Nationwide teacher shortage impacting Las Vegas schools; what CCSD is doing to address the issue

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - Just last month superintendent Jesus Jara said that this shortage is a challenge for CCSD and that the district is working with the teacher’s union along with human resources recruitment department to address the issue.

CCSD said it has more than 1,300 teacher vacancies but has made some progress. It has hired over 200 in the last week but still not enough to fill all the classrooms with a teacher

The district said last month 26 schools have more than 20% of their teaching positions open.

Kelly Elementary for example has more than 40%.

A majority of the schools with higher vacancy percentages are in areas with high African American and Hispanic populations.

The district says it is doing everything it can to hire and retain teachers.

This is what it has done so far:

• Last month, the district announced it is raising the starting license teacher salary to $50,115 from the previous pay of $43,011.
• Pay for substitute teachers in Title I - Tier I schools is also increasing with the pay beginning at $150 a day and increases as high as $200 depending on the position.
• Pay for substitutes in other positions starts at $110 a day.

CCSD said along with increasing pay for staff, people in other departments are going to have to step in to help with subbing.

“Central administration, including myself, we will be going down and subbing classes as well, to kind of alleviate the problem, the problem is going to improve over the course of the year, but we are all together on the same team,” said recruiting director for CCSD Brian Redmond.

CCSD said it is also sending a team of recruiters to states across the nation to find teachers.

School for CCSD students begins Monday.

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