District awaits outcome of bill on teachers’ raises

Terry Webster

Friday, May 25, 2001 | 11:30 a.m.

Clark County School District officials are eagerly awaiting the outcome of a bill that would provide funding for teacher raises and bonuses.

After hearing reports about the bill, school officials rushed off a fax to Gov. Kenny Guinn's office Thursday evening.

Superintendent Carlos Garcia said the letter asks the governor to "please do everything in his office to throw his weight behind it."

Guinn and Sen. Mark James, R-Las Vegas, Thursday unveiled a plan that would provide a 2 percent to 3 percent bonus for teachers this year, followed by a 2 percent raise in 2002.

Garcia said it was the third or fourth bill James has raised on the issue.

"I'll believe it when I see it," said Clark County Education Association President Sue Strand. "We'll have to wait and see if this goes through."

Other school officials said the bill is the best news they have heard from the legislative session so far.

The plan would raise an estimated $45 million to $50 million by establishing new business fees and shifting some tax revenues into the state's general fund.

Guinn also announced the state would budget for the 2003 legislative session by assuming a 4 percent to 5 percent raise on the teacher's salary scale over the next two years.

Additionally, new teachers hired by the district would receive a $2,000 bonus. Next year, new teacher's would get a $2,500 bonus.

With state funding still unknown, Superintendent Carlos Garcia Thursday gave the Clark County School Board a self-evaluation of his oversight of the district's finances.

The forms will be referenced by board members as they prepare for Garcia's first job performance evaluation June 28.

Issues cited on the forms range from the district's budget to the fund balance, a reserve account.

Out of 12 items, Garcia indicated he is in compliance with all but one.

One of the board's directives for Garcia was to prevent reserve accounts from dipping below an amount that, on its own, would be enough to sustain the district for 30 days.

The district's fund balance will be slightly lower than 2 percent of the total $1.2 billion budget, however. And that amount is only enough to run the district for fewer than five days.