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Parents Need To Know: They Have An Important Role To Play In The New CCSD Reorganization

The new Clark County School District (CCSD) reorganization plan has the potential to create a more inclusive environment that empowers parents to advocate for what is best for their local schools.  

 

Under the plan, every school will be designated as a “precinct.” Newly created  “organizational teams,” made up of equal numbers of parents and teachers will make recommendations for the management of the precinct. Teams will develop strategic plans for precincts and school budgets. They will also make staffing decisions;. for example, they may decide whether to hire a school counselor for the coming year. The team will also help the school principal make curriculum decisions. They may determine whether a school becomes more STEM-focused, for example.

 

The CCSD reorganization plan means the potential exists for schools to become more responsive to their local communities. But that can only happen if parents’ voices are heard loud and clear.   

 

School-level parent organizations could play an important role in encouraging parents to participate in their organizational teams. However, a majority of CCSD schools -- about 60% -- do not currently have an organization that represents parents. In low-income neighborhoods, only one in five schools has a formal parent organization.

 

Educate Nevada Now (ENN) staff members have been speaking with  parents in low-income and other communities. Most parents have not heard about the CCSD reorganization. The handful of parents who are aware of this change do not understand how the reorganization process works or how they can be involved. A significant number of parents do not feel that school principals are accessible and said they might feel intimidated by the prospect of participating in such a significant way in their local schools.

 

Parents also expressed frustration with the lack of communication from school administration. They recommended using a phone app for school-parent communications.

 

Parents worried about being able to participate in school meetings. One parent summed it up best: “I have never been able to attend parent meetings at my child’s school because the meetings are scheduled in the morning when I work.” It’s clear that in order for the CCSD organizational teams to work as they are designed to do, team meetings will have to accommodate parents’ schedules.

 

ENN’s discussions with parents have demonstrated that more work is needed to fully engage them in the CCSD reorganization and ensure that the new system is success and truly collaborative. In addition, many schools need to work on developing parent trust even before the reorganization gets off the ground.



ENN is working hard to make sure that parents will be active partners under the CCSD reorganization plan. If you are a CCSD parent, or you know CCSD parents, who would like more information about the reorganization plan and opportunities to have input on how the new “precincts” operate, please contact ENN at amartinez@educatenevadanow.com. Clark County children will benefit from strong organizational teams with real parent participation.
 
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