CCSD blames teachers union for 47 schools having shorter days

The Clark County School District is blaming the teachers union for a change to start and end times at approximately 47 schools.

The Clark County Education Association — which represents more than 18,000 licensed employees — has refused to consider contract waivers for more than six months without “additional, unreasonable concessions,” the district said in a statement Wednesday.

“Our students will bear the brunt of CCEA’s unreasonable demands, and learning loss will occur with reduced classroom time,” district spokesman Tod Story said in the statement. “Should CCEA continue its bad faith, obstructionist tactics of refusing contract waivers, our licensed professionals at these schools will see a reduction in their work hours, which estimates show results in over $10 million less in pay. Our teachers and especially our students deserve better!”

Administrators at affected schools will communicate with parents about the changes for the upcoming school year, which begins Aug. 7.

The district and union are in the midst of a contentious collective bargaining process over a 2023-25 agreement.

Last month, Superintendent Jesus Jara told the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s editorial board that CCEA’s demands would put the district in a deficit, calling the union’s ask “astronomical.”

CCEA said its demands include a salary adjustment for all educators — 10 percent in the first year and 8 percent in the second year.

The union said in a statement Wednesday that after the state legislature allocated more than $2 billion in additional K-12 education funding — plus $250 million more for educator raises — “CCSD still refuses to pay educators what they deserve.”

“It is the height of hypocrisy for CCSD to demand that educators extend their school day without adjusting their pay with a salary increase, especially when the money is there,” the statement read.

About 2,000 educators left the district over the past school year, CCEA said, noting parents should be outraged that 35,000 students won’t have a classroom teacher due to vacancies.

CCEA said thousands of educators will attend a meeting July 29 to determine next steps if there’s not a contract in place before the new school year starts.

“In the meantime, CCEA holds firm on its position that Jara should be fired or resign,” the union said. “Students and educators cannot afford another three years of his failed leadership.”

Change to impact pay

The district said that about 47 schools will see less instructional time, resulting in students in “some of the most underserved communities” not receiving a total of 171,000 minutes of class time the district planned to offer.

The change will also affect pay for more than 3,000 employees, the district said, noting contract waivers provided additional incentives for extended work time.

Waivers allow individual schools to not follow certain provisions of the collective bargaining agreement.

If administrators at a school want a schedule that deviates from the district’s standard school day of six hours and 11 minutes — such as extending the school day — a contract waiver must be agreed upon by CCEA, the district said.

“Without the approximately 106 contract waivers approved for approximately 86 schools,” the district said, “some schools will be forced to change their schedules, reducing instruction time for those students and impacting families.”

Contact Julie Wootton-Greener at jgreener@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2921. Follow @julieswootton on Twitter.