Nevada Schools See Surge of Inexperienced Teachers Amid Pay Boost

New data reveals that Nevada’s public schools are grappling with a significant increase in teachers with less than three years of experience. This surge coincides with a growing number of educators teaching subjects outside their licensed areas. The findings, published by the Nevada Department of Education, suggest noteworthy implications of recent legislative changes, including substantial salary increases for teachers.

The 2023 legislative session passed measures that raised teacher pay by as much as 20 percent across various school districts. Following these changes, the state has experienced a drop in teacher vacancies and an uptick in retention rates. School district officials anticipate these trends, noting that when vacancies arise, they are often filled by less experienced teachers or individuals lacking appropriate subject licenses.

According to education professor Brad Marianno at UNLV, the rise in inexperienced teachers is not inherently negative. He stated, “Inexperience doesn’t necessarily mean ineffective,” but he expressed concerns regarding the growing number of “out-of-field” teachers—educators assigned to teach subjects for which they are not licensed. He emphasized that especially at the secondary education level, having teachers without a strong background in critical subjects like math and science could negatively affect instructional quality.

As of the 2023-2024 school year, approximately 6 percent of teachers in Nevada public schools were classified as inexperienced, defined by having less than three years of contracted teaching experience. This figure rose to 10 percent in the following year. It is important to note that the state’s data collection has a cutoff date of October 1, meaning any educator hired after that date is not counted as having teaching experience. Moreover, the state considers teachers to have no prior experience if they fail to report their teaching history.

The increase in inexperienced educators is particularly pronounced in charter schools, where about 18 percent of teachers were classified as inexperienced in the last academic year, a rise of 7 percentage points compared to previous years. Melissa Mackedon, Executive Director of the State Public Charter School Authority, attributed this trend to the departure of veteran teachers, who moved to districts that could offer more competitive salaries. Notably, the 2023 pay increase legislation did not extend to charter schools.

Looking ahead, the 2025 Legislature is set to address this issue with a new bill (AB398) aimed at providing equivalent salary increases for charter school educators. Mackedon explained that some charter schools prefer hiring new teachers, allowing them to shape their teaching style from the outset.

Despite the increase in inexperienced teachers, both Clark and Washoe counties observed slight declines during the 2023-2024 school year, although they later experienced increases. The Clark County School District has successfully lowered its teacher vacancies to less than 300 out of about 18,000 licensed educator positions. Chief Human Resources Officer RoAnn Triana attributed this achievement to effective recruitment strategies bolstered by the recent pay increases.

While these pay raises have benefited many, some veteran teachers found themselves earning less than newer teachers with similar qualifications due to the new salary schedule. Nevertheless, Triana noted that there has been no significant evidence indicating that this discrepancy has prompted a mass exodus of veteran educators.

The district has committed $20 million over the next two years for pay adjustments for eligible teachers, with the aim of addressing salary compression issues. “We know that it may not solve it at this point,” said Deputy Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Jesse Welsh. “But we’ve made some steps in that direction to hopefully address some of those issues.”

In addition to pay adjustments, the district is utilizing incentives supported by state funding to attract more teachers to Title I schools, which serve low-income neighborhoods. Triana reported that, for the first time this year, principals at Title I schools had multiple candidates lined up for interviews, indicating a shift in the recruitment landscape.

The rise in out-of-field teachers is another area of concern. Charter schools have the highest proportion, with about 17 percent of teachers assigned to positions outside their licensed areas. The state defines an out-of-field teacher as one whose credentials do not match their current teaching assignment. While Mackedon acknowledged the importance of proper qualifications, she pointed out that educational outcomes remain the primary focus. “If 85 percent of schools are meeting standards in the state, I don’t know that we care that they also have the highest percentage of out-of-field teachers,” she stated.

In contrast, school districts generally enforce stricter licensing requirements. Mackedon noted that over 90 percent of charter school teachers hold some form of license or endorsement. Nonetheless, issues regarding the accuracy of out-of-field teacher statistics have emerged. The Clark County School District has raised concerns about state methodologies that may misrepresent their data.

Last school year, approximately 16 percent of teachers statewide received a “highly effective” rating, reflecting a slight increase from the previous year. These ratings are derived primarily from classroom observations as part of the state’s performance framework. However, this system has faced criticism for its reliance on a limited number of observations, which may not adequately capture the effectiveness of teaching practices.

As Nevada continues to navigate the complexities of its educational workforce, the implications of these findings underscore the importance of addressing both teacher experience and the challenges posed by legislative changes. The ongoing evolution of Nevada’s educational landscape will require careful monitoring and strategic interventions to ensure that all students receive the quality instruction they deserve.