Most of new CCSD associate superintendents come from similar posts

Eleven of the 16 new associate superintendents for the Clark County School District are currently assistant chief student achievement officers, a similar position that the district is eliminating as it moves forward in its massive mandated reorganization.

The leaders will oversee up to 25 schools in their designated performance zones, which will become more clearly defined as the district continues its overhaul work in the spring. The selection process will be finalized on Monday.

Meanwhile, the other five new associate superintendents are current principals in the district.

Associate superintendents will be paid salaries ranging from $91,956 to $123,156.

Chief Student Achievement Officer Mike Barton said the function of the new positions will be similar to achievement officers, but the approach will be different.

The district’s reorganization will give more power to individual schools, which will craft their own budget with input from principals and organizational teams.

“(With) more schools having decision-making authority over the budget, over the school improvement efforts, the role of the school associate superintendents will be to develop capacity and assist the principals with resource deployment, business operations, how to do business better with the resources that are available to the school,” Barton said.

State law holds the associate superintendents accountable for the performance at each of their schools. The leaders must also provide a quarterly report to the city in which their schools are located.

Desert Oasis High School Principal AJ Adams, who will oversee Performance Zone 11, said he feels his main role will be to support and mentor principals.

The new post gives the associate superintendents the benefit of molding the job to best provide for their respective communities, he said.

“It’s an exciting time because there are a lot of unknowns, but it gives us the opportunity to make it our own,” Adams said. “With the role being a little bit undefined, it gives us that flexibility to really do what’s best for our kids in the classroom.”

The district’s current performance zones, which groups schools based on both geographical location and school type, may be changed with the new reorganization.

Contact Amelia Pak-Harvey at 702-383-4630 or apak-harvey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AmeliaPakHarvey on Twitter.