Megan Rauch Griffard

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Assistant Professor, College of Education
Expertise: Teacher retention, vacancies, and turnover, School funding, Crises, natural disasters, pandemics, and other disruptions to schooling

Biography

Megan Rauch Griffard is an assistant professor with UNLV's Educational Policy and Leadership program. Her primary research areas address: (1) teacher retention, vacancies, and turnover; (2) K-12 school finance, and (3) crises, natural disaster, pandemics, and other disruptions to schooling.

Griffard began her career in education in Nevada as a high school teacher in Clark County School District. At UNLV, she teaches courses that prepare aspiring school leaders to manage human and fiscal resources in schools.

She has shared her research in more than 30 peer-reviewed journal articles and policy papers, 15 national conference presentations, and 13 presentations to local organizations and other stakeholders in education policy. In 2023, Griffard received the Dissertation of the Year award from the American Educational Research Association's Leadership for School Improvement group.

Education

  • Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • M.S., Northwestern University
  • M.Ed., UNLV
  • B.A., Boston College

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education (higher ed), education (preK-12)

Megan Rauch Griffard In The News

Nevada’s traditional public schools are losing children to charter schools. Why?
The Nevada Independent
Jennifer Wolf’s third grade son is a vocal student with a budding interest in fairness and social awareness, she told The Nevada Independent. On multiple occasions, she said “he has approached his teachers to talk through situations and share his perspective on how certain classroom moments unfolded.” Wolf’s view is increasingly popular: Enrollment in Nevada’s state charter school network is up 2.3 percentage points this year. When Nevada’s State Public School Charter Authority (SPCSA) was founded in 2011, it oversaw approximately 11,000 students. Today it oversees more than 70,000.
US high school students lose ground in math and reading, continuing yearslong decline
The Nevada Independent
A decade-long slide in high schoolers’ reading and math performance persisted during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 12th graders’ scores dropping to their lowest level in more than 20 years, according to results released Tuesday from an exam known as the nation’s report card.
Nevada raised teacher pay in 2023. Two years later, vacancies have dropped.
The Nevada Independent
When Principal Anthony Nuñez first arrived at Cheyenne High School in North Las Vegas three years ago, the school was in crisis. About 40 percent of the school’s 100 teacher positions were vacant — causing larger class sizes and a heavy reliance on long-term substitute teachers.
As the school district welcomes 800 new teachers, veteran educators say retention remains a concern
Las Vegas Weekly
Megan Griffard’s early education career included a stint teaching at Mojave High School before she left to pursue her doctorate out of state. She returned in 2022 to find the Clark County School District battling a staggering 1,367 vacant teaching positions.
All Megan Rauch Griffard In The News

Articles Featuring Megan Rauch Griffard

UNLV Newsmakers 2025: March
Spring flowers
Campus News | April 3, 2025

The students and faculty of UNLV are springing into headlines around the country.

All Articles Featuring Megan Rauch Griffard