VICTOR JOECKS: What CCSD teachers make is jaw-dropping

August 27, 2026 - 9:00 pm Before speaking further, answer these two questions: How much does the average Clark County School District teacher earn in total compensation? And how much does the average teacher earn in base salary? Earlier this week I asked my wife. For total compensation she guessed $80,000 and said, “I’m guessing high.” For base salary she guessed $65,000. When I gave her the actual figures, her jaw dropped in shock, though she remained strikingly beautiful. As of December 2025 the average district teacher made $129,350 in total compensation. The mean base wage was $84,768. Teaching is no longer a low‑paying job that is worthwhile only because of benefits and time off; it is now a high‑paying profession that still offers those advantages. Teachers earn far more than the parents of many students. In Clark County the median household income — household, not individual — was about $80,000 in 2024. Two married teachers earning the average salary would have a household income more than triple the median. It was not always this way. In 2015 the average district teacher received roughly $75,000 in total compensation, including an average wage of $51,000. While compensation has risen sharply, test scores have not. In the 2015‑16 school year 44.9 percent of third‑graders were proficient in math; in 2024‑25 the figure fell to 44.6 percent. In reading, third‑grade proficiency dropped from 46.2 percent to 43.6 percent. As I have noted for years, paying the same people more to do the same thing does not improve student achievement. Understanding these facts is a prerequisite for a discussion that could actually improve things. For one, benefits for the average teacher exceed $45,000. Much of that flows to PERS, which draws money from state employees and local governments across Nevada. I believe most teachers would prefer to receive more of that money now, even if it meant smaller retirement benefits later. The district should also consider a wage premium for experienced educators who agree to teach at low‑performing schools. Over the years the district has experimented with this approach; more should be done to attract the strongest teachers to struggling schools. Some teachers would likely argue that they work more than 40 hours a week during the school year — undoubtedly true — and thank you for serving your students so well. But the pay schedule does not reward teachers who prioritize their classrooms; it does the opposite. It mainly rewards teachers for being good students. Teachers climb the pay scale by earning advanced degrees, which often require student loans. Little wonder many feel financially strapped. If you have made it through this sure‑to‑be unpopular viewpoint of mine, I’ll offer this one for free. What the school board trustees earn is shocking — shockingly low. They earn $9,000 a year. If you want to attract more experienced people to the school board, the Legislature should increase the position’s pay. Set it at $150,000 and adjust it for inflation. Yes, the district and its $8 billion budget can afford it. It is time to stop repeating plans that have already failed.