LAS VEGAS (KSNV MyNews3) -- The Clark County School District announces that it will be hiring 1,700 new teachers.
This move could significantly reduce class size across the district. An arbitration victory for the School District in February, coupled with savings measures, gave the district the ability to hire the teachers.
A School District official tells News 3 that class sizes could be reduced by two to three students in each class.
In a news release sent out Thursday afternoon the CCSD expects to hire at least 1,700 teachers for the upcoming 2013-2014 school year.
Adding effective educators to the classroom is the top priority of out-going Superintendent Dwight D. Jones and is the result of a recent arbitration decision that saved $23 million for the upcoming school year, anticipated student growth and employee attrition.
Deputy Superintendent of Instruction Pat Skorkowsky emphasized the decision to put money back into the classroom where it can directly benefit students is part of continuing the transformation of the CCSD from the fastest growing to the fastest improving school district in the nation.
"The District's top priority has consistently been to lower class sizes and hire additional teachers," said Skorkowsky. "We plan to hire at least 1,700 additional teachers for the upcoming school year, and hopefully more depending on outcomes in the Legislature. This is a huge undertaking, and our Human Resources department is already working to attract applicants so we can recruit the best teachers into our classrooms and reduce our class sizes, which are among the highest in the nation."
Despite a slow economy, CCSD saw an all-time high enrollment of 311,429 students this year and anticipates at least 1,500 additional students next year.
Now is the prime time to hire teachers from other districts who are about to wrap up their existing contracts.
