LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – Fired without cause.
That’s how a top Clark County School District leader explains his abrupt end with the district.
We’re talking about former Chief Financial Officer, Jason Goudie.
It comes amid budget issues, and teacher pay raises.
FOX5 heard from Goudie, and parents of CCSD students on how these budgeting challenges will impact students, teachers and schools.
The parent of a CCSD student says she’s worried about after-school programs being cut, and Goudie says some schools might have to make some changes to their budget as well as some staffing changes. Something he’s familiar with.
“I was told that I was no longer employed by the CCSD district,” Goudie said.
The former CFO says this is all happening because there wasn’t a deal in place with the district’s largest teachers union, the Clark County Education Association or CCEA.
State law requires budget information to be sent well in advance.
Since there was no agreement on teacher raises, Goudie went with projections.
“By the time that we had to release budgets to schools in January of 2024 we did not have knowledge of exactly what the pay increases were going to be either for the 23-24 school year or the 24-25 school year, so we made our best forecast,” Goudie said.
That forecast, the CCEA argues, did not include CCSD factoring in the second year of teacher salary increases.
Those increases? Approximately $5,700 to the average salary according to a message sent to CCSD staffers late Friday.
So FOX5 asked Goudie if he felt the district needed to put the blame on somebody. “I don’t know,” Goudie said.
The executive director of CCEA thinks he knows, and worries about the domino effect of a budget shortfall.
“The release of the CFO is essentially a political scapegoat. There isn’t an example that we have heard at this point where it doesn’t mean a reduction in staff and possibly larger classes,” said John Vellardita.
The next steps for CCSD?
“There are some schools that have hired a number of positions that, as the increase affects them, they may need to make changes to their budget,” Goudie said.
That’s something that worries Stephanie Valdez, the parent of a CCSD student.
“I’ve already heard that some teachers, some admin positions, are getting let go because these schools have to make these cuts. They’re essentially being forced to,” Valdez said.
FOX5 reached out to CCSD asking them to address specific questions like if they’ll be forced to cut teachers, and if any school programs will be scrapped, but leaders didn’t directly answer our questions. Instead, we were provided with a message the district sent to staff Friday.
The interim Superintendent only says they found a potential central budget deficit.
Governor Lombardo is looking into the district’s budget to help determine the corrective next steps.
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