LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – A new salary scale for Clark County School District educators released last week has some questioning why new hires seem to be benefiting more than veteran teachers.
On Monday, CCSD Superintendent Dr. Jesus Jara apologized to veteran teachers.
“To our veteran teachers, I’m sorry that I couldn’t convince or have a conversation with CCEA about the inequities in the salary schedule that exist for those teachers that have given so much of their life to our community,” Jara said.
FOX5 also followed up with the Clark County Education Association, the largest teachers union representing some of those educators. CCEA seemed to point the finger back at CCSD, saying the district is responsible for the old pay schedule, not the union.
“Jara and CCSD placed people on that salary schedule, we didn’t. So if he didn’t properly place people where their compensation level is, that’s on him, not us. It’s very disingenuous for him to now say somehow the union is the reason why you’re placed at a lower salary schedule. The district, the employer places people on the salary schedule,” said CCEA Executive Director John Vellardita.
Now, we’re hearing straight from teachers who say they’re frustrated that the new contract is paying new teachers more. FOX5 spoke to five veteran CCSD teachers about this issue, four of them anonymously.
“I think the best word is ‘undervalued,’” said one anonymous CCSD teacher.
Many CCSD teachers are feeling the same way after the district sent out a new pay scale showing inequalities in pay for veteran teachers versus those hired after January 31, according to their calculations.
“If you place me on this new salary schedule with a master’s, five full years in the district, it’s $80,126, which is almost $20,000—it’s the most outrageous thing—$20,000 more,” said another anonymous CCSD teacher.
Ernie Domanico, a CCSD teacher of 11 years getting his second master’s degree, said he called CCSD Contracting himself and confirmed the rate for a new hire compared to his salary, even after the newly negotiated 10% raise.
“A brand-new hire with my same education and experience will make approximately $87,000, which is a difference of $24,000 per year,” he said.
A CCSD kindergarten teacher with 16 years of experience and a master’s degree described a similar pay difference for new hires in their position and others.
“For me, it would be 20,000 specifically,” she said. “And for all of the other veteran teacher colleagues of mine that I’ve spoken with, and there were several, the range was anywhere from 10,000 to 25,000 dollars more.”
FOX5 also heard from another CCSD elementary teacher working on their master’s degree, who currently has a salary in the $50,000′s: “With nine years of experience, I should be getting $78,621.”
Multiple CCSD teachers told FOX5 that they’re now considering leaving the district for at least three years, hoping to return under the new, higher pay scale.
“If we did find out that we could separate from the district for a few years and then come back at that higher pay, then I would absolutely do that,” said one anonymous CCSD teacher.
FOX5 reached out to both CCSD and CCEA Wednesday to verify these calculations, and for any further comment since Monday, but we haven’t heard back.
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