The Clark County School District (CCSD) and the teachers union (CCEA) are continuing contract negotiations, working without one since the start of the 2023-2024 school year. Spring Valley High School teachers and union representatives plan to work only contract hours.
Every two years, the district and the teachers’ union negotiate contracts for teachers. This includes pay and benefits such as healthcare. Since the summer, the CCEA has been bargaining fair contracts on behalf of teachers across the valley.
“We’re trying to get it done,” said IB Language and Literature Teacher Amy DeVaul. “So we can put this [issue] behind us and get to the business of teaching kids because that is what we are here for.”
If a contract decision is not made by the 27th, the CCEA is looking into only working contract hours, being from 6:50 to 2:01, and eliminating their extra time spent after for sports, and extracurricular activities.
CCEA Representative of Spring Valley and History Teacher Jill Jaeger said that the district is refusing to increase teachers salaries and working conditions from the legislature, despite having the money to do so.
“The teachers’ union went to Carson City and won all the money they asked for…” Jaeger said. “But the other unions didn’t go and the superintendent didn’t even ask for money, yet everyone else benefits from the teachers’ dollars.”
The CCEA contends the use of Senate Bill 231 funds for teacher salary increases, yet the district argues that the money will not be there after 2025 to continue.
“There’s money,” said IB Spanish Teacher Diane Hardy. “Go ask the legislature for more. The teachers’ union go and lobby every year, and they would do it next to the district.”
School administration received a little over a 20% bonus before the start of the school year, while returning teachers are receiving less than a 2% raise. Meanwhile, the district upped the start pay for new teachers to around $50,000, matching some that of the veteran teachers salaries who have been in the district for years.
“Their focus is to obtain new teachers, but it rather should be to retain the teachers already here,” Jaeger said. “A lot of us are upset that they won’t give us the raises we deserve.”
Spring Valley teachers see this issue negatively affecting students and their school environment.
“When you look at teachers that are burnt out, overworked, and underpaid, it affects their performance in that classroom,” DeVaul said. “Some teachers have to work two jobs to make ends meet. Then, they can’t give their one-hundred percent in their day job, and that affects students.”
“We are underdeveloped, and we already know how low Nevada is on the achievement list,” Hardy said. “You can’t have consistency for children, retain teachers, and have high achievement with [this] level of treatment.”
Students gathered with teachers and CCEA members at the August 10th rally outside of Spring Valley, showing their displeasure of the current contract negotiations as well.
“There is definitely a way for students to get involved. It starts by getting informed because it ultimately affects kids directly,” DeVaul said.
Jaeger believes that the CCEA and the district will end up in arbitration if an agreement is reached.
“My biggest wish is that my employer would see me as a human being and treat me with respect and dignity,” DeVaul said.
