UPDATED STORY: Clark County School District Superintendent Jesus Jara says he plans to be leading the "most improved district in America" in five years.
In his first State of Schools address the superintendent set a high bar for district performance looking toward 2024.
- No 1 or 2-star schools in CCSD
- 90 percent graduation rate
- 100 percent increase in college and career ready diplomas
- 100 percent increase in participation and performance in advanced placement (AP) and dual enrollment courses
Among the programs announced Friday to reach the goal was a pilot program alongside the Clark County Education Association and Clark County Association of School Administrators and Professional-Technical Employees to offer a $10,000 incentive to teachers and principals at a total of 8 Title 1 middle schools. Superintendent Jara said those bonuses would be recruitment and retention bonuses and offer an additional $5,000 bonus to successful principals.
Jara also discussed efforts to improve proficiency in math and English through a partnership with the Nevada System of Higher Education
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The superintendent also outlined efforts to improve job prospects for students not looking to earn a college degree, saying he is meeeting with business leaders to discuss ways to improve instruction so students are ready for apprenticeships, vocational programs and post-secondary programs upon graduation.
PREVIOUS STORY: Clark County School District Superintendent Jesus Jara will be giving his first State of the Schools Address on Jan. 11 at Thomas & Mack Center.
Jara will lay out his plan for the school district and address concerns that parents have brought up during recent town halls.
Parents told 13 Action News that they are concerned about class size, safety and graduation rates.
Jara has mentioned in the past that it everything comes back to supporting the principals and teachers, including getting more licensed teachers in the classrooms. There are currently about 400 unlicensed teachers in the district.
He will also be talking about his push to do more research on disproportionate discipline.
Right now, more than 40 percent of the suspended students are black even though black students make up just 13 percent of the entire CCSD student body.
Jara will also be looking at the achievement gap between highest- and lowest-performing students. That gap is approximately 40 percent.
