Clark County School Board to welcome appointed trustees in 2024

Trustees heard an update during a Wednesday work session about implementing the law, but didn’t take action.

The School Board has seven elected members. Four non-voting members — each serving a four-year term — will be added to the board. One each will be appointed by Clark County, as well as the cities of Las Vegas, North Las Vegas and Henderson.

Trustee Lola Brooks said the board should have a hard rule — something that was clear with the legislative intent — that municipalities are in charge of the process.

She said she doesn’t think the district or individual board members should involve themselves.

It’s up to municipalities to appoint a “professional human being that is not just a bomb thrower,” she said. “If they don’t, that’s on them.”

The district opposed Assembly Bill 175 during the state’s legislative session, arguing it’s a non-evidence based board structure that puts power struggles ahead of the needs of children.

Proponents cited turmoil on the board in recent years, including arguments among trustees and the board’s split decisions to fire Superintendent Jesus Jara in October 2021 and then reverse course the following month.

Director of Government Relations Patricia Haddad said the bill doesn’t prescribe a process around trustee qualifications or for local governments to make appointments.

The law applies to school districts with more than 75,000 students. In Nevada, that’s only Clark County.

Originally, the bill also applied to the Washoe County School District, but that wasn’t included in the final version, Haddad said.

Letter to local governments

In a July 11 letter to local governments — which is posted with online meeting materials — School Board President Evelyn Garcia Morales requested the name of each new appointed trustee and a copy of the official record that reflects their appointment after those decisions are made.

She wrote she expects local governments will make appointments between Oct. 3 and Dec. 2 to meet requirements under state law. New trustees will take the oath of office Jan. 2.

Newly-appointed trustees should expect to complete at least 30 hours of “training and onboarding” before taking the oath of office, she wrote.

Garcia Morales also wrote she anticipates appointed trustees will participate in the Nevada Association of School Boards’ annual conference in early December in Las Vegas.

Board discussion

It’s hard to put new people in a system and plan for things beyond your control, Brooks said during Wednesday’s meeting.

She said the board, though, can prioritize transparency around the process. She suggested asking local municipalities about what process they’re going to use, and perhaps inviting them to present to the board and introduce their appointee.

Trustee Katie Williams said the more time the board spends on the conversation, the more it makes it look like trustees are fighting the law because they don’t like it.

She said she doesn’t think the state is trying to control the board, noting appointed members can’t vote. New appointed members will basically just sit and learn, she added.

Williams said she doesn’t think the board should ask local governments to bring their appointee to a public meeting or “parade individuals in front of the public,” but suggested a meet-and-greet with trustees.

Brooks disagreed, saying she wanted to do the opposite — lean in. Of hybrid boards and having board members with unequal power, lots of research shows this is a bad idea, she said.

She said she would like the children in the school district to not be harmed if she can help it.

Trustee Linda Cavazos said she respectfully disagrees with a comment that all the new trustees will do is sit and learn about what’s going on behind-the-scenes.

They’re going to have one-on-one meetings with the superintendent, and attend closed sessions and all meetings, she said, noting they’ll be “influencers.”

Cavazos said she hopes those who are appointed will be committed to their role as a trustee. “There’s quite a bit of work that goes into it.”

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