Clark County Schools Open With Focus on Improvement and Safety

The Clark County School District commenced its new academic year on September 4, 2023, welcoming students back to classrooms across Las Vegas. With the return of students, school officials issued reminders to drivers about adhering to speed limits in school zones, particularly in light of a tragic incident in May that resulted in the death of an Arbor View High School student.

This year marks the first full term for Superintendent Jhone Ebert, who took on the role in March. Ebert faces significant challenges as she aims to improve the district’s academic standing, which has been under scrutiny. Emphasizing a positive outlook, she stated, “We want to make sure that we have academic success and that we have joy in the classroom.” Ebert highlighted the need for students to acquire skills that will enable them to build successful futures, noting that only about 30 percent of students transition to college.

The superintendent also pointed to improvements in teacher retention within the district. This year, 97 percent of classrooms are staffed by licensed teachers, a notable increase from previous years. The district has also improved its teacher retention rate by 6 percentage points. Furthermore, a tentative new contract with the Clark County Education Association has been reached, ensuring labor stability moving forward.

Despite these positive developments, academic performance remains a significant concern. Test scores for the 2023-24 academic year reveal that fewer than one-third of students in grades three through eight achieved proficiency in math, while only 39 percent were proficient in English language arts. The situation appears even graver at the high school level, where just 19.4 percent of students reached proficiency in math. The ACT results for 11th graders indicated that only 20 percent met the benchmarks in math, with fewer than half achieving proficiency in English language arts.

Ebert, who has extensive experience in education both as a teacher and an administrator, recognizes the complexity of the challenges ahead. She has indicated that improving proficiency rates to exceed pre-pandemic levels is a top priority. The expansion of pre-kindergarten education is expected to play a role in enhancing third-grade reading scores, although research on the long-term benefits of such programs is mixed.

While Ebert’s commitment to addressing these issues is evident, the path to improving academic outcomes will require significant changes. Her approach may necessitate challenging established norms within the education system, an endeavor that could lead to resistance from entrenched interests.

As the academic year progresses, the community will be closely watching to see how Ebert’s initiatives unfold and whether they result in substantial improvements in student performance throughout the district.