Nevada panel advances bill to extend targeted pay for hard-to-fill teacher positions

Assembly Bill 398, a proposal to fund targeted pay for teachers in hard-to-fill positions, was advanced by the Nevada Senate Finance Committee on a voice vote Tuesday after a hearing that included educators, district officials and unions.

The bill, presented by Assemblymember Steve Yeager, would appropriate $45 million in each fiscal year of the upcoming biennium (a total of $90 million) from the state general fund to provide additional compensation when a district fills a position it designates as “hard to fill.” The bill directs the Interim Finance Committee (IFC) to administer the program for the first biennium and then move administration to the Nevada Department of Education for future years.

Yeager told the committee the payment is intended to be a base‑pay increase tied to filling hard-to-fill jobs, not a one-time bonus: “This bill provides a targeted solution, offering additional compensation to the educators who step up to teach where they are needed most in some of the most challenging environments.” He said the $90 million estimate is intended to produce roughly $5,000 per filled hard-to-fill position statewide, using Clark County School District vacancy snapshots and a 1.25 multiplier to estimate statewide need.

John Ballardita, executive director of the Clark County Education Association, described local experience using funds from last session’s SB 231. He said Clark County had about 5,250 hard-to-fill Title I positions and 1,905 special-education vacancies in a recent snapshot — roughly 7,110 total — and that applying $5,000 toward those positions produced steep vacancy reductions. Ballardita said the district saw a 53% reduction in Title I vacancies and an 84% reduction in special-education vacancies in the period measured after funds were applied.

Marie Neisess, president of the Clark County Education Association (CCEA), and several district and association witnesses testified in support, saying the targeted pay reduced vacancies in the district’s highest-need schools and that providing continuity of licensed educators is a prerequisite for improved student proficiency.

Opposition testimony came from the Nevada State Education Association, which urged expanding the proposal to include education support professionals (ESPs) and other licensed professionals it said are frequently excluded from targeted payments. Alexander Marks of NSEA said the bill’s exclusion of ESPs and some charter staff left important roles unaddressed and urged an amendment to expand eligibility.

Yeager and witnesses acknowledged the exclusion of charter schools and ESPs from the bill as drafted, saying fiscal constraints motivated that choice and that the bill includes a process through IFC to consider charter pay equity going forward. Yeager added a reporting and review path: section 8.3 directs the IFC subcommittee on education accountability to examine district use of funds, compensation levels and educational outcomes.

The committee voted to move the bill forward on a motion to “do pass” (mover: Senator Wynne; second: Senator Cannizzaro). Several senators spoke in favor during debate; two committee members explicitly said they would vote yes during the work session. The motion passed and the bill will proceed from committee.

Why it matters: supporters said targeted increases directed toward the highest-vacancy Title I and special-education positions produced measurable staffing gains in Clark County and could be replicated statewide. Opponents asked for a broader definition to include other classroom-adjacent professionals and more complete statewide costing; proponents said IFC reporting will allow the Legislature to monitor outcomes and consider expansions.

Next steps: If enacted and funded, IFC would collect district vacancy reports under the bill’s timetable and distribute funds when a hard-to-fill position is filled; the IFC education accountability subcommittee will have authority to review use and outcomes.

Votes at a glance: the committee approved the motion to advance AB 398 by voice vote; the record shows the motion carried and Senator Neal was marked absent excused.