Report: 33% of CCSD staff have faith in leadership

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - A Culture and Climate Review report presented by an independent third party following an evaluation of Clark County School District said that the school Board of Trustees and district leaders need to “move policies and practices to the next level.”

The 50-page report was presented by the Public Consulting Group and was dated May, 2023. The report presented statistics in 17 distinct Tables of Figures, including categories such as “Staff understanding of focus,” “Staff perceptions of district leadership impact,” and “Staff perceptions of their work environment.”

PCG noted that it conducted the review between January and May of this year and said that the findings and recommendations presented are based on “analysis of qualitative and quantitative data collected over the course of the review.” The staff-wide survey yielded over 11,700 responses.

Some key statistics from the report were as follows:

• 48% were proud to tell others they worked at CCSD
• 45% said morale was high at their school
• 38% are proud of CCSD
• 33% felt supported by leadership
• 33% think CCSD leadership positively impacts students
• 27% of staff said they thought CCSD cared about their mental health

Regarding methodology, interviews and focus groups were conducted both virtually and in-person in CCSD buildings. PCG added that “the majority were conducted in-person over the course of two on-site visits.” Virtual focus groups were offered to allow greater accessibility for families. They were also offered in Spanish.

The report offered recommendations centered around “four key themes,” and they were:

1. Ownership and accountability for results
2. Transparency in communication
3. Focus on outcomes-driven decision-making and success for every student
4. Valuing the needs of the staff.

The report also offered specific suggestions, including revamping the board agenda for increased transparency and committing to “a vision of high expectations and quality instruction for every student.”

A separate section addressed “Board Leadership Practices” and it suggested implementing “guardrails” for the board and the Superintendent. Later, the report brought attention to the importance of stakeholder voices.

“Educators have to be included on the big decisions,” the report stated. “There won’t be any improvement without soliciting their input.”

Regarding student voices, the report found that “there is not a lot of communication from the Superintendent.”

“Things that are happening are not well communicated,” it said. It quoted a specific anecdote from one student who said, “The only memory I have of Dr. Jara is a video he sent about fighting and I was worried about getting expelled.”

It added that most students see the Superintendent for the first time at graduation, when they are leaving the district.

Staffing shortages and school safety were highlighted as additional priority areas.

“This is a unique time in the history of CCSD for the Board of Trustees and district leadership,” the report said in conclusion, “to build upon the recent turn to a more positive environment and use it to launch much needed new policies and practices, as recommended throughout this report.”

The complete report is available here.

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