LAS VEGAS (KSNV MyNews3) -- After cutting a thousand teachers just last year, the Clark County School District is ready to hire almost twice that amount.
The School District wants at least 1,700 new teachers in the classroom by the start of the upcoming school year.
Some think the School District could have trouble achieving that goal because it has had its share of problems with underperforming schools, low funding and now a soon-to-be vacant superintendent seat.
The Clark County Education Association calls the hiring announcement bittersweet because they say it was made possible at the expense of current teachers. Union President Ruben Murillo says raises taken from teachers will pay salaries of about 700 new teachers.
“The news is bittersweet,” Murillo said. “We want additional teachers in the classroom, we recognize the class sizes are high, but at the same time what they're doing is they're funding these 700 teachers off the backs of teachers who lost money based on the money they would have received for education and experience.”
The School District expects money for the additional 1,000 teachers to come from the Legislature as well as from the vacant positions of 600 to 700 teachers estimated to retire this year.
The School District has about five months to get those 1,700 teacher positions filled. Officials say they plan to launch an online recruiting campaign and are also going to ask current teachers to come in on their free time and make phone calls to potential hires.
