LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Clark County School District will launch a new pilot program at two high schools and their feeder schools for the 2026-2027 school year as part of an effort to improve, track and hold underperforming schools accountable.
WATCH | Justin Hinton sat down with the district's superintendent to learn more about the program:
The pilot program focuses on Desert Pines High School and Western High School, both of which received 2-star ratings in the Nevada School Performance Framework, which scores schools on a scale of 1 to 5.
Nearly all of the middle schools and elementary schools that feed into both campuses also received 1- and 2-star ratings, with the exception of Twin Lakes, a feeder elementary school for Western High School. It received 3 stars.
The pilot program is designed around meeting student needs through high-dosage tutoring, after-school resources, and additional support focused on pre-K, early literacy, middle school math, and workforce and college readiness. It will also add 19 minutes to the school day, which amounts to 10 additional instructional days throughout the year.
CCSD Superintendent Jhone Ebert said the program also aims to build consistency across the K-12 continuum.
"That they're not experiencing different climate, culture, expectation when they move between, because that's where we lose some students," Ebert said. "It's in the transition from fifth grade to sixth grade and then from eighth grade to ninth grade."
When asked about accountability for school leaders at consistently underperforming campuses, Ebert acknowledged it was a difficult question.
The pilot program is a partnership with the Nevada Department of Education and the Clark County Education Association. It is funded by approximately $250,000 from the state.
Regular assessments will be used to track the program's progress, and within eight months, data will be available to share with state lawmakers.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
