CCSD trustees urged to delay superintendent search to let new board choose

Clark County school trustees came under fire Thursday from critics who said the board should wait until new board members are sworn in later this year to recruit a new superintendent. As many as four trustees could be replaced in November’s election.

“This board should not be making the decision,” audience member Robert Cowles said after a presentation on the superintendent search. “That should happen after the election and after the next board is sworn in.”

Other speakers had issues with the search firm’s track record of selecting viable candidates, and with scheduled meeting times that overlap with district employees’ working hours, leaving thousands of school employees unable to attend search meetings and interviews.

Former Superintendent Jesus Jara resigned this year after nearly six years in the position. His reasons for leaving are unclear, but he faced criticism over the handling of COVID-19 and student achievement. Brenda Larsen-Mitchell is the interim superintendent and will remain in that role until the board approves a new one.

The meetings Cowles asked the board to reconsider are scheduled for 9 a.m. on weekdays. Multiple trustees agreed with changing the time to allow employees to attend.

The board hopes to approve a finalist selection by Oct. 30, but that date is tentative, according to the search firm, Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates.

Concerns with search firm

Another public commentator, David Gomez, was concerned with HYA’s ability to vet candidates. He mentioned examples from across the United States where HYA was accused of not performing proper background checks.

In 2019, Vero News in Florida reported the firm had previously recommended candidates accused of sexual harassment and lying about their qualifications.

One CCSD trustee was concerned with HYA’s handling of the Memphis-Shelby County Schools superintendent search in 2023, where the firm was accused of not enforcing the board’s policy on minimum job requirements.

“You guys (trustees) are responsible, and I’m holding you responsible,” Gomez said. “I’m not saying fire ’em, but I’m saying check everything. Everything.”

Despite some of the accusations, HYA says it has conducted more than 1,000 successful educational leadership searches.

Transparency

To maintain transparency, the CCSD website will have a dedicated page for the superintendent search and will include access to the search timeline, links to focus group surveys, candidate profiles and event links.

Multiple decisions regarding the search will be made this month at a meeting tentatively set for July 25. Trustees will have the chance to define the timeline for focus group surveys and provide input on who those groups should be. At the special meeting, board members will decide whether candidates will be reimbursed for travel expenses, as the firm is conducting a national search.

The board will have the choice of conducting background checks on all candidates or just the final selection. At the meeting, trustees will decide on compensation for the position, which will affect advertising and screening, according to the firm.

Legislative platform

Trustees on Thursday also approved CCSD’s 2025 legislative platform for the session set to start Feb. 3 in Carson City.

Its platform prioritizes student-centered efforts, student achievement, access to high-quality teachers for all students and more funding. The bill drafts will be presented to the board at a future meeting.

To improve student achievement, the board also approved iNVest 2025, a platform created by the Nevada Association of School Superintendents. It focuses on increasing funding per student, an accountability system to ensure students succeed beyond current math and reading levels, and investment in mental health for both students and staff.

The next regular board meeting will take place Aug. 8, with a possible special meeting to address the superintendent search on July 25.

This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Robert Cowles’ last name.

Contact Ella Thompson at ethompson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @elladeethompson on X.