HENDERSON (KTNV) — It's an issue that plagues all of the more than 350 Clark County School District (CCSD) campuses in the Las Vegas valley: parents lining up for more than an hour before school lets out, and parking in clearly marked "no parking" zones.
One viewer finally had enough after seeing it around Liberty High School in Henderson, and reached out to me to see what — if anything — can be done about it.
WATCH| Guy Tannenbaum talks to parents who park in "no-parking" zones before school lets out
Kim from Henderson writes:
"Why is it that there are tons of 'no parking' signs around every school in Las Vegas and Henderson, yet parents start parking in 'no parking' zones an hour before school lets out and school police do nothing to stop this practice?"
Kim was specifically referring to what goes on outside of Liberty on Bermuda Road, sending me pictures showing long lines of cars that were, indeed, parking in no-parking zones.
So, I wanted to take a visit to Liberty High School to check out the situation for myself.
Around 12:30 p.m. — about 45 minutes before school lets out — parents were starting to line up on the curb by clearly marked no parking zones.
As time went on, more parents kept on showing up, and around 1 o'clock, I wanted to ask some of the Liberty parents why they felt like they had to get there so early and park in a no parking zone — the answer probably won't surprise you.
"Because it gets really crowded, and the traffic is ridiculous," said Liberty grandma, Angelina Ortiz.
"I'm literally here 45 minutes to an hour before school lets out because I want to beat the traffic," Liberty mom, Dorena Berlanga.
Parents told me they were just following the crowd, trying to pick their students up as safely and as smoothly as possible.
"If I park across the street and she has to cross, it's so dangerous," Berlanga told me. "I want to be here to make it safer for her, and have an easier out for me as well."
Once school let out around 1:15 p.m., hundreds of Liberty students flooded sidewalks and crosswalks, and traffic was bumper to bumper.
By 2 o'clock, it's like school never even happened: the roads around Liberty were empty.
This issue isn't unique to Liberty High School, though — drive by any school in the district around pickup time and you'll see the exact same thing — so I wanted to reach out to CCSD to see how they address this valley-wide problem.
In a statement, a CCSD spokesperson told me CCSD Police's Traffic Unit currently only has six officers to cover roads around the district's 370 campuses here in the valley.
They're adding two more officers next month, but that still, obviously, leaves a substantial gap — the district tells me they're working with other law enforcement agencies and local municipalities to pick up the slack where they can.
You can read CCSD's full statement below:
"CCSDPD’s Traffic Unit currently has six officers. The Traffic Unit is focused on safety and visibility in and around school zones. Beyond enforcement, these officers are committed to educating drivers and pedestrians on the vital importance of traffic safety.
An additional two officers will be added to the Unit in February 2026 to enhance patrols around campuses throughout the school year.
CCSDPD continues to pursue available grants that can be used to supplement budget allocations from the District without reducing funding for classrooms.
Keeping our kids safe on the way to and from school is a community effort. CCSD is collaborating with the county, other municipalities, and law enforcement agencies on a School Traffic Safety Working Group to identify areas where we can work together to keep children safe on roads. We need the entire community to obey traffic signs and laws around all schools in Southern Nevada, including all 370 CCSD campuses, to keep children safe.
CCSDPD regularly communicates with other law enforcement agencies and municipalities to share community concerns about roads around school campuses. Those conversations continue year-round to provide law enforcement agencies with information they can use to inform their patrol schedules to increase traffic safety for everyone in the community. Additionally, CCSDPD regularly takes part in Joining Forces campaigns, a statewide partnership uniting 37 law enforcement agencies in efforts to improve roadway safety through education and enforcement."
Since Liberty High School is in Henderson, I reached out to City of Henderson officials to see how they're handling enforcing no-parking zones around schools.
A Henderson Police spokesperson sent me this statement in response:
"Henderson Police patrols school zones to ensure student safety, including speeding, reckless driving and hazardous parking. Enforcement of "No Parking" areas, including at Liberty High School, is handled during regular patrols of the area. Persistent issues can be reported to HPD through a Contact Henderson request at cityofhenderson.com. We remind all drivers to obey posted signs and for parents to follow school-designated drop-off/pick-up routes to help keep everyone safe."
CCSD officials remind everyone to obey traffic signs and laws around schools, too — even the no parking signs.
I asked Liberty parents if they wish the no parking signs would be enforced more, or if they were okay with the current situation.
"I'm fine with the way things are," Angelina Ortiz said.
Other parents, like Dorena Berlanga, told me they'd like to see more done to make school pick up smoother.
"If they had a better system where we didn't have to do illegal parking, I'd be all for it," Berlanga said. "I just feel like I have no other choice."
CCSD officials want to remind drivers that they have a full list of school zone traffic laws and rules, and ways to report their school traffic safety concerns at an easy-to-remember link: CCSD.net/SchoolZones.
If you have a question or concern about traffic or road construction around your neighborhood, you can also reach out to me directly, and I'd be glad to look into it for you: Guy.Tannenbaum@KTNV.com.
