Clark County School District
Encyclopedia
The Clark County School District, , is the 5th largest school district in the United States
. It serves all of Clark County
, Nevada
, including the cities of Las Vegas
, Henderson
, North Las Vegas
, Boulder City
, and Mesquite
; plus the census-designated places of Laughlin
, Blue Diamond
, Logandale
, Bunkerville
, Goodsprings
, Indian Springs
, Mount Charleston
, Moapa, Searchlight
, and Sandy Valley
. The district is divided into 7 Regions and, in addition to the general schools, it also operates 25 Alternative Schools and Programs. The district has limited involvement with charter schools and, with the exception of providing some bus service, does not have any involvement with the private schools in the county.
mandated consolidation of all state school districts into 17 county school districts. This change meant that 14 separate school districts in Clark County would become part of the new Clark County School District.
R. Guild Gray stated before a Board of School Trustees meeting on February 1, 1956 that the district would be larger than political subdivision in the state of Nevada. R. Guild Gray, who was superintendent at the time of the former Clark County School Dist. No. 2, believed the district would be larger than the state highway department with 1,300 employees and an annual budget of $7,250,000.
Prior to 1956, each of the individual school districts in the county ran independent of each other, serving their respective cities and/or CDPs.
When the district began in 1956, enrollment was just over 20,000 and Clark County had about 103,000 residents. The district would continue to face challenges in the coming years. Funding was its biggest challenge and had been for many years as it contends with explosive population growth.
This resulted in a very high demand for teachers to staff the classrooms. As a result, the district had to be creative in finding teachers to hire including recruiting of teachers from other states and other countries.
Since 2008, the statewide recession has impacted the Clark County School District. The District has seen a reduction in the number of students, and is facing budgetary shortfalls .
Current members of the Board of School Trustees are:
fleet
with a fuel mixture containing 20% biodiesel
. Due to its location in the Mojave desert, there is not much native material that can be used to create biodiesel fuel, so the district partnered with Biodiesel Industries to use the grease from area restaurants as an additive. Due to tourism, the area generates twice the national average of 3 gallons of grease per resident per year, making this a reliable feed source for biodiesel fuel.
A student must register for school transportation when they register for school. A routing and scheduling program determines student transportation eligibility, assigns bus stops to eligible students, and notifies parents of the arrangements. It is not uncommon to expect older students, middle school
and high school
, to walk to and from school with distances up to three miles one way. For these students, air quality is a concern, as is heat. Temperatures at the beginning of the school year have been known to exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit. It is suggested that students susceptible to health conditions related to heat and/or air-quality receive transportation to school.
Many of the schools built during the 1970s and 1980s were built in circular designs. An example of this design is the one story, 9-month middle school, B. Mahlon Brown Junior High School in Henderson. These schools are usually with one directional hallways with several different "wings" with each hosting different subjects (e.i. 100's Language Arts, 200's Mathematics, 300's Science, etc.).
In order to deal with the rapid increase in students, some of the district elementary schools are on a 12 month schedule
. At these schools, the student body is divided into 5 tracks. Four of the tracks are in school and the 5th is on a break. This allows the school to hold 33% more students without overcrowding. Tracks are assigned and some preference is given to families with children in middle or high school to be assigned to the track that most closely matches those schedules. Starting with the 2010-2011 school, all schools will be on a 9 month schedule.
The district also will add portable classrooms which are modular building
s at many schools to provide additional space for classes. These are not desirable solution since they usually reduce the outdoor play areas and parking.
The district has contracted with Edison Schools
to operate several schools in an effort to improvement performance at these selected schools.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It serves all of Clark County
Clark County, Nevada
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,375,765 people, 512,253 households, and 339,693 families residing within the MSA. The racial makeup of the MSA was 71.6% White , 9.1% Black, 5.7% Asian, 0.8% American Indian and 12.8% of other or mixed race. 22.0% were Hispanic of any race...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, including the cities of Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, Henderson
Henderson, Nevada
-Demographics:According to the 2000 census, there were 175,381 people, 66,331 households, and 47,095 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,200.8 people per square mile . There were 71,149 housing units at an average density of 892.8 per square mile...
, North Las Vegas
North Las Vegas, Nevada
North Las Vegas is a city in Clark County, Nevada, United States, located in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The city was incorporated on May 16, 1946.-Geography:...
, Boulder City
Boulder City, Nevada
Boulder City is a city in Clark County, Nevada, United States. It is approximately from the City of Las Vegas. As of the 2010 census the population of Boulder City was 15,023.Boulder City is one of only two cities in Nevada that prohibit gambling....
, and Mesquite
Mesquite, Nevada
Mesquite is a city in Clark County, Nevada, United States, adjacent to the Arizona state line and northeast of Las Vegas. As of the 2010 United States Census, it had a population of 15,277. The city is located in the Virgin River Valley...
; plus the census-designated places of Laughlin
Laughlin, Nevada
Laughlin is a census-designated place in Clark County, Nevada, United States, and a port located on the Colorado River. Laughlin is south of Las Vegas, located in the far southern tip of Nevada. It is best known for its gaming, entertainment, and water recreation. As of the 2010 census, the...
, Blue Diamond
Blue Diamond, Nevada
Blue Diamond is a census-designated place in Clark County, Nevada, United States. The population was 282 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Blue Diamond is located at .-Demographics:...
, Logandale
Logandale, Nevada
Logandale is an unincorporated town located in Clark County, Nevada. The community is the home of the annual Clark County Fair and Rodeo. It began as a railroad station in 1912. It was originally named Logan but renamed to avoid confusion with Logan, Utah....
, Bunkerville
Bunkerville, Nevada
Bunkerville is an unincorporated town in Clark County, Nevada, United States. The population was 1,014 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the census-designated place of Bunkerville has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is...
, Goodsprings
Goodsprings, Nevada
Goodsprings is a census-designated place in Clark County, Nevada, United States. The population was 232 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Goodsprings is located at ....
, Indian Springs
Indian Springs, Nevada
Indian Springs is an unincorporated town in Clark County, Nevada, United States. The population was 1,302 at the 2000 census.-History:Indian Springs is named for the artesian spring that provides the area with water...
, Mount Charleston
Mount Charleston, Nevada
Mount Charleston is an unincorporated town in Clark County, Nevada, United States. The population was 285 at the 2000 census.Named for Mount Charleston, the highest point in the area, the town is in a valley of the Spring Mountains to the northwest of Las Vegas, noted for its hiking trails, and for...
, Moapa, Searchlight
Searchlight, Nevada
Searchlight is an unincorporated town in Clark County, Nevada, at the topographic saddle between two mountain ranges.-History:According to Nevada Senator Harry Reid, who has written extensively about his hometown, the most likely story as to how the town received its name was when George Frederick...
, and Sandy Valley
Sandy Valley, Nevada
Sandy Valley is a census-designated place in the Mesquite Valley in west-central Clark County, Nevada, United States. Sandy Valley has variant name of Sandy, Nevada. The population was 1,804 at the 2000 census. Sandy Valley is bordered on the East by the southern extension of the Spring Mountains...
. The district is divided into 7 Regions and, in addition to the general schools, it also operates 25 Alternative Schools and Programs. The district has limited involvement with charter schools and, with the exception of providing some bus service, does not have any involvement with the private schools in the county.
History
The Clark County School District began in 1956 when the Nevada LegislatureNevada Legislature
The Nevada Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Legislature is a bicameral body, consisting of the lower house Nevada Assembly, with 42 members, and the upper house Nevada Senate, with 21 members. All 63 members of the Legislature are elected from an equal amount of...
mandated consolidation of all state school districts into 17 county school districts. This change meant that 14 separate school districts in Clark County would become part of the new Clark County School District.
R. Guild Gray stated before a Board of School Trustees meeting on February 1, 1956 that the district would be larger than political subdivision in the state of Nevada. R. Guild Gray, who was superintendent at the time of the former Clark County School Dist. No. 2, believed the district would be larger than the state highway department with 1,300 employees and an annual budget of $7,250,000.
Prior to 1956, each of the individual school districts in the county ran independent of each other, serving their respective cities and/or CDPs.
When the district began in 1956, enrollment was just over 20,000 and Clark County had about 103,000 residents. The district would continue to face challenges in the coming years. Funding was its biggest challenge and had been for many years as it contends with explosive population growth.
Growth
Due to the large number of families moving into the Las Vegas area, the school district saw tremendous growth in student enrollment from the 1990s through 2007. Several bond issues were approved by the voters to help the district deal with this growth. This has resulted in many new schools being constructed. In some years, as many as 16 schools have opened.This resulted in a very high demand for teachers to staff the classrooms. As a result, the district had to be creative in finding teachers to hire including recruiting of teachers from other states and other countries.
Since 2008, the statewide recession has impacted the Clark County School District. The District has seen a reduction in the number of students, and is facing budgetary shortfalls .
Regions/Areas
- Area 1
- Area 2
- Area 3
- Area 4
- Educational Services Division (inter-regional, includes alternative schools)
- Student Support Services Division (inter-regional, includes Special Education schools)
- Superintendent's Schools (inter-regional, started in 2006-07 school year)
Board of Trustees
The school district is governed by a seven member board of trustees elected from sections of the county. The current superintendent of schools is Dwight D. Jones who was appointed by the board in November 2010. School board members serve staggered four year terms.Current members of the Board of School Trustees are:
- Deanna Wright - Clerk - District A (term expires in 2012)
- Chris Garvey - District B (term expires in 2012)
- Dr. Linda Young - Vice President - District C (term expires in 2012)
- Lorraine Alderman - District D (term expires in 2014)
- John Cole - District E (term expires in 2012)
- Carolyn Edwards - President - District F (term expires in 2014)
- Erin Cranor - District G (term expires in 2014)
Clark County school superintendents
- R. Guild Gray, 1956-1961
- Harvey N. Dondero (interim superintendent), 1961
- Leland B. Newcomer, 1961-1965
- James Mason, 1966-1969
- Kenny GuinnKenny GuinnKenneth Carroll "Kenny" Guinn was an American businessman, educator and politician. He was the 27th Governor of Nevada from 1999 to 2007. He was a member of the Republican Party and a former member of the Democratic Party....
, 1969-1978 - Claude G. Perkins, 1978-1981
- Charles Silvestri (interim superintendent), 1981-1982
- Robert E. Wentz, 1982-1989
- Brian Cram, 1989-2000
- Carlos A. Garcia, 2000-2005
- Walt Rulffes and Agustin Orci (interim co-superintendents), 2005-2006
- Walt Rulffes, 2006-2010
- Dwight D. Jones, 2010-present
Transportation
Since the district operates in a valley that has had air quality concerns, it currently operates most of its busBus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
fleet
Fleet vehicles
Fleet vehicles are groups of motor vehicles owned or leased by a business or government agency, rather than by an individual or family. Typical examples are vehicles operated by car rental companies, taxicab companies, public utilities, public bus companies, and police departments...
with a fuel mixture containing 20% biodiesel
Biodiesel
Biodiesel refers to a vegetable oil- or animal fat-based diesel fuel consisting of long-chain alkyl esters. Biodiesel is typically made by chemically reacting lipids with an alcohol....
. Due to its location in the Mojave desert, there is not much native material that can be used to create biodiesel fuel, so the district partnered with Biodiesel Industries to use the grease from area restaurants as an additive. Due to tourism, the area generates twice the national average of 3 gallons of grease per resident per year, making this a reliable feed source for biodiesel fuel.
A student must register for school transportation when they register for school. A routing and scheduling program determines student transportation eligibility, assigns bus stops to eligible students, and notifies parents of the arrangements. It is not uncommon to expect older students, middle school
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
and high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, to walk to and from school with distances up to three miles one way. For these students, air quality is a concern, as is heat. Temperatures at the beginning of the school year have been known to exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit. It is suggested that students susceptible to health conditions related to heat and/or air-quality receive transportation to school.
School buildings
To reduce construction costs, most schools are being built to standard designs. These designs are adapted to the various sites to deal with different topographies and site sizes. While most elementary schools are single story building, the district has built some demonstration schools using two story plans so that smaller sites could be used allowing schools to be located in built up areas that do not have space for a traditional single story design.Many of the schools built during the 1970s and 1980s were built in circular designs. An example of this design is the one story, 9-month middle school, B. Mahlon Brown Junior High School in Henderson. These schools are usually with one directional hallways with several different "wings" with each hosting different subjects (e.i. 100's Language Arts, 200's Mathematics, 300's Science, etc.).
In order to deal with the rapid increase in students, some of the district elementary schools are on a 12 month schedule
Year-round school
A year-round school is a school that runs for 10 months with a cumulative 2 months of break distributed throughout the year, without the usual multiple-month summer vacation. They are most often found in the United States...
. At these schools, the student body is divided into 5 tracks. Four of the tracks are in school and the 5th is on a break. This allows the school to hold 33% more students without overcrowding. Tracks are assigned and some preference is given to families with children in middle or high school to be assigned to the track that most closely matches those schedules. Starting with the 2010-2011 school, all schools will be on a 9 month schedule.
The district also will add portable classrooms which are modular building
Modular building
Modular buildings and modular homes are sectional prefabricated buildings or houses that consist of multiple modules or sections which are built in a remote facility and then delivered to their intended site of use...
s at many schools to provide additional space for classes. These are not desirable solution since they usually reduce the outdoor play areas and parking.
The district has contracted with Edison Schools
Edison Schools
EdisonLearning Inc., formerly known as Edison Schools Inc., is a for-profit education management organization for public schools in the United States and the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1992 as The Edison Project, largely the brainchild of Chris Whittle...
to operate several schools in an effort to improvement performance at these selected schools.
See also
- List of the largest school districts in the United States by enrollment
- KLVX Communications GroupKLVX Communications GroupThe KLVX Communications Group is the broadcasting/instructional media division of the Clark County School District in Clark County, Nevada.The KLVX Communications Group is responsible for the operations of television station KLVX , 20 closed circuit broadcast TV channels, and satellite downlink and...
owned by the school district; which operates KLVXKLVXKLVX is a Public Broadcasting Service member public television station, serving the Las Vegas DMA in Nevada. Owned by the Clark County School District, the station first signed on the air as Nevada's first public television station on March 25, 1968...
(PBSPublic Broadcasting ServiceThe Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
member station known on-air as "Vegas PBS")