School Board approves Jones’ request for consultants

The Clark County School Board on Thursday unanimously approved $375,000 in consultant contracts sought by new Superintendent Dwight Jones, who wants outside analysis and recommendations for improving schools.

Clark County School District employees and union representatives questioned the expense, asking whether the district needs another “strategic plan” that would only collect dust on a shelf.

Jones promised to be accountable and transparent. He is paying the consultants with donations from the Lincy Foundation because he doesn’t want to use public funds.

The consultants are Ken Turner, a former deputy to Jones when he was the Colorado education commissioner; Frederick Hess, an education reformer and blogger for Education Week; Quality Leadership Resources, whose founders worked with Jones in Wichita, Kan.; and Vista Communications from Denver.