Garcia prepares for huge challenge ahead

Terry Webster

Tuesday, June 13, 2000 | 11:07 a.m.

Although there are plenty of issues to keep him busy, the Clark County School District's new superintendent will start by focusing on money.

"The budget is a real concern," said Carlos Garcia, who begins his reign July 5 as the new superintendent.

Garcia is inheriting a 2000-2001 spending plan with far-reaching cuts being blamed on a teacher pay increase.

Because of the cuts, vacant administrative positions will remain empty, class sizes will increase and the year-end fund balance will be reduced, said Superintendent Brian Cram, who retires at the end of July.

"One of the immediate issues that requires attention is the teacher shortage," Cram said. "We are experiencing significant difficulties in recruiting. The second is that we've had to make budget cuts that carried a lot of consequences."

Funding shortages are not a new concept to Garcia. He faced the same problem in California, where he served as superintendent of the Fresno Unified School District for the past three years.

"And we have a greater poverty rate here (in Fresno)," Garcia said.

Cram said school officials need to convince the state legislature to increase per-pupil funding. That is something the district has not been able to do.

"It's going to be hard," Garcia said. "My question is, 'Are your kids worth it?' "

Cram pointed out that funding from the state has remained flat for the last two legislative sessions.

"We're falling behind the cost of inflation," Cram said.

Stiff competition for teachers is another concern. And Clark County expects to hire nearly 2,000 teachers for the upcoming year.

Other school districts are offering higher pay, signing bonuses and additional incentives that Clark County can't afford, Cram said.

"We are experiencing significant difficulties in recruiting," he said.

Garcia also is studying the proposal by Assemblywoman Sandra Tiffany, R-Henderson, to break up the Clark County School District. He said he has reservations about the plan's potential to create wealthy and poor districts.

"My gut feeling is to be opposed to it, but I'm willing to listen to all of the information," Garcia said.

Cram said that after he retires, he will remain available to help Garcia.

"My goal is to help make him be as successful as possible," Cram said. "It's going to be difficult to make the transition from one setting to another. But he's very personable and speaks well. I think our community is going to find him very appealing."

Garcia said his approach to learning the district will entail "being a good listener and a good learner. I believe the truth is usually somewhere in the middle."

Improving poor student test scores and reducing the country's highest dropout rate are among the other issues Garcia will have to tackle.

He's still excited about the challenges.

"I still think this is the most exciting opportunity in the country," Garcia said.

The School Board will use an upcoming workshop to help set goals and expectations for Garcia, said board president Mary Beth Scow.

"Of course, our number one concern is student achievement," Scow said.

Garcia already has secured a Las Vegas home, but before he moves here, he has some unfinished business to complete in California. He'll be taking a vacation along the California coastline.

"It will give me a chance to spend some time with my family before I become a work-a-holic," Garcia said. "The job is important, but your family is always more important."

Garcia will start with a $200,000 salary, combined with benefits that make the entire package worth $268,000 a year. He also has a moving allowance of up $12,000. That amount could be increased to as much as $20,000, but only with School Board approval.