Next week, more than 300,000 students will head back to school in Clark County, the fifth largest school district in the country.
It’s no secret that Nevada’s education system has long taken a backseat to powerhouse industries like tourism and entertainment — and the consequences are clear.
The state consistently ranks near the bottom nationwide. According to U.S. News & World Report, Nevada is the 14th worst state for education overall and ranks fourth worst in Pre-K through 12th grade. It also faced the worst teacher shortage in the nation for the 2023-2024 school year.
And Nevada lawmakers and education advocates have worked to pull the state out of its long-standing education slump.
In 2023, Governor Joe Lombardo signed the largest education budget in Nevada’s history. This year, lawmakers made those raises permanent. The governor also signed a bipartisan measure aimed at increasing access to early childhood education and accountability standards for school districts.
So, what kind of impact are those laws having on schools across the state?
This year, the district is starting off on a positive note. Right now, CCSD only reports about 280 classroom vacancies — compared to just over 1,000 at this time last year — and says they've hired more than 2,700 licensed teachers going into this school year, which is about 450 more than last year.
Guests: Jhone Ebert, superintendent, Clark County School District; Assm. Selena Torres-Fossett, teacher, Clark County School District; Rebeca Dirks Garcia, administrator, CCSD Parents Facebook page
