New CCSD policy to impact Las Vegas area youth sports organization

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – One of the largest sports providers in the Las Vegas valley is concerned about a new policy from the Clark County School District that could impact youth sports.

Many families gather on weekends at different CCSD football fields to watch their children compete. They cheer them on as some run their first touchdown ever.

“It’s a feeling you can’t describe,” Andrew Binder said. 

He’s a father and also volunteers for National Youth Sports Nevada. 

“It develops into competition and real-life practice,” he said. 

Binder has been taking that practice and coaching kids since 2008.

He’s usually volunteering with the organization. 

National Youth Sports Nevada is a private youth sports organization offering several sports including soccer, volleyball, and flag football.

“I always pride myself on returning all my kids between seasons,” Binder said. 

But many may not come back at all.

Ben Joffe is also with the sports group and said he’s upset about a new policy.

“All outside vendors no matter what the sport is it can be cheerleading track and field football, basketball, it can be a local company, or an out-of-town tournament are required to have a minimum of two CCSD police officers on site for the entire time,” Joffe said. 

The group rents out CCSD facilities to run its programs.

“You advertise that over a season just the CCSD police bill for us now will be over $125,000,” Joffe added. 

Now, Joffe said the organization would have to pay about $60 an hour per officer for each event.

He added for one game on Saturday it would require about 30 to 34 CCSD police officers.

That averages to about $1,800 for one hour. 

According to the school district’s website, 186 officers protect its students and staff.

To help pay for the officers the Joffe said the organization would have to raise its prices. 

The district’s response: 

“Outside groups must utilize the CCSD facility rental process to use school district property for events, including community athletic organizations outside the school-sponsored season. As good stewards of taxpayer dollars, CCSD must balance the costs of providing safe environments for groups using facilities with the non-budgeted staffing costs for the outside event. Additionally, maintenance for added wear, tear, and damage caused by outside groups to district facilities should not be paid for using educational funds. The facility rental process is required for all outside groups who request to use school district property for events. The change in procedure was necessary to ensure the outside group paid all the required costs associated with the event and to minimize the need to send a supplemental invoice to the group after the event concluded. The requirements do not apply to school-sponsored activities; however, school police officers are assigned to larger school-sponsored activities. Additional CCSD staff are also assigned to work school-related events as a standard protocol. School-related activities take priority over any request by an outside organization to use a school district property. The rental process allows a site to advise the outside group of the facility’s availability while prioritizing CCSD’s priority of educating students. The District plans to continue evaluating facility and staffing costs associated with the facility rental process. As additional stakeholder information is collected, the District will continue conversations with community stakeholders regarding streamlining the process.”

“Our issue is not with the money going to the district for wear and tear,” Joffe said. 

But the drastic financial change.

As of last check with the school district, this rule has not gone into effect yet. 8 News Now also spoke to North Las Vegas Mayor Pamela Goynes-Brown. She said the district told her it’s working internally to come up with a solution to see how to lessen the burden on families.