A motion to extend Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association executive director Tim Jackson’s contract by three years failed Tuesday after the NIAA Board of Control deadlocked 6-6, reflecting deep dissatisfaction among Clark County School District principals.
Jackson’s current contract runs through the 2026-27 school year. The vote came during the first day of the NIAA spring Board of Control meetings at Eldorado High School, where CCSD principals voiced frustration during public comment and discussion.
“With all due respect to the board, I feel like the last two years, I’ve done everything to keep my job and have been doing my job,” Jackson said at Tuesday’s meeting. “We’re making the changes that are necessary. I think it’s time for us to continue to move forward.”
Colin McNaught, Cimarron-Memorial principal and a Southern representative on the board, said, “There is a broad, unanimous feeling of not feeling supported by our executive director in lots of different avenues.”
The tension stems in part from last month’s decision by 30 CCSD principals to move their football programs to independent status for the next two seasons, after the NIAA reversed course on football alignment and returned to the HRM points rating system following legal threats from Bishop Gorman.
“The majority of public high schools have lost a lot of faith in the NIAA and the board to do what’s best for our schools and for students,” Sierra Vista principal Jessica Lovell said during public comment.
Las Vegas High principal Raymond Ortiz added: “For the executive director to just say that he spent the last two years defending his job … and then making a bold declaration that he wants another three years extension upon that, that’s not a three years I want to see for my athletes.”
McNaught, who has been a vocal critic and initiated the independence discussions, was absent Wednesday when he was scheduled to lead a discussion on alignment policies for private and charter schools and a California Interscholastic Federation model of governance. Those topics were tabled until the summer board meeting.
“We are ignoring the voice of a majority of our organization. We continue to do that time after time,” McNaught said Tuesday. “High school principals are the ones we need to be listening to. … We continue to be ignored by this body.”
Eldorado principal Christina Brockett said, “The three-year extension, for me, is a little too much to say, ‘Yeah, let’s do another three years.’” She added she wanted to see what happens in the next year.
Jackson said Wednesday it is up to the board to decide when to revisit his contract and had no further comment.
Lacrosse, spirit update
The board also approved lacrosse as a sanctioned sport starting next spring, with a single classification (4A) and a playoff format. Eight Southern Nevada teams will qualify for regionals, with the Southern champion facing the Northern champion for a state title. Fourteen Southern schools have committed to offering varsity lacrosse: Arbor View, Gorman, Centennial, Chaparral, Cheyenne, Eldorado, Faith Lutheran, Foothill, Liberty, Palo Verde, Shadow Ridge, Sierra Vista, Sloan Canyon and Sunrise Mountain. Losee will offer only girls lacrosse.
Sanctioning of spirit as a NIAA sport was moved to the 2027-28 school year, with a pilot stage to allow more input. The NIAA will sponsor a state championship event for spirit programs next year.
