LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — When kids go back to school next week, they'll see plenty of changes, from safety improvements to start times, teacher staffing and much more.
These changes are something parents hope will continue to improve the Clark County School District.
WATCH | Ryan Ketcham has a look at some of the changes parents are preparing for:
“I think they’re trying their best. I really do," said Susan Webber, who has lived in the Las Vegas valley for more than 30 years.
Webber has a lot of experience with this school district.
“I have three children," Webber said. All three of them attended CCSD schools. They're all grown up now and have kids of their own.
“Nine grandchildren, but I have seven of them still actually in school between grade school, middle school and high school," she said.
Those seven grandchildren attend CCSD schools.
Over the decades, she's seen the district change, but nothing like this year, according to Webber.
One of the biggest changes is to school start times.
Starting Aug. 10, CCSD middle schools will begin around 7:30 a.m., high schools around 8:30 a.m., and elementary schools around 9:15 a.m., with some exceptions.
The only grade level starting earlier than they did last year is middle school. All other grade levels are starting later.
CCSD says these changes will not affect how long a student will spend at school, though, just when they start and finish the day.
This change is making it tough for the Webber family.
"It affects my daughter, you know she's a single mom, as far as work time, no matter what time the kids start, she still starts work at 8 a.m.," Webber said.
Webber's daughter has a middle and high schooler. She says the benefits the high school student should see of more sleep and alertness aren't going to happen.
“They’ll probably still leave the house at 6:45 a.m," Webber said.
She said her daughter has to drop her high school student off with Webber or her grandpa to take them to school.
CCSD Superintendent Jhone Ebert says the district hears your concerns.
"I understand change, change is difficult at times, but we know that through the research that students will be ready to learn, the high school students, right. Leaning in on that," Ebert said.
CCSD says sleep, absenteeism and learning levels, plus the more than 48,000 survey responses from the public about the changes, were all taken into consideration before the district announced the new times early this year.
CCSD believes this change will bring the best outcome.
Meanwhile, students should also see a difference in the classroom.
"We have a 99% staffing rate, we only have 150 vacancies this year, so if you think about that, that's huge," Ebert said.
CCSD is saying this is the lowest number of teacher vacancies at the start of a school year in decades. The last time they were fully staffed was in 1994. This is the closest they've been to that point since.
CCSD believes these changes will help their ultimate goal of more graduates and better learning outcomes.
