The next superintendent of the Clark County School District will have a fancy title, but not what he or she most needs — authority.
On Wednesday, the Board of Trustees selected its final four candidates. It will interview them in the coming week and again in March. The board is scheduled to make its final decision on March 13.
There’s a lot of public interest. The district serves around 290,000 students. Despite many terrific individual teachers and administrators, the district is a disaster that needs fixing. Less than 40 percent of third graders are proficient in reading. Less than 22 percent of eighth graders are proficient in math.
“This historic decision comes at an opportune time for the next leader to fulfill promises, utilize financial stewardship appropriately with education investments, and improve student achievement outcomes,” Marie Neisess, president of the Clark County Education Association, said in a statement.
This reflects how many people view this situation. They believe the district’s problems stem from failed leadership. If trustees would simply pick the right superintendent, he or she would swoop in and make needed changes. That would fix the district’s problems, finally boosting student achievement.
This is how it works in most industries. After a disappointing season, the Raiders fired Antonio Pierce and brought in Pete Carroll. The American people returned Donald Trump to the White House after four disastrous years under Joe Biden. Steve Jobs transformed a nearly bankrupt Apple into a juggernaut.
Leadership matters. But think about the approach those leaders took. Carroll revamped the Raiders’ coaching staff. Trump and DOGE are combing through the budget. Jobs axed products that weren’t working and developed new ones.
If leaders can’t control hiring, spending or innovation, they can’t lead. It doesn’t matter how talented, hardworking or likable they are. If someone can’t change a failing system, the system will continue to fail.
That’s analogous to what the district’s next superintendent will face. He or she won’t have a free hand to clear out ineffective employees, set the pay scale or reform failed policies. Thanks to Nevada’s collective bargaining law, many of those changes have to be approved by the CCEA. This gives its executive director, John Vellardita, de facto control of the district’s most important decisions.
Vellardita hasn’t just been running his association since 2011. He has long been the shadow superintendent.
Former Superintendent Dwight Jones came on board in 2010. The union bitterly fought his reform plans and attempts to control spending as the district struggled financially. Jones resigned in 2013.
The district then hired the union’s preferred choice — district veteran Pat Skorkowsky — as superintendent. In early 2016, under pressure from then-Gov. Brian Sandoval, Skorkowsky gave the union the massive teacher pay hikes it wanted. That led to a significant budget deficit that put the district on the brink of insolvency. Vellardita’s group then turned on Skorkowsky, who announced his resignation in 2017.
In 2018, Jesus Jara became superintendent. He tried to mend fences with the union by capitulating in contract negotiations. But when Jara wanted to undertake more substantial changes, the union opposed him. In May 2023, the union called for him to step down. Jara did just that in early 2024.
Vellardita controls the district but escapes responsibility for its continued failures. It’s a bait-and-switch.
This pattern is so obvious that in 2018 — before anyone knew Jara would get the job — I wrote, “CCSD’s next superintendent is going to fail.” I was right. Sadly, the conclusion I wrote seven years ago still applies today.
The job description says “superintendent,” but the district will really be hiring another fall guy.
Contact Victor Joecks at vjoecks@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4698. Follow @victorjoecks on X.
