Governor Lombardo appoints rep to look into CCSD budget woes, orders compliance with state law
LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - After years of failing to follow state law and a multi-million-dollar budget blunder discovered this September, the state will be stepping in to oversee the Clark County School District.
Governor Joe Lombardo has requested the Clark County School District implement a corrective action plan and appoint a compliance monitor.
There has long been talk: is CCSD, one of the biggest school districts in the country, too big to function correctly? As a compromise to avoid breaking up CCSD into small school districts, a law was passed in 2017 giving schools and principals more power to make decisions and control their budgets than district leaders, something the state says still isn’t happening.
CCSD has had to answer over the years for failing to follow this reorganization law and when the district’s multi-million-dollar budget deficit was discovered this fall, principals were forced to redo their school budgets and teachers and programs were cut. Governor Lombardo and the Nevada Department of Education demanded answers.
Interim CCSD Superintendent Dr. Brenda Larsen-Mitchell responded with a letter saying the district did not “have the right processes and procedures in place.”
Gov. Lombardo and the Nevada Department of Education reviewed the school district’s budget issues. Superintendent of Public Instruction Jhone Ebert issued CCSD a notice of Non-Compliance Monday afternoon.
“After reviewing CCSD’s responses, NDE remains concerned about the district’s leadership, policies, and processes that prevented CCSD’s local school precincts from receiving timely and accurate funding information prior to the start of the 2024-25 school year,” said Ebert.
In October, FOX5 reported the district confirmed a $10.9 million shortfall and fired its Chief Financial Officer.
The action plan must begin implementation by Jan. 9, 2025.
CCSD will have to pay the Compliance Monitor $160 an hour and provide them with access to district meetings, buildings, information, and resources as needed.
When asked for comment, CCSD provided FOX5 with the following statement:
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