ACTION PLAN to deal with the Teacher Shortage in the
Clark County School District

Design/Challenge Question: How can I put together an informational packet that explains the path forward to becoming a licensed teacher for individuals that have a degree in a non-education subject or are otherwise qualified to teach and share with similar work-related scholarships the necessary steps to become a licensed, salaried teacher with an Educational Studies degree from Arizona State University (ASU).

Advocacy Focus Statement (revised from the framing exercise): I am attempting to bring attention to an issue that would solve many of the issues the Clark County School District has by addressing the main issue at the root of most of its problems; understaffing.  As discussed in my needs assessment exercise, one of the top 3 problems facing my local school district are teacher shortages, most pressingly caused by the vaccine mandates, difficulties with teaching remotely and other hardships caused by the pandemic, now more than ever we need someone advocating for the positive benefits of becoming a fully licensed teacher, and sharing alternative routes to do so.

Actionable Goals:

  1. I contacted the Clark County Board of Education to discuss secondary licensure for teaching with a bachelor’s degree other than in education, they told me to call back later next month and sent me to the website (all the information is listed on ther "Background Page").
  2. As stated in my action plan I called the board of education, whom i thought was the proper authority, to find out what is need to become a fully licensed teacher after completing an Education Studies degree at Arizona State University so I can pass these details along to people working for an employer that pays for a college degree at ASU while working for them (Uber, Starbucks) to get interest among them at becoming a fully licensed, salaried teacher (with summers off). They directed me to the website and to call back if i had any questions.
  3. At a Zoom meeting I talk to my advisor at the Kappa Delta Pi Teachers Honor Society and they said while the CCSD in Las Vegas, NV is the 5th biggest school district, they weren't too familiar with the program of secondary licensure and agreed that the website is best.

Actions:

  1. Discuss secondary licensure
  • Find out what department handles this
  • Contact the organization I cite id module 1 exercise to gather what information they have on the topic
  • Gather as much information as possible off the CCSD web site on the matter
  1. Call the board of Education
  • Find out what number or department to call that handles these matters
  • Relay to them that I will be finishing my degree in education studies in December at ASU and that I am looking to become a fully licensed teacher
  • Put that information together to be passed on the other degree seeking individuals that work at Uber ort Starbucks that want to teach as well
  1.  Kappa Delta Pi research
  • Attend the next meeting
  • Ask one of the advisors or the chapter president what they know or who I should talk to about it

Timeline (list dates, deadlines):

  1. Discuss secondary licensure with CCSD Board of Education
  2. Call ASU Educational Studies Advisors
  3. Kappa Delta Pi research at a Zoom meeting

Budget/Resource:

The $299 TeachersofTomorrow.org charges to enlist their help, use their resources
The $50 annual fee to be a member of the KDP National Honor Society

Build your Team:

TeachersofTomorrow.org, 702-359-5081, Teach@NevadaTeachers.com
Gina Thornton, Guidance Councilor, CCSD, 912-818-7442

My Role as a Leader

As the leader of this project, it is my job to listen to the people, be empathetic to their needs, and learn my successes and failures as an advocate and find a better result for everyone involved. It is my job to know what is going on with my ear to the pulse of the situation and persuade stakeholders to follow me and buy-in to my ideas that benefit the greater good. I must take my ideas of ways to sold the national problem we are witnessing first hand in Clark Country schools and form a model, hypothesis or belief that followers can get behind. I must have the ability to foresee the need for future actions, or actions that foresee future difficulties, and build a community of practice of like-minded individuals that live together or meet regularly.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


The Clark County School District is the 5th largest school district in the US

Action Plan in ACTION!

Interview with Brad at my daughter's
kindergarten pick-up
Interview with Christina at my daughter's
kindergarten pick-up
Interview with Hailee at my daughter's
kindergarten pick-up


A Field Interview with a possible Stakeholder

Advocacy Topic: Extreme Shortage of Teachers in the Clark County School District in Las Vegas, NV
Advocacy Question: How has the shortage of teachers in the Clark County School District affected you as a parent and your child as a student?
Interviewee: Melinda Peterson (mother of a child at an Elementary School in the Clark County School District in Las Vegas, NV

1.  With the lack of teachers in your school, what shortfall has the biggest impact on your child?
Answer:  The largest impact for her was slightly larger classrooms (students in the classroom) then she would personally like, a few of her friends don’t have teachers they havew just long term subs. 

2.  How does that specially impact your child’s learning opportunity?
Answer: She feels like it hinders her child slightly because she doesn’t get as much one to one time with the teacher.

3.  Do you think the lack of (her answer) has or will change your child’s behavior if there isn’t a solution soon?
Answer: Not as much because her and her husband are very hands-on at home, so she doesn’t think it will affect her long term but she does hope she has a permanent teacher every year she is at the school.

4.  What changes if any have you already noticed?
Answer: She has seen minimal change because she actually has had a permanent teacher in the classroom since day 1 so she hasn’t had to “change hands” on a regular basis.

5.  Would you ever consider sending your child to a private school?
Answer: She has applied to have her daughter attend a private “magnet” school before, put her in a lottery, but weighing the pros and cons decided against it.  She really enjoys the experience her daughter has had at her current public school.

6.  Or opting for the online academy they have been offering but are having major issues with?
Answer: She has never given the remote academy a second thought after having to done it for her first year of pre-k during the pandemic.

7.  Do you think another teacher or a few teachers aid would solve that problem?
Answer: Melinda’s daughter’s class isnt too large but she agreed that additional teachers in the room would help and teacher because kids are full of questions.

8.  Have you ever thought about teaching?
Answer: As a child yes, as an adult no because she lacks the patience to be a teacher.  She can teach her own child, and would rather be a volunteer or bring snacks, but could not handle other people’s children.

9.  If I were to put together an information packet that highlights the quickest and easiest way to become a teacher would you be interested?
Answer: Not for her personally, but she has friends that would definitely be interested in it.  She thinks her husband would be better suited for a classroom for her, but she would definitely pass it on.

10.  They offer free tuition to ASU for working at Starbucks and driving for Uber, would you work a part time job to pay for a degree in education to become a licensed teacher?
Answer: She thinks that if more people knew about it they would be very interested but with her current situation with the kids but right now it wouldn’t work for her.

11.  Do you have a college degree or some college credits? Answer: Melinda has taken classes at UNLV.

14.  Do you think incentivizing people to become teachers would get the job done?
Answer: She does, if the pay and benefits were good enough, it wouldn’t hurt to consider.

15.  Do you think a one-time monetary gift or student loan repayment would be a more appetizing option?
Answer: She thinks a one-time gift would be better to0 entice people to become teachers because it wouldn’t be money out of someone else’s pocket like a tax break, it would be a chance for someone to get ahead, for example she gave a single mother working for her children.

16.  Would free childcare fort a parent who becomes a teacher at the school you worked at make it even possible to entertain the idea?
Answer: Melinda seemed enthusiastic about free childcare and that it would almost guarantee a mother to consider the change.  It wouldn’t make sense to pay for kids in daycare AND rack up student loans to go back to school so she thinks that would be a game changer for any parent taking this opportunity seriously

References

Kean, T.  (2021, August 24).  Shortage of trade school instructors means fewer industry workers. KTNV Las Vegas News 13.  Retrieved from https://www.ktnv.com/positivelylv/\/shortage-of-trade-school-instructors-means-fewer-industry-workers

Lane, T.  (2021, August 8).  CCSD teachers deal with burnout heading into the new school year | KSNV.  Las Vegas News Channel 3.  Retrieved from https://news3lv.com/news/local/ccsd-teachers-deal-with-burnout-heading-into-the-new school-year

Nagale-Pizza, L. (2021, September 12).  What to Expect from OSHA on COVID-19 Vaccine and Testing Rules. Society for Human Resources Management. Retrieved from https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/legal-and-compliance/employmentaw/pages/whatto-expect-from-osha-on-covid-19-vaccine-and-testing-rules.aspx

Teach in Clark County School District by Joining Nevada Teachers. (n.d.). Nevada Teachers of Tomorrow. Retrieved from https://www.teachersoftomorrow.org/nevada/ccsd.

White, M. (2021, August 30).  CCSD teacher vacancies reach four-year high of 750 - Las Vegas Sun Newspaper.  Fox 5 News.  Retrieved from https://www.fox5vegas.com/news/education/high-demand-at-ccsds-virtual-academy-has-leaders-asking-teachers-if-theyll-work-more-hours/article_846ebc70-0a01-11ec-bb8f-3f01854a0069.html

White, M. (2021, September 23).  CCSD staff vaccine mandate perplexes as concerns grow in parents and teachers | News | fox5vegas.com.  Fox 5 News.  Retrieved from
https://www.fox5vegas.com/news/ccsd-staff-vaccine-mandate-perplexes-as-concerns-grow-in-parents-and-teachers/article_28e1ebde-1cd5-11ec-9e23-5b1a1274873d.html.

 
© 2021 Sam Lopaze, a student at Arizona State University - TEL410