Las Vegas Schools Struggle for Teachers

"What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas"…istake time away from lesson planning.
the most recent slogan to come out from the city,The school district will have to find more teachers
enticing tourists to come out and cut loose.using creative recruiting techniques. The number of
Unfortunately, Las Vegas Schools are struggling, whileapplications is down by a third from last year, and
the casinos enjoy seemingly limitless profits. In fact,Las Vegas Schools have almost twice the number of
most Nevada tax dollars actually go to the casinos!teaching positions still to fill.
Not only do the Las Vegas Schools struggle on aThe Las Vegas Schools superintendent Walt Rulffes
meager budget, but they also struggle consistently tosaid, "Everything revolves around the success of a
recruit and keep teachers. These folks,good teacher."
understandably, are the lifeblood of any schoolThe superintendent believes that quality teachers
system. Without the teachers, the students have noanchor all of his educational initiatives. Rulffes claims
guidance in their learning. Without the teachers, thehe has done everything he can to attract teachers -
city's 215,000 children would have no school.even partnering with national programs. In fact, many
The Las Vegas Schools recently made a public pleaLas Vegas Schools have teams of principals in cities
for teachers. The school district needs 1,163 teachersthat are downsizing their teaching staff, hoping to
to fill vacancies before August 2007. That is almostdraw those teachers to Las Vegas Schools. The
twice the number the district needed last year. Theregroup was recently in Detroit, a school district that is
are not many options if the vacancies are not filled.seeing a major decrease in its student population.
Fewer teachers means that the Las Vegas SchoolsThey are, therefore, dealing with the task of
will have to increase class sizes. Another solutioneliminating instructional positions, and those teachers
would be to require some teachers to teach secondneed jobs.
classes in addition to their normal workload; that will