UPDATE DEC. 23: A spokesperson for the Clark County School District said Karla Loria received her Nevada teaching license.
ORIGINAL STORY
A top administrator in the Clark County School District is working without a Nevada teaching license, and she’s been on the job since March. It’s raising concerns about the process in how she was hired.
Doctor Karla Loria's online bio shows she has years of experience as a school administrator, working in three states before being hired as a region superintendent with CCSD. When she started the position in March, she didn't have a Nevada teaching license, and the Nevada Department of Education confirmed, she still does not.
"It's concerning to me because we have to follow rules set forth by the Nevada legislature,” Kevin Child, a former CCSD school board trustee, said.
He says he was given a tip regarding this situation and then looked up whether she had a license. Child says Dr. Loria should be sidelined from working.
"You can't hire someone without a license. She may be licensed in other states, I get that, but we have rules and regulations here. You can't work without a license,” he said.
Child points to NRS 391.170 which says teachers and other employees that require a teaching license can't get any public money as compensation, until they actually obtain the license.
In her contract, Dr. Loria has to get her teaching license within sixty days from the start of her employment which began in March.
"We have to guess what, tear up the contract, because the contract will be null and void."
CCSD says it expects its administrators to meet licensure requirements and, in a statement, says: "At times, the process can be delayed due to additional information requests depending on the applicant's individual circumstances. CCSD works closely with the Nevada Department of Education and applicants to provide additional information to comply with licensure requirements."
As a region superintendent, Dr. Loria would have responsibilities that include evaluating associate superintendents and principals. Child says by not having the teaching license, it would raise questions.
“If I was a principal per say, I would have grave concerns, because I have my license, and this person doesn’t have their license and the perception wouldn’t be good and what are we doing about it,” he said.
Child also says taxpayer money is being used to pay her salary.
“That money that shouldn’t have been paid to that person, per the NRS code, who’s money does it come out of the pocket? You can’t take that money back,” he said.
We did reach out to Dr. Loria through a variety of means- by calling her, texting her, through email, and even reaching out on twitter but we didn't get a response by airtime.
