials. 

Trustees Heard Presentation on CCSD’s Information Technology (IT) Organizational Structure

CCSD partnered with the Center for Educational Leadership and Technology for an organizational study intended to analyze current digital and physical structures. The study recommends adjustments on the items below so that the digital infrastructure supports current physical infrastructure more effectively. Recommendations included:

  • Proposed IT Organizational Structure in which there are clear roles and responsibilities, 
  • Staff development to support IT programs, projects, and services,
  • Staffing and funding suggestions,
  • End-user support services, and
  • cyber safety.

CCSD has acted on some of the recommendations including items regarding organizational structure and purchase of resources.

Click here to view the presentation.

Trustees Appointed Board Member to the Debt Management Commission and Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition

Trustees approved a motion to appoint Trustee Williams as Board Member to the Debt Management Commission and Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition. 

Click here to view the Debt Management Commission.

Trustees Appointed Board Member to the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association Board of Control

Trustees approved a motion to appoint Trustee Cavazos as Board Member to the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association Board of Control. 

Click here to view the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association appointee request.

Trustees Heard Presentation on Legislative Involvement and Advocacy 

Trustees approved a motion to adopt a board member plan regarding Trustee participation during the 81st (2021) session of the Nevada Legislature and Legislative Committee assignments. 

Click to view supporting documents:

Resolution Regarding Safe Storage of Firearms Notification

Trustees discussed a resolution regarding sending letters to parents and guardians that explains the importance of secure gun storage and the legal obligations to protect minors from accessing irresponsibly stored guns, to be included in annual registration materials at each school site, and requiring a signature. 

The letter would not prevent students from registering in a school if it is not signed. 

Trustees denied the motion to approve the resolution, but approved an amended motion to return the agenda item to the Board no later than June 1 with review and assessment of information by the Superintendent’s Safety Committee.

Trustees shared comments about the effectiveness of the letter to prevent student deaths, current Nevada law and 2nd Amendment Rights, and similar practices in other school districts to inform families of safe storage.

Click here to view Safe Storage Notification Resolution and list of current school districts that have passed safe storage or secure storage resolutions.

Trustees Heard Presentation on Current Budget Forecast

The State Department of Taxation recommends CCSD be removed from the fiscal watch list. Currently, CCSD is unable to create a definitive budget for the 2021-22 SY given variables such as COVID-19, recession, student enrollment, and State of Nevada funding reductions to K-12 education. With CCSD’s work to increase reserve money and over $300,000 of federal funding intended for COVID-related expenses, CCSD does not anticipate cuts. CCSD is not required to return to in-person learning to qualify for this federal funding. CCSD replenished funding for programs such as Read by Grade 3, GATE, and Senate Bill 178 (2017). The state has provided funding for 2% raises and healthcare, but due to the reduced total funding for CCSD, CCSD does not anticipate raises. 

Click here for the presentation.

Trustees Conducted Hearing for and Approved the New Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) of Negotiated Agreement Between CCSD and CCEA

Trustees heard public comment in support of the MOA and approved the MOA, which modifies the pay of school psychologists in an attempt to attract and retain school psychologists. The financial impact statement for 2021 is $527,693 and is projected to be $1,121,378 for 2022.

Click here to view the negotiated agreement. 
Click here to view the approval of the new memorandum of agreement.
Click here to view the correct agenda item.

Public Comment #2

Members of the public submitted public comment on non-agenda items regarding:

  • Support and concerns regarding in-person learning plans to bring students and educators back to school buildings
  • Concerns about vaccine rollout
  • Request to delay date of ACT until teachers have time to get vaccinated
  • Concerns about district and media communication of student suicides
  • Concerns about lack of access to disaggregated data
  • Decisions to resume or postpone student sports

Click below to view public comments on non-agenda items submitted online.

Click here for a statement from Governor Steve Sisolak on the safe reopening of schools.

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Nevada Ed-Watch 9/12/19

Posted on by Opportunity 180

The Ed-Watch series is designed to increase access to information on what decisions are being made regarding public education in Clark County and Nevada.

Clark County School District Board of Trustees 

What is the Board of Trustees & what are they responsible for? The CCSD Trustees are publicly elected decision-makers for the school district. They are responsible for providing oversight to the Superintendent and establishing District-wide policy. Trustees are accountable to work with their communities to improve student achievement.

Click here to learn more and see a list of current Trustees

Click here to Find your Trustee District

How often does the Board of Trustees meet? Trustees meet twice per month (second and fourth Thursdays) at 5pm at the Edward A. Greer Education Center (Board Room): 2832 E. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, NV 89121.

Click here for a full list of Trustees meetings and agendas

Click here to visit Hope For Nevada’s #NVEd Calendar

Can community members engage at Trustee Meetings? Decision-making bodies benefit greatly from hearing public input and multiple perspectives. Community members can sign up to speak after the agenda has been posted– by calling the Board Office at (702) 799-1072 at least 3 hours before the scheduled meeting, or signing up in-person at the beginning of the meeting. Prior to each agenda item being voted on, speakers can share their perspective after the Board’s discussion and prior to the vote.

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Clark County School District Board of Trustees Meeting

Click here to see the meeting agenda

What happened at this meeting?

Public Comment

Members of the public provided testimony to Trustees regarding:

  • Praise for the new CCSD Parent Advisory Committee 
  • School Organizational Team (SOT) elections 
  • School funding
  • Raises for Support Staff 
  • Diversifying school administrators

Trustees Approved the Consent Agenda

Consent agenda highlights:

  • School facility upgrades
  • Grant to hire 35 new school police officers and 5 sergeants
  • Contract with the NWEA to provide school-based supports and services related to the NWEA MAP growth assessment

Trustees Heard Updates on CCSD Focus 2024 Priorities

Below is a summary of the updates presented to Trustees related to the priorities of the CCSD strategic plan (Focus 2024):

Chronic Absenteeism 

The way chronic absenteeism is calculated changed in the 2018-2019 school year. Initially, a student who missed more than 18-days of school was considered chronically absent. Under the 2019 Nevada School Performance Framework (NSPF), a student that is absent 10% or more of the total days enrolled will be identified as chronically absent. A student would have to be enrolled in a school for at least 91 days of the current school year to be included in this calculation, according to the NSPF Guidebook.

Overall Chronic Absenteeism Rates:

  • 2018-2019 Target: 19.7%
  • 2018-2019 Actual: 17.3%
  • 2019-2020 Target: 17.7%

Chronic Absenteeism Gaps Between Subgroups:

  • 2018-2019 Target: 17.6% between the highest and lowest subgroups
  • 2018-2019 Actual: 17.8% between the highest and lowest subgroups

Click here to see the presentation about Chronic Absenteeism.

Parent and Community Support Goals:

  • Leverage internal resources to help parents/guardians support student achievement and attendance.
  • Secure strategic external resources and community partners
  • Improve trust in and perception of the Clark County School District
  • Click here to see metrics on the above Parent and Community Support goals

Student Success Goals:

  •  Decrease the number of student suspensions
  •  Decrease the disproportionality in the rate of student suspensions
  •  Decrease the number of student discretionary expulsion referrals
  •  Decrease the disproportionality in the rate of student discretionary expulsion referrals
  • Click here to see metrics on the above Student Success goals

Sound Fiscal Management Goals:

  • Provide effective and reliable network connectivity for schools
  • Improve business process efficiency related to human capital management
  • Reduce “on-hold” wait time for calls to user support desk
  • Click here to see metrics on the above Fiscal Management goals

Trustees Discussed an Agreement Between CCSD and the County Commission for the Open Schools Open Doors Policy

Trustees discussed a proposed contract between CCSD and the Clark County Commission to allow the use of school property for non-school activities outside of school hours.

The proposed agreement would include approving an initial 9 participating schools,  plus up to 10 more schools to be selected by CCSD by the end of the year. It would also require Clark County to cover any expenses related to damages that occur during county-scheduled events.

Considerations for the selection of participating school sites included:

  • Bureau of Land Management agreement restrictions
  • Associate Superintendent recommendations
  • Willingness of principals to participate
  • Ensuring each CCSD trustee and each Clark County Commissioner has a participating school within their district boundary lines

The proposed agreement did not have support from all Trustees present. Some Trustees questioned the County’s willingness to sign the agreement, and expressed concerns about safety and property damage. Rather than approving the item with a split vote, Trustees requested updates to the agreement as well as the planning and implementation of the policy– which included:

  • Gathering input from principals and the community about the policy
  • Transparency in the school selection process
  • Regular updates from principals regarding implementation

Public Comment: Members of the public expressed concerns about safety, liability, and making Open Schools Open Doors a funding priority.

Trustees Approved the Police Union Contract

Trustees approved an agreement with the Police Administrators Association of the Clark County School District Police Department.

The agreement includes the following for the CCSD Police Department lieutenants and captains:

  • 3% salary increase
  • 4% insurance contributions increase
  • Step increases for eligible employees

Click here to see the agreement.

 Trustees Approved the Amended Teachers Union Contract

Trustees approved an amendment to the negotiated agreement between CCSD and the Clark County Educators Association (CCEA), which includes step increases for teachers who completed the professional growth program.

The annual estimated CCSD teacher salary cost is $3.15 billion.

Click here to see the CCEA Contract Amendment.

Click here to read about this in the Nevada Independent.

Trustee reports:

  • 18 out of 18 students contacted participated in the 2019-2020 Student Advisory Committee. This year, the structure of the Student Advisory Committee has shifted from a formal board structure (subject to open meeting law) to a roundtable model. 

Superintendent Reports:

  • An agreement with the Education Support Employees Association (ESEA) was reached. Click here to read about this on CCSD Newsroom.
  • Fingerprinting fees have been revised for volunteers and employees. 
  • Budget
    • The district forecasts closing the fiscal year in better standing than originally anticipated. An amended final budget is being developed.  A deficit is still anticipated for the 2020-2021 school year.
  • Recognition for Triggs Elementary School for preliminary data that indicates the school improved from a 2-star to a 5-star rating in 1-year.

Potential Future Agenda Items:

  • Review of current wellness policy related to recess

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Nevada Ed Watch 4/25/19

Posted on by Opportunity 180

The Ed-Watch series is designed to increase access to information on what decisions are being made regarding public education in Clark County and Nevada.

Clark County School District Board of Trustees 

What is the Board of Trustees & what are they responsible for? The CCSD Trustees are publicly elected decision-makers for the school district. They are responsible for providing oversight to the Superintendent and establishing District-wide policy. Trustees are accountable to work with their communities to improve student achievement.

Click here to learn more and see a list of current Trustees

Click here to Find your Trustee District

How often does the Board of Trustees meet? Trustees meet twice per month (second and fourth Thursdays) at 5pm at the Edward A. Greer Education Center (Board Room): 2832 E. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, NV 89121.

Click here for a full list of Trustees meetings and agendas

Click here to visit Hope For Nevada’s #NVEd Calendar

Can community members engage at Trustee Meetings? Decision-making bodies benefit greatly from hearing public input and multiple perspectives. Community members can sign up to speak after the agenda has been posted– by calling the Board Office at (702) 799-1072 at least 3 hours before the scheduled meeting, or signing up in-person at the beginning of the meeting. Prior to each agenda item being voted on, speakers can share their perspective after the Board’s discussion and prior to the vote.

Thursday, April 25, 2019

Clark County School District Board of Trustees Meeting

Click here to see the meeting agenda

What happened at this meeting?

Public Comment

Members of the public provided testimony to Trustees regarding:

  • Request for support of infrastructure improvements at the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts.
  • Concerns about the CCSD budget and request for more public input.
  • Concerns about student proficiency levels in reading and writing.
  • Advocacy for more funding for schools.
  • Concerns about overcrowding in classrooms and pay rates for teachers and support staff.
  • Concerns about replacing the vacant positions of CCSD staff who have retired.
  • Concerns about achievement gaps, disproportionate disciplinary action, and implicit racial bias district-wide.
  • Teachers at Decker Elementary provided testimony opposing the nonrenewal of their contracts. They shared concerns about school leadership, school culture, and lack of professional development opportunities. It was noted that Trustees do not have the ability to overrule nonrenewal decisions. Click here to read about this in the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Trustees Unanimously Approve the Consent Agenda

Consent Agenda Highlights:

  • Application for a NoVo Foundation Innovation in Social and Emotional Learning Grant to continue to partner with community-based organizations to help students foster socio-emotional skills through creative expression.
  • Nonrenewal of probationary unified contracts and licensed contracts
  • Nevada Department of Transportation funded a four-year project to supplement the School-Community Partnership Program Office’s existing Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program, which focuses on educating students and parents on pedestrian safety while encouraging more students to bicycle to and from school.

Trustees Hear Updates from the Student School Board Advisory Committee

At the last Student Advisory Committee meeting on April 2nd, the following topics were discussed:

  • Teaching and learning reorganizing
  • CCSD’s legislative priorities and how students can engage in the legislative process
  • College and career readiness for high school students

Applications for new student Board members will be available to principals in May. Students interested in being on the Board can pick up applications from their school offices.

Trustees Unanimously Approve Revisions to the Sex Education Advisory Committee By-Laws

The revisions were related to the composition of the Recommending Committee. Each Trustee will now appoint one member to the Committee, and one non-voting liaison from the Curriculum and Professional Development division (recommended by the Superintendent). The Recommending Committee will then select the members of the Sex Education Advisory Committee.

Trustees Unanimously Approve a Chief of Facilities Employment Agreement

David P. McKinnis is the new Chief of Facilities for the District, beginning May 29th. Click here to see the employment agreement.

Trustees Heard an Update on the Qualitative Budget Forecast

CCSD’s Chief Finance Officer reported that the ending fund balance is still as projected at the beginning of the year.

Click here to see the presentation.

Potential Future Agenda Items

  • Address teacher concerns related to school and district culture
  • Information about Nevada Early Childhood Advisory Council’s On Strategy program, which could include a real-time dashboard to track goals outlined in CCSD’s strategic plan (Focus 2024)
  • Update on the Florence McClure educational program
  • Discuss potential modifications to dress code policies
  • Discuss potential marketing revenue opportunities (advertising and sponsorships)
  • A presentation on CCSD’s existing digital marketing platforms, and opportunities to leverage those platforms to promote additional support for schools.

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