To address the shortage of special education teachers, Clark County School District (CCSD) is partnering with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). Their collaboration has placed over 70 special education teachers in district classrooms through the Nevada Collaborative on Autism and STAR endorsement, a joint effort between CCSD’s Student Services Division and UNLV’s Department of Special Education.
The initiative aims to place trained educators in classrooms and create a steady pipeline of certified teachers. Superintendent Jhone Ebert said, 'Every family deserves to know that their child has a highly effective licensed teacher in their classroom.' Dean Danica G. Hays from UNLV told FOX5 Vegas the program is already enhancing support in autism and STAR classrooms.
Thanks to the Nevada Recruitment and Retention Grant, current CCSD teachers can receive $6,000 to help cover tuition and fees in exchange for committing three years to a STAR classroom. The grant also applies to teachers with general special education licenses who make the same commitment. CCSD’s newsroom first reported the incentive.
The first cohort has placed 71 teachers in autism and STAR classrooms this school year, while 31 teachers have enrolled in the second cohort. The third cohort is planned for Spring 2026, demonstrating the program’s ongoing commitment. Interested parties can contact UNLV’s College of Education or visit their website for more information.
