Tag: esea

Nevada Ed-Watch 11/18/2021

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 Edward A. Greer Education Center Board Room (2832 E Flamingo Rd, 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. Currently, members of the public can submit comments on agenda and non-agenda items through email or voice recording. Public comment can be provided in person, via email, or via voice recording. Email comments should be submitted 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, November 18, 2021

Clark County School District Board of Trustees Meeting

Click here to see the meeting agenda

Click here to view the meeting playback.

What happened at this meeting?

Public Comment on Non-Agenda Items

Members of the public provided comments on non-agenda items regarding: 

  • Requests for Spanish interpreters at the trustee meetings.
  • Lack of consistency and clarity amongst CCSD staff, students, and families of students related to CCSD’s COVID-19 protocols and procedures.
  • The need for more transparency around COVID-19 cases reported on campus.
  • The importance of culturally responsive teaching and cultural competence.
  • Whether the District is adhering to regulations regarding student privacy and due process.
  • Concerns that the District is not meeting its goals of supporting and retaining educators, ensuring safe learning environments, and providing competitive pay.
  • Teachers not being paid in a timely manner.
  • The impact of limitations such as the lack of Spanish-language resources and interpreters in schools on students and families and the ability of Spanish-speaking families to be involved in their children’s education.
  • Support for AB-195.
  • Concerns about the school to prison pipeline for Black and brown students and how keeping police in schools reinforces the pipeline.
  • Requests by students to trustees to support the anti-racism policy, replace police officers on campus with counselors, listen to students, not rehire Dr. Jara, and wear masks-especially during work hours.
  • The arguing and bickering between trustees during board meetings.
  • Inconsistencies in the grading policy that allow students to pass while failing multiple tests during the second quarter and the final exam.

Click here to view written public comment submitted online on non-agenda action items.  

Trustees Approved Consent Agenda

Trustees approved the consent agenda noting that item 3.30 has been deleted and item 3.28 pulled for a separate discussion.

Consent agenda highlights:

  • Approval to implement the U.S. DOE, Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER II) Fund to continue to contract with emocha Mobile Health, Inc., to provide COVID-19 employee symptom monitoring, testing, and mitigation measures.
  • Authorization to implement the U.S. DOE, Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER II) Fund to provide equity-inclusive professional learning for CCSD women administrators to engage in a policy leadership network aligned to the District’s Five-Year Strategic Plan, Focus: 2024, facilitated by Voice4Equity LLC.
  • Authorization to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement with the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education on behalf of the School of Medicine at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas to provide health services to the students, siblings, and families of CCSD, at no cost to the students or CCSD.
  • Approval of the Memorandum of Understanding between the CCSD and the Anti-Defamation League of Nevada to design, offer, and manage a comprehensive anti-bias professional learning for students and educators.
  • Authorization to implement the School-Based Mental Health Professionals Project grant to provide increased access to social and mental health services for students through the federally-awarded Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER II) Fund and the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER II Fund), in an amount of $4,123,770.80.
  • Approval of the amendment of CCSD Policy 5137, Safe and Respectful Learning Environment Bullying and Cyberbullying.
  • Approval of the adoption of CCSD Policy 5139, Anti-Racism, Equity, and Inclusion.

Members of the public provided comments on this agenda item regarding:

  • Concerns about the cost of emocha and suggestions on an in-district alternative that can also be more effective.
  • Lack of clarity around the purpose of emocha and concerns for the requirements put on educators.
  • Concerns about the anti-bias policy.
  • Concerns about negative posts shared by teachers on Twitter and what that may say about how teachers speak around students at schools.
  • Requests from students for access to social workers, counselors, and mental health services, especially in consideration of students with limited or no insurance.
  • Concerns from students about CCSD’s 2,000 to 1 ratio of students to counselors compared to the national and state recommendation of 500 to 1.
  • The need for language in Policy 5139 that ensures students and families are not discriminated against based on language and immigration status so that students can feel safe, protected, and able to learn in school.
  • A push for resources to be available in Spanish in accordance with AB-195. 
  • Support of the anti-bias policy (5139) and how it could positively impact all kids.
  • Request for educators to be trained in restorative practices.
  • Support of the crisis prevention MOA.
  • Support for the MOA with UNLV.
  • Concerns about the amount of ESSER funds going toward supplies/software instead of salaries.
  • Wonderings about how the District plans to effectively handle reports of racism and suggestions to provide training to prepare educators on how to handle incidents related to racism.

Trustees approved an amendment to Policy 5137, Section 2.A to add the terms “language” and “legal status” to the list of distinguishing characteristics. 

Trustees Approved the Notice of Intent to Adopt, Repeal, or Amend CCSD Policy 6120, Multi-Tiered System of Supports (7-0)

Trustees approved the proposed Policy 6120. The policy was developed by the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) District Leadership Team. The team held feedback sessions with district personnel and community organizations for suggestions on enhancing the policy before presenting this agenda item. The purpose of the MTSS is to improve outcomes for all students in CCSD through an inclusive approach to support instruction that is applied to academics, social-emotional learning, and behavioral development. MTSS uses a collaborative, data-informed approach to ensure continuous school improvement. 

Click here to view the notice of intent.

Trustees Approved the Recommendations Made from the Sex Education Advisory Committee — Recommending Committee to Appoint Members to the Sex Education Advisory Committee (7-0)

Trustees approved committee appointments by the Sex Education Advisory Committee Recommending Committee for the Sex Education Advisory Committee. NRS 389.036 mandates that a Sex Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) to the School Board of Trustees for all school districts be established. The Sex Education Advisory Committee provides a forum for input on sex education instructional materials and the exchange of ideas between community stakeholders and the school district.

Members of the public provided comments on this agenda item regarding:

  • Support for sex education for students.
  • Concerns that the Advisory Committee does not have a representative from CCSD District C.
  • Disapproval of the sex education program for students.
  • Concerns that the sex education program impedes the rights of parents to choose the sex education they give to their students.
  • A proposal for workshops on sex education for parents so that they can learn how to educate their students at home.

Click here to view the recommendation.

Click here and here to view written public comments submitted online on this agenda item.

Trustees Approved Adoption of the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 School Calendars for Staff and Students (7-0)

There are two significant changes in the calendars from prior school years:

  • Spring break typically ends with the Good Friday of Easter. The calendar proposes that spring break be a consistent time period in March. This is because Easter changes year to year and it can be disruptive to the annual testing window. The change would move spring break into March and it will consistently fall in the same period.
  • Juneteenth has been added as a holiday.

Members of the public provided comments on this agenda item regarding:

  • A request for unassigned days on the Monday and Tuesday of Thanksgiving week since attendance and student engagement are lower during those days.
  • Concerns about financial stress on support staff due to two unassigned days within two consecutive paydays in March 2024 and April 2024.
  • Support for the observance of Juneteenth.
  • A request for the observance of Latino culture on either September 16 for Mexican Independence Day or May 5 for Cinco de Mayo.

Trustees and presenters discussed the decision to observe Juneteenth as it is a federal holiday and that while Mexican Independence Day and Cinco de Mayo are not federal holidays, there may be a possibility to observe these days in future calendars with consideration needed for how to ensure meeting the minimum legally required school days. Other considerations discussed included how additional unassigned days would impact the pay of support staff, students who rely on school meals, and the shortening of the first semester.

Trustees approved the calendars as written with an amendment to adjust the 2023-2024 calendars to ensure that there aren’t two unassigned days for support staff within one pay period in March 2024 and April 2024.

View drafts of the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 staff calendars.

View drafts of the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 student calendars.

Click here to view written public comment submitting online on this agenda item.

Trustees Approved Amendment of the 2021-2022 School Calendar for Staff to Include the Juneteenth Holiday (7-0)

Members of the public provided comments on this agenda regarding:

  • Support of the amendment to include Juneteenth in the 2021-2022 school calendar for staff.
  • The importance of honoring Juneteenth.

Click here to view the revised 2021-2022 staff calendar.

Click here to view written public comment submitted online on this agenda item.

Trustees Approved the Review of American Indian/Alaska Native Policies and Procedures for Federal Impact Aid Section 7003 (6-0)

The Federal Impact Aid Section 7003 requires districts to perform an annual review of their Indian Policies and Procedures (IPPs). The IPPs ensure that Native American/Alaska Native students participate in the district’s general education program on an equal basis with other students and that their parents and tribe have input. The IPPs were reviewed and approved in September 2021 by the trustees. CCSD made adjustments to the IPPs after speaking with the tribes about how they wanted to be communicated with. CCSD consulted with local tribal officials, parents, guardians, and students to develop, update, and promote the IPPs that further the planning and development and education activities for the Indian Education Opportunities Program. IPPs are developed to provide input on academic and cultural programming and impact all areas of academic achievement of Native American students attending CCSD.

Trustees moved to approve the IPPs (6-0) with one trustee absent from the vote.

Members of the public provided comments on this agenda item regarding concerns about whether CCSD is providing adequate support to the American Indian/Alaska Native families.

Click here to view the public hearing notice.

Trustees Approved the 2021-2023 Negotiated Agreement between CCSD and the Education Support Employees Association (ESEA) (6-0-1)

The agreement is a two-year extension of the 2019-2021 agreement that extends most previous contract terms and modifies a number of terms including terms related to call-back pay, bereavement, sick leave reimbursement, and health insurance for a total cost of $1,106,191,000 over the next two years.

Trustees moved to approve this item (6-0) with one abstention.

Members of the public provided comments in support of the adoption of the agreement.

Click here to view the executive summary.

Click here to view written public comment submitted online on this agenda item.

Trustees Approved the New Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between CCSD and the Education Support Employees Association (ESEA) Regarding the Provision of Improved Services (6-0-1)

The new MOA between CCSD and the ESEA addresses the Provision of Improved Services for support staff and modifies a number of terms including terms related to position reclassification, training and pay, professional pathways, and hiring and retention policies for a total cost of $7,568,000 over the next two years.

Trustees moved to approve this item (6-0) with one abstention.

Members of the public provided comments on this agenda in support of the MOA.

Click here to view the executive summary.

Click here to view written public comment submitted online on this agenda item.

Trustees Approved the Selection of an Outside Expert to Conduct an Investigation into Allegations of a Hostile Work Environment (4-3)

Trustees discussed the possibility of hiring a third party to review the work environment at the Trustee and Administrative levels. Trustees discussed the intended scope of the investigation. 

The motion was made to authorize the Chief Financial Officer of CCSD to establish a process to identify an external contractor to conduct the review and to allocate $100,000 from the general fund; the CFO was directed to work with a small group of Trustees before the selected partner will be brought back to the full Board for approval. 

Trustees moved to approve this item (4-3).

Members of the public provided comments both in support and opposition to the item, including raising questions related to the scope of the investigation. 

Click here to view written public comment submitted online on this agenda item.

Trustees Approve Reconsideration of Agenda Item 3.01 of the October 28, 2021, Meeting of the Board of Trustees (4-3)

Trustees deliberated the reconsideration of agenda item 3.01 of the October 28, 2021, Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees (see the agenda item here and read the Nevada EdWatch from that meeting here).

Trustees moved to approve this item (4-3).

Members of the public provided comments both in support and opposition to the item. 

Click here to view written public comment submitted online on this agenda item.

Trustees Approved a Motion to Not-Terminate for Convenience of the Employment Agreement with The Superintendent of Schools (4-3) 

Following an introduction of the rationale for reconsideration, Trustees discussed reinstating the contract of Superintendent Dr. Jesus Jara.  Trustees who sought to bring the item forward shared concerns over alleged communications that could have constituted an Open Meeting Law.  Trustees also heard about an Open Meeting Law complaint that had been filed with the Attorney General’s Office following the May 13, 2021, Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees where Superintendent Jara’s contract was discussed. 

Superintendent Jara was not present for the meeting. 

Click here to view written public comment submitted online on this agenda item.

Trustees Approved Tabling Discussion on Interim Superintendent Selection (5-2)

Trustees discussed the possibility of putting forward a process to identify an interim Superintendent. The Trustees voted on a motion to table this item pending final determination of Superintendent Jara’s future employment with the District. The motion included an amendment to select an interim Superintendent based on the recommendations provided by Superintendent Jara. 

Trustees first approved a motion to call for the question. This motion passed 6-1. 

Trustees voted 5-2 to approve this item.

Click here to view written public comment submitted online on this agenda item.

Trustees Requested Future Agenda Items:

  • Trustees requested an item to consider hosting Consent Agenda Items in public

Public Comment on Non-Agenda Items (#2)

Members of the public provided comments on non-agenda items regarding:

  • Instability in the District leadership at the Board level.
  • Lack of constitutional authority of the Board to engage in rulemaking.
  • The future of Superintendent Jara’s employment.
  • Thank you to Trustee Williams for her support with Health Insurance.
  • Against banning books.
  • How substitute funds are used in the event that a substitute is not available.

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Nevada Ed-Watch 12/10/20

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, December 10, 2020

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 comments online. Public comment was not read directly into the record, rather an oral summary of each comment was provided to Trustees.

  • Click here to view public comment on agenda items.
  • Click here to view public comment on non-agenda items.  

Trustees Announced Board Meetings To Air On CCTV

Trustees announced that Clark County will now air CCSD Board of Trustees meetings to improve access and provide greater transparency for the public. 

Click here to read more about this from 8 News Now Las Vegas.

Trustees Approved Consent Agenda 

Highlights: 

Trustees Discussed Availability of Mental Health Services for Students and Staff

The Trustees approved spending of $761,000 to purchase a districtwide data platform and Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) and wellbeing universal assessment for all students and staff. The program would allow for early intervention and tiered supports for students as well as guide staff to services and resources that fit their needs. The funds for this initiative, paid through the Assembly Bill 3 Block Grant and the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER), would support its implementation through December 10, 2021. 

Trustees expressed their support for the program and agreed that mental health services must improve at all levels and at all schools. Some trustees brought up concerns about the sustainability of the program beyond the one-year it is currently committed. Trustees discussed their commitment to continue looking for creative solutions for all students and staff to receive mental health support. More information on the program will be available during the January 2021 meeting. 

Click here to see the proposal.

Trustees Approved Two Namesakes

In October 2020, the School Name Committee (SNC) considered nominations for one new elementary school and one new middle school facility to be named. The SNC recommended Hannah Marie Brown as a school namesake for the Clark County School District based on her contributions to education. The SNC also recommended Barry and June Gunderson citing their positive influence on the District and the Las Vegas community. The Trustees provided their broad support for both Hannah Marie Brown and Barry and June Gunderson to be added as a namesake for the District. 

Click here to see the Hannah Marie Brown school name proposal. 
Click here to see the Barry and June Gunderson school name proposal. 

Trustees Adopted the 2021 Amended Final Budget

In accordance with NRS 354.598005(9), CCSD must file an amended final budget no later than January 1, 2021. The final budget will be submitted to the County Auditor and filed with the Department of Education, the Department of Taxation, and the County Clerk. The Board heard a presentation from Jason Goudie, CCSD’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO), on the modifications from the 2020-2021 final budget. 

While the budget includes predictions for changes in revenues, there are still uncertainties regarding the fiscal impact of COVID-19, enrollment, reduced reserve funds, the outcome of the Senate Bill 551 court case, and plans to remain in distance learning or return to a model with students in school buildings. 

As part of the Education Stabilization Fund in the CARES Act, the District received Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds to address the impact of COVID-19. The District plans to utilize a large portion of the ESSER funds for utilities, personal protective equipment for employees, and technology services.

Due to the impact of Assembly Bill 3, CCSD’s CFO anticipated a shortfall of $93 million in the District’s budget, reducing support for several programs including the New Nevada Education Funding, Read by Grade 3, and Gifted and Talented Education (GATE). However, utilizing available funds from ESSER, additional reserves, and cuts to strategic budget plans, the District was able to restore the three programs. 

The budget reflects an increase in the cost-per-pupil by $68 from 2020, totalling $6,135 per student. Adding special education funds and local/federal funding outside of the District’s Distributive school Account (DSA), the total per pupil revenue is $7,938. This year, the District saw a decrease in student enrollment, which led to a decrease in revenue from the state by around $62 million. 

The budget also includes an unassigned funding balance of 2.25%. This will not serve as a rainy day fund, rather it is intended to drive bond ratings. An ending fund balance of at least 2% is required by district Regulation-3110.

Click here to view the presentation.
Click here to view the amendments.

Trustees Approved Employment Agreement for Vegas PBS

Trustees approved the employment agreement for Mary Mazur as the President and General Manager of Vegas PBS. Trustees thanked the outgoing President and General Manager, Tom Axtell, for his service to the community and his work to support students with disabilities.

Click here to view the employment contract. 

Trustees Approved Memorandum of Agreements With Education Support Employees Association

Trustees voted to approve two memoranda of agreements negotiated between the District and the Education Support Employees Association (ESEA).  The first memorandum extends the term for CCSD employees to donate sick leave for COVID-19 health issues to June 30, 2021. The second memorandum temporarily allows CCSD employees to perform work outside of their general work duties or eliminate any need for a reduction in workforce. This allows for flexibility of work during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Click here to view these agreements.

Trustees Honored Outgoing Board Members

Trustees took time to honor and thank Trustees Deanna Wright, Chris Garvey, and Linda Young for their years of contribution to the students, educators, and families in the district. 

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Nevada Ed-Watch 7/10/20

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, July 9, 2020

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 comments online. Public comment was not read directly into the record, and rather an oral summary of the comments was provided to Trustees.

Public Comment

Members of the public submitted comments online. Public comment was not read directly into the record, and rather an oral summary of each comment was provided to Trustees.

Click the following to view posted public comment on agenda items. 

  • Click here to view public comment submitted between July 2 – July 7
  • Click here to view public comment submitted between July 7 – July 8
  • Click here to view public comment submitted between July 8 – July 9
  • Click here to view public comment submitted on July 9 between 10:00AM and 11:00AM
  • Click here to view public comment submitted on July 9 between 11:00AM and 12:00PM

There was no public comment provided on non-agenda items.

Trustees Approved the Consent Agenda

Consent Agenda Highlights: 

Trustees Approve Continuation of Services with NWEA (5-2)

The services include comprehensive school-based supports to implement the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Growth assessment to improve student achievement. This approval included acceptance of a private donation of $3.15 million dollars to fund the contract. Trustees discussed the need to review policies for accepting anonymous donations.

Click here to view the supplementary material

Trustees Approved School and Facility Name Updates 

CCSD policy allows for the renaming of school buildings under certain conditions, and allows for the naming of specific facilities within a school building. Trustees approved the following updates:  

  • Renaming of K.O. Knudsen Middle School to K.O. Knudsen Academy of the Arts
  • Renaming of Jo Mackey Elementary School to Jo Mackey iLead Academy for Digital Sciences 
  • Naming of the library at Carroll M. Johnston Middle School: Kelda’s Book Garden
  • Naming of the Community Room 102 at Vegas PBS: Yao Yuan Sze Community Room
  • Naming of the administrative office at Moapa Valley High School: Doc and Jean Moses Administrative Office
  • Naming of the cafeteria at C.C. Ronnow Elementary School: Ronaldo Cesa Cafeteria

Trustees Approved Three Year Charter School Site Evaluation Report 

Trustees approved the Three Year Report of Charter School Performance to be submitted to the Nevada Department of Education in compliance with NRS 388A.223. The report includes a summary of academic, financial, and organizational/operational ratings for each CCSD authorized public charter school. 

Click here to view the report 
Click here to view the presentation 

Trustees Approved Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Education Support Employees Association (ESEA)  

The MOA completes negotiations between CCSD and ESEA for the 2019-2021 contract years. Highlights of the MOA include: 

  • CCSD will provide duty-free time for all mandatory training.
  • CCSD will provide new employee information to the union. 
  • Changes to Progressive Discipline to provide that the progressive discipline process may start after the (current) twenty-five (25) day limitation if the infraction is considered to be serious. 

Click here to view the MOA

Trustees Approved CCSD’s 2021 Legislative Platform 

CCSD staff provided Trustees with an updated version of the Legislative Platform that included feedback provided by Trustees at the June 11, 2020 Board Meeting. The approved platform  covers priorities related to school funding, improved learning environments, school safety & mental health. 

Click here to view the approved legislative platform 

Trustees Discussed 2021 Bill Draft Requests

CCSD Trustees are allowed two Bill Draft Requests (BDRs) each regular biennial legislative session. Based on initial input by Trustees, CCSD staff proposed focusing on student mental health supports and internet connectivity. Each BDR proposal included items that will require additional funding. Trustees discussed the plausibility of submitting BDRs that require a fiscal note in a time of economic downturn in Nevada. CCSD staff will present the final bill drafts to trustees for approval at the August 13, 2020 meeting.

Click here to view the presentation

Trustees Heard an Update on the Clark County School Justice Partnership

Trustees were presented with an update on the Social Justice Partnership by the Chief of the Juvenile Division of the office of the Clark County District Attorney. The Clark County School Justice Partnership (SJP), approved August 23, 2018, is a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between CCSD, the Department of Juvenile Justice Services, and the District Attorney’s Office. The purpose of the SJP is to align multiple agencies in order to minimize student involvement with the juvenile justice system, reduce recidivism rates, and holistically address disproportionate punitive discipline for students of color. 

The SJP has been attributed to a 28% decrease in student arrests and citations and a 70% decrease in juvenile citations since the 2015-2016 school year.

Most common student referrals to the Juvenile Justice:

  1. Habitual truancy 
  2. Disturbing the peace
  3. Loitering on school grounds 
  4. Trespassing 
  5. Minor possession of alcohol 

Most common student offense charges: 

  1. Possession of a dangerous weapon 
  2. Other 
  3. Possession of controlled substance with intent to sell 
  4. Affray (fighting) 
  5. Battery 

Since 2017, charges for marijuana possession have increased by 8%, and obstruction of an officer performing their duty has increased by 55%. 

  • CCSD Staff Training: 1,005 administrators and licensed professionals within CCSD have begun training on implementing Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), a layered framework by which students receive academic and behavioral services based on severity of need. An additional 224 licensed professionals and administrators engaged in training on the implementation of Positive Behavior Intervention Supports (PBIS), the behavior component of MTSS that increases behavior support for students based on severity of need.  Finally, approximately 12,000 school support staff, 16,000 licenced professionals, and 1,000 administrators engaged in implicit bias training. 
  • CCSD School Police Use of Force Policy: CCSD School Police’s use of force policy is guided by Supreme Court case law (Graham v. Connor) which stipulates that use of force is allowable by law enforcement with consideration of (1) the severity of crime, (2) whether there is an immediate threat to officers or others in proximity, or (3) if the suspect is actively resisting or evading arrest. CCSD School Police report that the use of force represents .1% of interactions. A representative of the CCSD School Police noted that officers have never been trained in utilizing chokeholds as a deescalation technique. 

Click here to view the presentation
Click here to view supplementary data
Click here to read about this in The Nevada Current

Trustees Approve CCSD 2020-2021 School Year Reopening Plan 

In order for school to begin as currently scheduled, the Trustees are required to approve a scenario plan for submission to the Nevada Department of Education (NDE) that outlines a framework for reopening. Based on NDE guidelines, the plan must include three specific scenarios for reopening: full distance learning, hybrid-learning, and full in-person learning. Once approved by NDE, the specific scenario will be selected based on the State’s reopening phase set by the Governor, and with consideration of education funding cuts as a result of economic downturn caused by the pandemic. 

Trustees discussed the need for a greater level of detail and clarity around teacher schedules, health & safety measures, food service, and technology access in order to implement any scenario effectively. CCSD staff clarified that school site principals will be provided with the autonomy to make common-sense decisions that support the needs of the school community, including changes to the master schedule and assigning specialists to support the supervision of children. 

Trustees also discussed their discomfort with moving forward with any plan at this time, but recognized that without approval, the district, including building principals, would be significantly behind on the timeline to put plans in place to reopen schools in August. 

A motion to submit an additional plan to NDE alongside the plan presented by staff did not meet state guidelines and was therefore voted down by board members (2-5). 

Trustees unanimously approved the plan presented by CCSD, with the caveat that the plan is preliminary. 

Click here to view the presentation
Click here to view additional information related to CCSD’s Reopening Our Schools Plan 

Click here to read about this in The Nevada Independent
Click here to read about this in The Las Vegas Review-Journal 
Click here to read about this in The Nevada Current 

Trustees Approved 2020-2021 School Year Calendar 

Aligned to the approved reopening scenario plan, Trustees approved the Staff Calendar and Student Calendar for the 2020-2021 school year. Regardless of reopening scenario, staff are expected to begin on August 10th, with students beginning on August 24th. 

Click here to view the staff calendar 
Click here to view the student calendar 

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Nevada Ed-Watch 5/7/20

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, May 7, 2020

Clark County School District Board of Trustees Emergency Meeting

Click here to see the meeting agenda & Addendum

What happened at this meeting?

Public Comment

Members of the public submitted comments online. Public comment was not read into the record, and rather a summary of comments was provided to Trustees. Click here to see public comment submissions. 

Consent Agenda Highlights: 

Trustees Heard Updates about the District’s Response to COVID-19

Presentation Highlights: 

  • All CCSD buildings remain closed through phase 1 of Governor Sisolak’s reopening plan. Employees who are currently working at school sites will continue working. Other personnel will return to in-person work as phase 1 of the reopening plan proceeds. 
  • Meals: CCSD will continue to provide meal services for students (including on Memorial Day) until June 30th, or until the Federal Government’s state of emergency is lifted (whichever comes first). To date, CCSD has distributed 2 million meals. 
  • Attendance: During the week of April 20th, approximately 251,000 students were considered present. CCSD is continuing to conduct wellness checks for students that were not successfully contacted since the transition to distance learning. Out of the target of 2,362 students, 1,280 students were successfully contacted. There are 10 attendance officers and 50 social workers doing door-to-door contact. 
  • Chromebooks: 85,000 students have received Chromebooks. CCSD has 157,000 Chromebooks left to deploy. 
  • Professional Development: Over the summer, CCSD will be offering online professional development for educators to strengthen their distance learning skills. Additionally, CCSD is deploying  learning opportunities for parents to support their children’s learning at home. 
  • Summer School: Extended learning will be available throughout the summer on CCSD’s website and at food distribution sites. Extended School Year (summer school) will also be offered via distance education for credit-deficient 6th-12th graders. Summer school prices have been reduced to $70 per half credit. Students should reach out to their school counselors to apply for available fee waivers.
  • Reopening: CCSD is convening a Reopening Our Schools Working Group. Trustees directed staff to ensure that parents, educators, and support staff are each represented in the working group. The guiding principles of the group are as follows:
    • Ensure the safety and well-being of all students and employees. 
    • Promote equity and accessibility to learning for all students.
    • Provide instructional delivery systems to meet the needs of all students.
    • Foster positive relationships and interactions. 
  • Funding:
    • The Nevada Department of Education will release an application for districts and LEA’s to apply for federal emergency funds on May 12th. 
    • There are $26 million in additional education funds at the state level that have not yet been allocated.
    • CCSD is working with the federal delegation to advocate for a $250 billion request for additional funding for K-12 schools in the U.S. to serve the needs of at-risk students populations. 
  • PPE: CCSD is coordinating with the state and Superintendent Ebert’s task force to secure Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Public Comment: Members of the public provided testimony regarding:  

  • Concerns for the safety of students and staff
  • Concerns about the academic success of students

Click here to see the presentation.

Trustees Discussed a Proposal to Increase Substitute Teacher Pay 

CCSD’s Chief Human Resource Office and Director of Substitute Services presented a proposal to increase pay for substitute teachers across the district. There are currently 4,264 active substitutes.

Proposed pay increases: 

  • Day to Day Substitute – $110 per day (+$20/day) 
  • Day to Day Early Hiring – $120 per day (+$40/day)
  • Long Term Substitutes – $130 per day on day 11 (+$30/day) 
  • Long Term Early Hiring – $140 per day on day 11 (+$20/day) 
  • Vacancy Substitutes – $140 per day (+$30/day) 
  • Vacancy Early Hiring $150 per day (+30/day)  
  • Special Education and Hard to Fill – $150 per day starting on day one, rather than on day 21

Trustees agreed that while this was an appropriate starting point, additional considerations for increased pay, eligibility for health benefits, and sick leave are necessary. Trustees also suggested establishing a policy that ensures non-union employee pay keeps pace with collectively-bargained pay increases. Superintendent Jara stated that providing additional pay and exploring the cost of providing benefits is a budget priority. 

Public Comment: Members of public provided testimony regarding:  

  • Support for increased pay for substitute teachers
  • Concerns that the current proposal does not include benefits or sick leave
  • Concerns that the substitute shortage will grow if wages are not increased

Click here to see the presentation.

Trustees Approved a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with ESEA

At the April 16th board meeting, Trustees approved agreements with the Education Support Employees Association (ESEA) that temporarily allows employees to “donate” unused sick leave to other employees impacted by COVID-19. Additionally, trustees approved additional pay for ESEA support staff who are actively serving the public. The new MOA extends these polices through December 21, 2020 and May 20,2020. 

Click here to see the ESEA additional pay agreement.

Click here to see the ESEA sick leave donation agreement.

Requests for Future Agenda Items:

  • A strategic plan to reach newly-adopted student ratios for school psychologists and counselors 
  • Additional information about access to summer school

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Nevada Ed-Watch 4/16/20

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 16, 2020

Clark County School District Board of Trustees Emergency Meeting

Click here to see the meeting agenda & Addendum

What happened at this meeting?

Public Comment

Members of the public submitted testimony online regarding:

  • Concerns about the safety of students and faculty due to coronavirus (COVID-19)
  • Concerns about salaries and health benefits for substitute teachers 
  • Concerns about the impact of COVID-19 closures on employee compensation
  • Support for closing schools through the rest of the school year 
  • Concerns about the transition to distance education 

Consent Agenda Highlights: 

Trustees Denied the Extension of Emergency Authority for the Superintendent (5-0-2)

At the March 23rd board meeting, trustees  approved a limited Grant of Authority permitting Superintendent Jara to approve contracts and purchase items that are essential to the operation of the District during COVID-19 school closures. This request would extend the emergency Grant of Authority through April 30th. Two trustees abstained from the vote, and five trustees voted against the extension. 

Click here to see the resolution.

Click here to read about this in The Nevada Independent.

Trustees Heard Updates about the District’s Response to COVID-19

Presentation Highlights: 

  • CCSD has implemented three different modalities for students to engage in distance education: online learning, paper work packets that can be accessed at food distribution sites, and educational TV programming through Vegas PBS. During the week of March 30th, 258,361 students were engaged in some form of distance learning. There are about 325,000 students enrolled in CCSD schools. 
  • CCSD is encouraging parents to reach out to their child’s school counselor for resources on how to talk to their kids about COVID-19. 
  • CCSD is implementing two-way communication between teachers and families to track attendance. Parents who have not heard from their school are encouraged to call the school. 
  • 55,000 Chromebooks have been deployed to middle and high school students. 145,000 additional Chromebooks are in the process of being distributed to elementary school students. 
  • Considerations for the upcoming school year include exploring opportunities for summer learning, as well as  front-loading quarter 4 academic content to the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year. District staff are also developing a balanced assessment system for the upcoming school year, and considering administering MAP Growth assessments (grades 3-8) to measure academic progress. 

Click here to see the presentation.

Trustees Approved Collective Bargaining Agreements

Trustees approved agreements with the Education Support Employees Association (ESEA) and the Clark County Educators Association (CCEA) that temporarily allows employees to “donate” unused sick leave to other employees impacted by COVID-19. Additionally, Trustees approved additional pay for ESEA support staff who worked during the first week of closures (3/15/20 through 3/21/20). Additional pay will also be extended to employees that volunteered to work during closures and those who are actively serving the public, such as food service and custodial workers. The total cost of these agreements is $800,000.00.

Click here to see the ESEA additional pay agreement.

Click here to see the ESEA sick leave agreement.

Click here to see the CCEA sick leave agreement.

Superintendent Communications

Superintendent Jara has met with high school seniors, and is scheduled to meet with high school principals to make a determination about graduation for the class of 2020.  The district will continue to provide information with families regarding any action taken in response to the coronavirus. 

Requests for Future Agenda Items:

  • A memo that outlines the financial impact of COVID-19 on the district.

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Nevada Ed-Watch 9/26/19

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 26, 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:

  • Concerns about students not getting enough physical activity, recess, and restroom breaks throughout the school day
  • Concerns about school safety and controlled access to school buildings
  • Appreciation for the district from a representative of the Education Support Employees Association (ESEA) for hearing support staff concerns while a Memorandum of Understanding was developed
  • Concerns about a student getting expelled for bringing foam toy nunchucks to school
  • Concerns about the process for hiring educators
  • Difficulty accessing pre-K for students who are not English Language Learners 
  • Concerns about a lack of training and professional development for support staff

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).

Click here to see CCSD’s Focus 2024 online dashboard.

Teachers, Principals and Staff: Human Resources

  • Objective 1: Increase the percentage of licensed teachers in the classroom. 
    • Goal (2019-20): 100% 
    • Actual (2018-19): 95.4%
    • By 2024: 100%
  • Objective 2: Increase the number of qualified teachers recruited for the selection pool. 
    • Goal (2019-20): 3,649
    • Actual (2018-19): 3,098
    • By 2024: 3,649
  • Objective 3: Increase the percentage of Critical Labor Shortage support professionals hired and decrease the number of vacancies.
    • Goal (2019-20): 0
    • Actual (2018-19): 145
    • By 2024: 0

Click here to see the Human Resources presentation.

Members of the public provided testimony regarding funding for teacher pay and benefits to attract and retain teachers. Trustees discussed capturing teacher attrition data through an exit survey process. Trustees also discussed focusing on areas like school culture and professional development to support educator retention. 

Sound Fiscal Management: Out-of-Service Buses and Bus Driver Absenteeism

  • Objective 1: Reduce number of buses placed out-of-service to reduce service delays.
    • Goal (2019-20): 21%
    • Actual (2018-19): 19% 
    • By 2024: 3%
  • Objective 2: Reduce bus driver absenteeism to improve service to students and ensure full instructional minutes.
    • Goal (2019-20): 10%
    • Actual (2018-19): 14.3% 
    • By 2024: 8%

Click here to see the Bus Service & Driver Absenteeism presentation. 

Approaches to prevent chronic absenteeism of bus drivers included:

  • Recognizing employees quarterly for perfect attendance
  • Educating drivers and staff about how student achievement is impacted by their attendance.
  • To reduce driver absenteeism caused by health-related matters, the transportation department also implemented health and prevention initiatives, such as partnering with Medicine on the Move (over 118 transportation employees received treatment so far). 

Sound Fiscal Management: Purchasing

  • Objective 1: Decrease processing time, reduce costs, and increase the competitive procurement ratio. 
    • Goal (2019-20): 80%
    • Actual (2018-19): 91%
    • By 2024: 95%
  • Objective 2: Reduce requisition processing time by increasing SAP catalog utilization to 70% within the next five years.
    • Goal (2019-20): 60%
    • Actual (2018-19): 71%
    • By 2024: 70%

Click here to see the Purchasing presentation.

Trustees discussed direct, school-level purchasing versus centralized purchasing. Centralizing purchasing for the district tends to be more cost-effective.

Trustees Approved the Consent Agenda

Consent agenda highlights:

Trustees Heard a Presentation on the Eide Bailly Internal Controls Exam Report

A representative of Eide Bailly’s forensic department presented an overview of its report of CCSD’s Internal Controls examination. 

The primary examination method used was holding interviews with 409 CCSD employees within various business and finance units as well as some schools. 

Following the interviews, 13 recommendations were made for the district. 

Click here to see an executive summary outlining the 13 recommendations.

Click here to see the full report.

Trustees discussed staff training to ensure school-level compliance with updated policies and procedures. A request was made for Trustees to receive regular updates on each recommendation.

Trustees Heard a Presentation on Open Book Website

Open Book makes CCSD financial information easily accessible to the public. 

The Open Book website includes access to external audit results, the final budget of the fiscal year, and videos explaining topics related to the District’s finances. The site also has tools that show strategic budgets by school and accounts payable (payments to vendors).

There will be a Facebook Live video walk-through of Open Book on October 8th from 4:00-6:00 PM. 

Click here to see the presentation.

Click here to go to Open Book.

Trustees Approved a Memorandum of Agreement (MOU) Between CCSD and the Education Support Employees Association (ESEA)

One member of the public provided testimony in support of increased pay for support staff.

The agreement includes a 3% salary increase and a waiver for required fingerprinting costs.

The ESEA requested time to communicate the contract terms to the employees that will be impacted. Trustees approved the 2019-2021 MOU pending ratification. Once the ratification vote is made, it was requested that the pay increases be reflected in pay checks as soon as possible.

Click here to see the tentative agreement. 

Trustees Approved Changes to Food Service Programs Regulations

Trustees approved minor language updates to the Food Service Programs regulations. 

Click here to see the regulations.

Trustees Approved Changes to the School Facilities Naming Regulations (6-1 vote)

Trustees approved updates to the School Facilities Naming policy regulations. An eligible school that chooses to be renamed must conduct a survey of employees and families. At least 50% of the surveys must be returned, and greater than 50% of the surveys returned must agree to renaming the school.

Trustees approved the changes with a request for clarification that additional community input outside of the school community can be gathered for consideration, but will not be counted towards the 50% survey requirement. It was also requested to include examples of types of stakeholders that input could be gathered from. 

Click here to see the regulations.

Trustees Approved Changes to the 2021-2022 School Year Calendars for Students and Staff (5-2 vote)

The most significant change was related to how professional development is accounted for. Beginning in the 2016-2017 school year, schools were permitted to bank time for professional development in more flexible and frequent increments. Site-based collaboration was able to be banked and later utilized as time off during the week of Thanksgiving. This approach was approved by the Department of Education through the 2019-2020 school year. 

For the 2021-2022 school year, the Monday and Tuesday of Thanksgiving week are now in-school days, and there are four days spread out throughout the year that are dedicated to professional development.

Members of the public expressed concerns about:

  • Student absenteeism the week of Thanksgiving due to travel schedules
  • Students and staff having the full week of Thanksgiving dedicated to spending time with families.
  • A disproportionate amount of work days being taken away from 9-month support staff. 

Contingency days were also set for March 9th, April 13th, and May 21st. 

The calendar was informed by a committee consisting of over 25 stakeholders including principals, counselors, and other staff from other departments such as transportation and HR.

Click here to see the draft calendar for students and staff.

Trustees Approved Renaming Lomie G. Heard Elementary School, A Marzano Academy, to Lomie G. Heard Elementary School

The name change was to remove the “Marzano Academy” component of the name, since the school’s contract with Marzano is no longer active. 

Trustee Reports:

  • Trustee Wright hosted a Facebook Live parent meeting as a way to be more accessible to parents who cannot attend meetings at set times in person. 
  • Trustee Young announced an upcoming Cultural Food Festival for families in partnership with Vegas PBS this Fall. Additionally, October 18-19th is the Las Vegas Book Festival.
  • Trustee Ford holds monthly parent meetings and live stream videos on topics such as navigating meeting agendas. 
  • Cepeda announced that FAFSA releases on October 1st. 
  • NABSA strategic planning Friday and Sat to discuss collaboration throughout the stat and advocating for common sense policies.
  • Trustee Brooks served on a panel for Opportunity 180 that also included Superintendents Ebert and Jara, J.T. McWilliams Principal Womack, Caryne Shea from HOPE for Nevada– to talk about what it would take to make some systemic changes to focus on student outcomes. 
  • Trustee Young expressed concerns about 3 school principals that were removed for not meeting student growth benchmarks. 

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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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