Union predicts district teacher shortage in fall

Terry Webster

Friday, June 1, 2001 | 10:15 a.m.

A fall teacher shortage appears inevitable, according to the Clark County Education Association.

But the Clark County School District's top administrator for personnel is reluctant to make that prediction just yet.

Hiring and keeping good teachers is just one of the issues raised repeatedly by the teachers union over the past several months. The union's latest push to raise awareness of the need for more state education funding was scheduled to take place with a rally today at 3:45 p.m. at East Charleston and Nellis Boulevards.

George Ann Rice, assistant superintendent for human resources said that to date, out of 902 offers of employment made to teacher candidates, 520 accepted and 151 rejected the district. A total of 231 candidates have yet to respond.

"We've been working very hard and we'll continue to work hard," she said. "We've got another two months left. I would not want to make an evaluation of the situation right now."

John Jasonek, executive director of the union, however, said he believes there is "no question there will be a teacher shortage."

"College is already out and we're not the only people out there who are hiring," he said. "The district ought to have better than half of its hiring done by now."

According to Jasonek, the district needs up to 2,000 teachers to fill all current vacancies and staff the 15 new schools opening in the fall.

Superintendent Carlos Garcia has estimated the district will lack 500 teachers when school opens.

School officials claim Clark County is having trouble attracting and keeping teachers because of the the rate of pay offered -- $26,847 for a first-year teacher with a bachelor's degree -- for working in an urban district.

"There is more stress in an urban district," Jasonek said. "That's why other large urban districts are doing everything they can to be competitive."

School officials have bemoaned being unable to afford the offerings of other school districts, such as signing bonuses, moving expenses and other perks.

In recent talks, Gov. Kenny Guinn and Sen. Mark James, R-Las Vegas, endorsed a plan to raise $35 million for teacher raises by implementing new business fees. The plan would provide a 3 percent bonus this year and a 2 percent raise next year for teachers.

The education budget must be finalized by Monday, as the Legislature by law must adjourn that day.

"Some money is better than no money," said Jasonek. "But it's not enough to end the educational crisis. As we speak, the system is eroding."

One of the ways it's eroding, said Jasonek, is by continual increases in student-to-teacher classroom ratios.

"We're packing more kids into a class," he said. "Just think about it in terms of classroom quality."

Before and after regular school hours, teachers have held a series of rallies at schools throughout the city over the past couple of weeks. About 100 of the district's 250 schools participated, according to the union.

The rallies began in February, starting with a public demonstration near the Chamber of Commerce office on Howard Hughes Parkway. Others included a march on the Strip and a demonstration outside of state offices on Washington Avenue.

Teachers throughout the state are calling for changes in education funding in order to pay teachers higher salaries and make improvements in education programs.

School officials have been lobbying lawmakers, parents and other groups, saying that the lack of education funding is causing a crisis.

Staffers from Las Vegas and Eldorado high schools, O'Callaghan Middle School, and Mountain View, Mendoza, Rundle and Wengert elementary schools were expected to participate in today's rally, union officials said.