LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – A parent shared his concern with 8 News Now Friday as Clark County School District leaders continue to come under fire for a potential budget shortfall.
Lenny Lither spoke with 8 News Now, referencing his mounting frustration with the Clark County School District.
CCSD staff, teachers already feeling impact of budget deficit “It’s just sad, we need leaders,” Lither said. “I feel like every year the school just gets worse.”
The father of two said he is especially worried about the state of his children’s education, as the district deals with a reported budget deficit.
“I am really thankful for the governor right now stepping in,” Lither said. “Because we need somebody to.”
Lombardo seeks audit into CCSD budget Governor Joe Lombardo issued public letters Friday to Nevada’s State Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro and the Nevada Department of Taxation, asking for steps to be taken to allow an audit of CCSD’s finances.
The district also released a statement Friday, dialing the issue down to higher-than-anticipated lawsuit payouts, cybersecurity expenses, an unanticipated change in enrollment, and salary increases.
You can read the full statement below:
“The Clark County School District (CCSD) identified a potential central budget deficit due to unanticipated increases, such as litigation and cybersecurity expenses, during its regularly scheduled accounting year-end close-out process, which typically runs through mid-October. The possible deficit did not impact the fall school budgets but we did inform principals for their awareness. The District will make every effort to absorb any identified central budget deficit to avoid impacting school budgets.
Student enrollment is confirmed each fall. There are changes between the budget estimates that schools received in January 2024 and the actual fall budgets they received in September 2024. Enrollment changes, salary increases, and a correction of an allocation resulted in some schools unexpectedly receiving both less money and higher payroll costs. Estimated salary increases communicated to principals in January 2024 were corrected in the fall 2024 budgets, including an increase by approximately $5,700 for teachers and other licensed employees. In addition, the data used to calculate at-risk funding for schools in the January 2024 budgets was corrected in the fall budgets.
Our commitment to transparently serving and supporting schools led us to work with principals throughout the process. We kept principals informed of issues as they were discovered and addressed, and we have been working closely with principals to support those experiencing significant challenges balancing school budgets for this school year.
If a central budget deficit is confirmed as the budget cycle concludes, we will keep our employees, families, and community informed and make every effort to not impact school budgets. We are also fully analyzing school allocation procedures to ensure we are able to improve estimates and accuracy, and we will share our progress along the way.”
“I’m disappointed that we are in a situation again,” Nevada Department of Education Board President Felicia Ortiz told 8 News Now. “That people are fearing for their jobs.”
Ortiz also vowed to take action Friday, as she told 8 News Now an agenda item has been added to next week’s state board meeting to allow the discussion of the next steps.
Lombardo pledges to investigate CCSD finances; union calls CFO’s resignation ‘culture of cover up and mismanagement’ “I think the biggest thing we can do is figure out what levers we have to pull,” Ortiz explained. “So what I have asked the District Attorney General to do is pull all the currently existing regulations and tell us where our name lies.”
CCSD leaders continue to emphasize every effort to avoid a direct impact on school budgets. Still, Lither told 8 News Now he is calling on someone to take significant action sooner rather than later.
“We need people that are going to show real leadership and concrete solutions,” he concluded. “Because we can’t keep waiting.”
In a press release, the Clark County Education Association stated that if CCSD doesn’t respond to the state’s request, “Governor Lombardo should look at taking further legal action under his authority, including putting CCSD into receivership.”
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
Local News
