Clark County School District (CCSD) Superintendent Jhone Ebert said the potential academic benefits of changing school start times outweigh the multimillion-dollar project’s price tag, even as schools brace for budget cuts for next school year. 

Most high school students would start at 8:30 a.m., an hour and half later than they currently start. 

During a Feb. 19 one-on-one interview with The Nevada Independent, Ebert said research shows changing start times could result in a 2-percentage or 3-percentage increase in students’ test scores — which she said would be significant for a district of about 280,000 students. A former Henderson high school math teacher, Ebert said most students are not ready to learn at 7 a.m. 

“If that is going to help our students learn, I’m all up for it,” she said. 

At a Jan. 20 press conference, Ebert stated the shift may result in a one-time cost of $5.6 million for additional buses, which will be covered by district bond funds, and an annual cost of $5.1 million for additional staffing and maintenance of the additional buses, which would be covered by its general fund. 

It comes as the district, which had a $3.9 billion budget this year, is anticipating lower revenue next school year as student enrollment declines partially because of lower birth rates. Higher employee costs after recent staff pay raises are also stretching the district’s revenue. 

The district is projecting $50 million less in per-pupil funding for its schools. In addition, the district is cutting $20 million in its budget at the district administration level. 

School districts across the state and in other states such as California are facing similar financial challenges. 

The district said in a fact sheet that it’s working on an operational and efficiency study to identify areas where it can reduce overhead costs and pass on those savings to schools. Ebert said that the report, which hasn’t been done since 2011, should be completed this summer. 

Student walkouts

CCSD students were among the youth nationwide that have skipped class to protest against the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement actions after federal agents fatally shot two people in Minnesota. 

Some parents have raised concerns on social media about the walkouts and how easy it seems for students to leave campus for any reason. 

Ebert said district officials aren’t able to physically block students from leaving campus. 

The district has said students who participate could be marked as tardy or absent, and that absence could be considered unexcused. Ebert added that students could also be declared truant, which happens if they have an unapproved absence for one or more class periods, preventing them from participating in sports or other extracurricular activities. 

Ebert’s message for students is they “need to be in class during class time, period.” She also recommends parents have conversations with their students about attendance. 

“They can participate in those events after school,” she said. “They can participate in those events on weekends. They should not be happening during the school day.”

But as an educator, Ebert was supportive of students being civically engaged. 

“That is our job, to create great thinkers who will become legislators, become reporters and that they can be productive, happy citizens who can advocate for themselves,” she said.

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News briefs

Lawmakers give final approval to fund incentives for hard-to-fill teacher positions — Last Thursday, lawmakers signed off on school districts’ plan to use their share of $45 million that was allocated during the 2025 legislative session to help them recruit or maintain staff in hard-to-fill teacher positions. 

Under AB398, a position is considered hard to fill if it’s located at a Title I school that meets a certain vacancy rate (15 percent for high schools, 12 percent for middle schools and 10 percent for elementary schools). It could also include critical subject areas such as English language arts, mathematics, science or special education. 

The Clark County School District, which will receive 73 percent of the funds or about $30 million, will target Title I schools that meet high-vacancy thresholds and specific special education positions. The funds would be distributed to eligible teachers as part of their base pay and will be subject to retirement contributions. 

Other districts planned to use the funds to provide eligible employees with a one-time bonus. 

But some districts such as those in Eureka, Lincoln and Storey counties declined the shares of the funding as they did not have positions that met the “hard-to-fill” definition set by AB398. Others requested less funding than they were eligible to receive. 

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Victor Wakefield said the Nevada Department of Education intends to redistribute the leftover funds to school districts who requested more support. 

Sen. Dina Neal (D-North Las Vegas) questioned why CCSD should receive these funds after it announced that more than 1,200 teachers, administrators and support staff may be surplused next school year in anticipation of funding reductions. She also asked if the district can simply move the staff that will be surplused next year to their vacant, hard-to-fill positions. 

Sen. Marilyn Dondero Loop (D-Las Vegas), a former CCSD teacher, explained that being surplused doesn’t mean these employees have necessarily been let go. It just means that they may have to move to a different school. 

CCSD Chief Financial Officer Justin Dayhoff added that where these employees land will depend on what areas they are licensed or qualified to work for. 

Clark County School Board trustee running for state Senate — North Las Vegas Councilman Isaac Barron, also an appointed Clark County School Board trustee, announced last Tuesday that he is running for the state Senate seat held by fellow Democrat Sen. Edgar Flores (D-Las Vegas). 

The North Las Vegas City Council appointed Barron to the board in 2024 after he had retired as a teacher at Rancho High School. It was their second time selecting him for the position, though the initial appointment was later reconsidered to avoid a potential conflict of interest because of Barron’s then-employment status as a CCSD teacher. 

Barron is the second CCSD trustee who has attempted to run for a higher office this election cycle. Trustee Lydia Dominguez announced a bid for Nevada’s Congressional District 3, held by Rep. Susie Lee (D-NV), but the Republican withdrew her candidacy in December.

Barron said in a Tuesday text message that if he wins the race, he would step down as a trustee because it could potentially be considered a conflict of interest to hold both positions at the same time.

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Reading assignments

Will Lombardo-backed measure affecting trans athletes make it to ballot? Judge weighs suit

A Carson City judge heard arguments over whether the form to gather signatures for the ballot question sufficiently explained its effect and if it is legal for a ballot initiative to force a government entity to take certain actions.

Trump tax program could grow private schools. Critics fear it could tie Nevada’s hands

Though school choice supporters are hopeful the program could help more students access private school and help those schools grow, a public education advocacy group is concerned the program may not shape up to be as beneficial for the state as proponents think.

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Read more about this pilot program here.