Legislature must step up to help fill teacher void

The Clark County School District is growing at a rapid rate and the national teacher pool is shrinking, making it increasingly difficult to recruit talented educators to meet the needs of the district. Additionally, many higher education institutions are unable to produce an adequate number of educators, and alternative sources of teachers are not built to scale to fill all teacher vacancies in the valley.

Currently, the school district is serving around 318,000 students, and it began the school year with nearly 600 teacher vacancies. More than 76 percent of the open positions were at Title I schools. The district’s student population is projected to reach 320,000 by the start of the next school year, and the district estimates that it will need to hire nearly 2,600 new teachers in order to ensure that every classroom has a permanent teacher on day one.

But the alarming reality is, even if we utilize all Southern Nevada sources for teachers and talent recruitment, it is estimated that the district would only be able to fill about 1,300 of the 2,600 needed positions.

This information is about more than just numbers; these figures represent a problematic reality for our local students and educators. A good teacher is a critical component of a student’s academic performance and trajectory in life. An effective teacher can have an impact on a student’s likelihood of graduating from high school and ability to pursue post-secondary education or secure employment opportunities.

We are committed to helping local students and teachers succeed and ensure they are adequately prepared for the future. The long-term economic viability and strength of our community is dependent upon the success of our students.

As we work to increase the local talent pool, we are asking for full legislative support of Senate Bill 474, which would create the Great Teaching and Leading Fund. We must develop an increased talent pool from higher education institutions and alternative sources of teachers to ensure there is a highly qualified educator leading every classroom and that all students receive equitable educational opportunity.

The Great Teaching and Leading Fund will provide incentives for effective professional development and improvements to the educator pipeline. The fund will help increase the number of effective teachers and leaders serving students in Nevada and ensure that teachers and leaders are prepared and confident as they teach and meet the needs of their students.

Our students deserve an excellent education. We encourage Nevadans to reach out to their legislators and increase awareness of the need for more great teachers and leaders in our state.

We can help impact the future of our communities. We can help shape the trajectory of our state’s education system. We have no time to waste.

Staci Vesneske is the chief human resources officer for the Clark County School District. Victor Wakefield is the executive director of Teach For America-Las Vegas Valley.