LAS VEGAS – Superintendent Jhone Ebert calls for increased funding in 2027 to improve teacher retention and drive school performance.
For years, the Clark County School District (CCSD) has struggled with declining grades, low enrollment numbers, high teacher vacancies, and ongoing budget shortfalls. Last year, the CCSD reported a staggering $20 million deficit. Now, under Ebert’s leadership, the outlook is more optimistic as she prepares for the 2027 legislative session with the goal of securing additional funding.
This push follows the success of the 2023 funding increase, which resulted in a 26% increase in the budget. In an interview with the Nevada Independent, Ebert said that the recent decrease in teacher vacancies is proof that the funding infusion has paid off.
“I think so many times in Nevada, we’ve had these proof points of, ‘Yes, you make this investment and the children will achieve,’” she said.
According to district data, the vacancy rate for this academic year is 2% lower than the average for the previous six years, and the teacher retention rate stands at approximately 94%. However, this year, state lawmakers were only able to increase the statewide base per-pupil funding by $2.
Ebert emphasized that in order to continue to improve the school district and increase funding, Nevadans must be willing to support policies like property tax reforms to generate more income for K-12 education.
“If we want things to go up in a positive way, we need to make an investment,” Ebert said. “Our children … make up about 20 percent of the population right now. They are 100 percent of our future.”
It’s not just the communities Ebert has to sway, but also Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo.
