In January, budget cuts throughout Nevada were estimated to be $565 million. K-12 education alone is set to lose $116 million in funding. Gaming and sales tax revenues, Nevada education’s number one source of revenue, are rapidly falling.

Chief Financial Officer of Clark County School District, Jeff Weiler, said, “eighty-five percent of our budget is salary and benefits,” meaning that CCSD staff may receive a pay cut, have their position reassigned, or lose their job. This is dependent on a “reduction in force” or RIF.

Many teachers in CCSD are concerned about their job security, but SWCTA is growing in size and creating jobs for teachers.

“This happened to me last year,” says science teacher Timothy Vankirk. He is not worried because “our school is growing in size, not getting smaller.”

Ninety administrators in CCSD were alerted of their reassignment back to teaching positions or lower-level admistrative positions over spring break because they did not have the required seniority to retain their jobs as administrators.

According to the CCSD contract, demoted administrators will be placed in a vacant teaching job in their major before any new teachers will be hired.

Educational funding falls further away from the national average each year, leading towards fewer resources for students, including textbooks, computers, library books, and classroom supplies. Nevada already ranks at or near the bottom of K-12 education systems in the nation.

“We won’t be getting the best education that is available to us if they keep having budget cuts,” says freshman Alexas Giese.

Programs may suffer from the cuts as well. Funding for extra-curricular activities and athletics have the potential to be cut as well, making fundraising more important as schools will be in desperate need of money.

“I don’t want them to take sports away and things such as sports equipment,” says freshman Norma Basulto.

Budget cuts are still coming, making many worry what will be cut next and how it will affect the students.