LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Teacher staffing is a top issue for CCSD officials as the school year nears amid heated union contract negotiations.
One of the top items up for discussion at Thursday's CCSD Board of Trustees meeting is the 2024 Strategic Plan Update related to teachers, recruitment, and a critical labor shortage.
SCHOOLS: Clark County School District claims union negotiations will impact start, end times at 47 schools
It's one of the biggest concerns for educators as the start of a new school year inches closer.
Vacancies continue to plague the Clark County School District, and although officials say they are working to fill positions, teachers say they are certain they'll be left to pick up the slack — again.
"There have been times where I'm just so angry that I want to quit," said Kelly Edgar, a teacher for CCSD. "But I look at other jobs and realize I wouldn't really enjoy doing that, I really love what I do."
Edgar has been working with the school district for 26 years. She, alongside other teachers showed up to CCSD's Board of Trustees meeting to speak about an issue plaguing the district.
"Next year with the teacher shortage that we are having, it has the potential to be worse than anything else," said Jim Frazee, a teacher for CCSD. "35,000 kids won't have a licensed educator in front of their room."
A recent check on CCSD's hiring page shows that there are more than 1,200 jobs open for teacher positions.
The overwhelming number of vacancies means current employees, more than likely will have added work piled onto their plates.
"As a consequence we've seen a lot of our colleagues leave the district, retire early, and it doesn't have to be that way," Edgar said.
Officials with CCSD say they've worked throughout the year to address the issue head on and get positions filled. According to the presentation, the district hired 20 percent more teachers last school year.
The district also says it developed relationships with historically Black colleges and universities as well as Hispanic organization to help with recruitment.
Still, many CCSD teachers say the focus should also be on retaining the people they hire.
"They have never addressed why people are leaving," Edgar said.
Edgar says most teachers are not being compensated fairly for the requirements of the job. Teachers are saying it is too much to bear adding on overpopulated classrooms and safety concerns on campuses .
"We have to stop teachers leaving and that starts with basic stuff like resources and respect," Frazee said.
Looking ahead, CCSD says it is focused on finding ways to improve compensation and provide work-life balances to employees.
