Government · Clark County

Clark County School District caps hours for most substitute teachers

The Clark County School District accepted a plan Thursday night to limit most substitute teachers to 719 hours or fewer in order to comply with a 2023 state benefits law.

November 12, 2026 at 11:46 PM · Vegas Support Center

Most substitute teachers in the Clark County School District will have their working hours capped at 719 hours or fewer under a compliance plan accepted Thursday night, November 12, 2026. The decision comes during a joint meeting of the Clark County School District Board of Trustees and the Audit Advisory Committee in Las Vegas as the district moves to follow a 2023 state law governing state retirement benefits.

Under the 2023 legislation, any substitute teacher who works more than 720 hours must either be enrolled in state Public Employees' Retirement System benefits or have their hours reduced. District officials announced that moving forward, only a select group known as Substitutes on Special Assignment will be allowed to exceed the 720-hour threshold due to the expense of providing the benefits. All other substitute teachers will be restricted to 719 hours or fewer.

District financial leadership stated that the rule was not put into place under previous administration leadership. Over the three years the district remained out of compliance, the issue affected approximately 2,600 employees and resulted in $48 million in unpaid benefit contributions. A district financial official told the joint meeting that corrective actions are underway and the district has brought itself into compliance.

During the meeting, board members raised questions, including why the district could not wait until the upcoming Nevada legislative session in February before restricting hours, a question the lawmaker who authored the original 2023 bill has also asked. A district financial official responded that the decision comes down to budget timelines and avoiding millions of dollars in additional financial risk that would otherwise go toward classrooms and students.

Substitute teachers voiced frustration over the hour caps, noting that some workers will reach the 719-hour limit by the end of the current semester or by the end of January. One substitute teacher urged the district to review the records of every eligible long-term substitute and calculate the full retroactive financial obligation owed to them, arguing that workers should not face hour cuts because the district failed to implement the law earlier. Another substitute noted the need to look for outside work or update resumes to make up for the lost classroom hours.

The district currently has a freeze in place that prevents adding new substitute teachers to its hiring pool. Officials stated Thursday night that the district will revisit whether to lift that hiring freeze given the new hour restrictions.

Source: News 3

More Clark County news →