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:
- Approval of a contract with Digitability, Inc. to provide digital literacy and work-ready skills to students with cognitive disabilities
- Approval of funds for a Vegas PBS program to provide educators with professional learning opportunities to improve the delivery of distance education
- Authorization to implement Title I funds to continue serving one-star or underperforming schools
- Approval to extend a contract with Communities in Schools of Nevada to provide Infinite Campus data to assist students in obtaining internet connectivity
- Approval to renew the school district’s cyber liability insurance policy
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.