CCSD campus security monitors could see pay boost

Las Vegas Review-Journal

2 years ago

Eldorado High School student Leilani Rodriguez, 15, protests outside the Las Vegas school on Ap ... — Eldorado High School student Leilani Rodriguez, 15, protests outside the Las Vegas school on April 19, 2022. It was the first day of classes following the violent assault of a teacher on the school campus. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto

Eldorado High School students Savannah Card, 15, holding sign left, and Sara Torrico, 15, holding sign right, protest outside the Las Vegas school Tuesday, April 19, 2022. It was the first day of classes following the violent assault of a teacher on the school campus earlier this month. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto

Students, from left, Brenden Sharp, 12, Leilani Rodriguez, 15, and Leslie Leonard, 17, protest outside Eldorado High School Tuesday, April 19, 2022. It was the first day of classes following the violent assault of a teacher on the school campus earlier this month. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @KMCannonPhoto

Campus security monitors in the Clark County School District could soon see a pay increase of anywhere from $7 to $10 per hour.

The School Board will consider an agreement Thursday between the district and the Education Support Employees Association to reclassify the position to a higher pay grade.

If approved, campus security monitors would be paid $21.67 to $30.51 per hour. That’s up significantly from the current rate of $14.66 to $20.63.

Jan Giles, president of the Education Support Employees Association, said the union held a roundtable meeting with Superintendent Jesus Jara in November where he committed to helping get campus security monitors reclassified.

“We’re just grateful that it finally came to be,” she said.

The district said in a statement Tuesday to the Las Vegas Review-Journal that the agreement to increase pay is a “reflection of the critical role campus security monitors play in school safety.”

“As we continue working with state legislators to secure funding to compensate all CCSD employees competitively, we must remain competitive in seeking to retain and recruit the best candidates in support of our students,” the district said.

The pay increase would cost the district about $4 million annually.

The School Board will consider the agreement just days after a campus security monitor was shot Monday outside Von Tobel Middle School in northeast Las Vegas. The agreement was reached before the incident.

The Metropolitan Police Department said Tuesday that 18-year-old Jessie Rios was arrested and charged with two dozen felonies in connection with the shooting. The shooting happened a few blocks away from school and a “stray bullet” hit the campus security monitor, police said.

If the pay increase for campus security monitors is approved, it would go into effect at the beginning of the second pay period following the agreement being finalized.

Giles said she anticipates that could take effect in early June, after this school year ends.

It’s unclear if campus security monitors who are working during summer programs outside of their 9-month contract would see a pay increase during that time — or if they’d have to wait until next school year — but Giles said she hopes the district will honor that.

There are currently about 412 campus security monitors in the district and approximately 80 vacancies, Giles said, also noting the current pay isn’t competitive with other security jobs.

Campus security monitors must have a high school diploma or equivalent, in addition to a CPR and automated external defibrillator (AED) certificate.

A job description for the position says that monitors patrol campuses “to observe student behavior and prevent violations of school rules or unsafe activities which may include physical interventions.”

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