LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Black students make up about 16% of the Clark County School District student population but account for more than 39% of suspensions and nearly 42% of expulsions, according to first-semester district numbers.
WATCH | Justin Hinton hears from CCSD's superintendent:
Despite those disparities, the district recorded a 54% decrease in discretionary suspensions for Black students during the first semester of the 2025-2026 school year.
Parents have raised concerns that Black students are disciplined at far greater rates than any other ethnic group, and that when they try to address the issue with educators, they feel unheard.
When asked about those concerns, Superintendent Jhone Ebert acknowledged the gap while noting the numbers are trending in the right direction.
"I appreciate the question because how they feel and what reality is are two different things sometimes. Sometimes, not all the time. I want to be crystal clear about that, but those numbers with the disproportionality are actually going down," Ebert said.
When pressed on the fact that Black students are still disciplined at a higher rate than their white counterparts, Ebert confirmed that is the case.
For context, white students make up about 19% of the student population but account for 11.5% of suspensions and 10.5% of expulsions.
Ebert said the district needs to build on recent progress.
"We need to lean in on the momentum and what we're now doing that we weren't doing before," Ebert said. "What we're doing today that now works."
Kevin McPartlin, associate superintendent of the Education Services Division, addressed the district's approach during a February school board meeting.
"Our lessons learned are grounded in the fact that relationships matter. Relationships between staff and students, as well as with our staff and families, are key to managing student behaviors," McPartlin said.
Ebert said parents who feel they are not getting support at the school level have options.
"If they don't feel they're getting support at the school level building, the school building principal does have a supervisor and the region superintendent who will lean in and on what is transpiring. In some instances, you have to agree to disagree on what consequences there are," Ebert said. "If a student has escalated in a certain way, there needs to be consequences, and sometimes the parents don't like the consequences. I understand that, but if they are breaking the rules, there are consequences."
Ebert said the district is working to balance accountability with treating all students the same and described the effort as a work in progress.
Reducing discipline disparities is part of the third pillar of the Destination District strategic plan, which focuses on creating safe and supportive schools.
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.
