2014 Nevada Revised Statutes
Chapter 391 - Personnel
NRS 391.019 - Regulations prescribing qualifications for licensure; fields of specialization in teaching; endorsements; issuance of licenses pursuant to alternative routes. [Effective through June 30, 2019.]

1. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 391.027, the Commission shall adopt regulations:

(a) Prescribing the qualifications for licensing teachers and other educational personnel, including, without limitation, the qualifications for a license to teach middle school or junior high school education, and the procedures for the issuance and renewal of those licenses. The regulations:

(1) Must include, without limitation, the qualifications for licensing teachers and administrators pursuant to an alternative route to licensure which provides that the required education and training may be provided by any qualified provider which has been approved by the Commission, including, without limitation, institutions of higher education and other providers that operate independently of an institution of higher education. The regulations adopted pursuant to this subparagraph must:

(I) Establish the requirements for approval as a qualified provider;

(II) Require a qualified provider to be selective in its acceptance of students;

(III) Require a qualified provider to provide supervised, school-based experiences and ongoing support for its students, such as mentoring and coaching;

(IV) Significantly limit the amount of course work required or provide for the waiver of required course work for students who achieve certain scores on tests;

(V) Allow for the completion in 2 years or less of the education and training required under the alternative route to licensure;

(VI) Provide that a person who has completed the education and training required under the alternative route to licensure and who has satisfied all other requirements for licensure may apply for a regular license pursuant to sub-subparagraph (VII) regardless of whether the person has received an offer of employment from a school district, charter school or private school; and

(VII) Upon the completion by a person of the education and training required under the alternative route to licensure and the satisfaction of all other requirements for licensure, provide for the issuance of a regular license to the person pursuant to the provisions of this chapter and the regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter.

(2) Must not prescribe qualifications which are more stringent than the qualifications set forth in NRS 391.0315 for a licensed teacher who applies for an additional license in accordance with that section.

(b) Identifying fields of specialization in teaching which require the specialized training of teachers.

(c) Except as otherwise provided in NRS 391.125, requiring teachers to obtain from the Department an endorsement in a field of specialization to be eligible to teach in that field of specialization, including, without limitation, an endorsement to teach English as a second language based upon the recommendations of the English Mastery Council pursuant to NRS 388.411.

(d) Setting forth the educational requirements a teacher must satisfy to qualify for an endorsement in each field of specialization.

(e) Setting forth the qualifications and requirements for obtaining a license or endorsement to teach American Sign Language, including, without limitation, being registered with the Aging and Disability Services Division of the Department of Health and Human Services pursuant to NRS 656A.100 to engage in the practice of interpreting in an educational setting.

(f) Requiring teachers and other educational personnel to be registered with the Aging and Disability Services Division pursuant to NRS 656A.100 to engage in the practice of interpreting in an educational setting if they:

(1) Provide instruction or other educational services; and

(2) Concurrently engage in the practice of interpreting, as defined in NRS 656A.060.

(g) Providing for the issuance and renewal of a special qualifications license to an applicant who holds a bachelor s degree, a master s degree or a doctoral degree from an accredited degree-granting postsecondary educational institution in a field for which the applicant will provide instruction in a classroom and who has:

(1) At least 2 years of experience teaching at an accredited degree-granting postsecondary educational institution in a field for which the applicant will provide instruction in a classroom and at least 3 years of experience working in that field; or

(2) At least 5 years of experience working in a field for which the applicant will provide instruction in a classroom.

An applicant for licensure pursuant to this paragraph who holds a bachelor s degree must submit proof of participation in a program of student teaching or mentoring or agree to participate in a program of mentoring or courses of pedagogy for the first 2 years of the applicant s employment as a teacher with a school district or charter school.

(h) Requiring an applicant for a special qualifications license to:

(1) Pass each examination required by NRS 391.021 for the specific subject or subjects in which the applicant will provide instruction; or

(2) Hold a valid license issued by a professional licensing board of any state that is directly related to the subject area of the bachelor s degree, master s degree or doctoral degree held by the applicant.

(i) Setting forth the subject areas that may be taught by a person who holds a special qualifications license, based upon the subject area of the bachelor s degree, master s degree or doctoral degree held by that person.

(j) Providing for the issuance and renewal of a special qualifications license to an applicant who:

(1) Holds a bachelor s degree or a graduate degree from an accredited college or university in the field for which the applicant will be providing instruction;

(2) Is not licensed to teach public school in another state;

(3) Has at least 5 years of experience teaching with satisfactory evaluations at a school that is accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education; and

(4) Submits proof of participation in a program of student teaching or mentoring or agrees to participate in a program of mentoring for the first year of the applicant s employment as a teacher with a school district or charter school if the applicant holds a graduate degree or, if the applicant holds a bachelor s degree, submits proof of participation in a program of student teaching or mentoring or agrees to participate in a program of mentoring or courses of pedagogy for the first 2 years of his or her employment as a teacher with a school district or charter school.

An applicant for licensure pursuant to this paragraph is exempt from each examination required by NRS 391.021 if the applicant successfully passed the examination in another state.

(k) Prescribing course work on parental involvement and family engagement. The Commission shall work in cooperation with the Office of Parental Involvement and Family Engagement created by NRS 385.630 in developing the regulations required by this paragraph.

2. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 391.027, the Commission may adopt such other regulations as it deems necessary for its own government or to carry out its duties.

3. Any regulation which increases the amount of education, training or experience required for licensing:

(a) Must, in addition to the requirements for publication in chapter 233B of NRS, be publicized before its adoption in a manner reasonably calculated to inform those persons affected by the change.

(b) Must not become effective until at least 1 year after the date it is adopted by the Commission.

(c) Is not applicable to a license in effect on the date the regulation becomes effective.

4. A person who is licensed pursuant to paragraph (g) or (j) of subsection 1:

(a) Shall comply with all applicable statutes and regulations.

(b) Except as otherwise provided by specific statute, is entitled to all benefits, rights and privileges conferred by statutes and regulations on licensed teachers.

(c) Except as otherwise provided by specific statute, if the person is employed as a teacher by the board of trustees of a school district or the governing body of a charter school, is entitled to all benefits, rights and privileges conferred by statutes and regulations on the licensed employees of a school district or charter school, as applicable.

(Added to NRS by 1987, 995; A 1993, 441; 1995, 149; 2001, 1777; 2001 Special Session, 181, 188; 2003, 19th Special Session, 70, 71; 2005, 92, 1670, 2548; 2007, 172, 501; 2009, 470, 472, 601, 603, 1850, 2374, 2376; 2011, 1980, 2622, 3097; 2013, 3413)

NRS 391.019 Regulations prescribing qualifications for licensure; fields of specialization in teaching; endorsements; issuance of licenses pursuant to alternative routes. [Effective July 1, 2019.]

1. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 391.027, the Commission shall adopt regulations:

(a) Prescribing the qualifications for licensing teachers and other educational personnel, including, without limitation, the qualifications for a license to teach middle school or junior high school education, and the procedures for the issuance and renewal of those licenses. The regulations:

(1) Must include, without limitation, the qualifications for licensing teachers and administrators pursuant to an alternative route to licensure which provides that the required education and training may be provided by any qualified provider which has been approved by the Commission, including, without limitation, institutions of higher education and other providers that operate independently of an institution of higher education. The regulations adopted pursuant to this subparagraph must:

(I) Establish the requirements for approval as a qualified provider;

(II) Require a qualified provider to be selective in its acceptance of students;

(III) Require a qualified provider to provide supervised, school-based experiences and ongoing support for its students, such as mentoring and coaching;

(IV) Significantly limit the amount of course work required or provide for the waiver of required course work for students who achieve certain scores on tests;

(V) Allow for the completion in 2 years or less of the education and training required under the alternative route to licensure;

(VI) Provide that a person who has completed the education and training required under the alternative route to licensure and who has satisfied all other requirements for licensure may apply for a regular license pursuant to sub-subparagraph (VII) regardless of whether the person has received an offer of employment from a school district, charter school or private school; and

(VII) Upon the completion by a person of the education and training required under the alternative route to licensure and the satisfaction of all other requirements for licensure, provide for the issuance of a regular license to the person pursuant to the provisions of this chapter and the regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter.

(2) Must not prescribe qualifications which are more stringent than the qualifications set forth in NRS 391.0315 for a licensed teacher who applies for an additional license in accordance with that section.

(b) Identifying fields of specialization in teaching which require the specialized training of teachers.

(c) Except as otherwise provided in NRS 391.125, requiring teachers to obtain from the Department an endorsement in a field of specialization to be eligible to teach in that field of specialization, including, without limitation, an endorsement to teach English as a second language.

(d) Setting forth the educational requirements a teacher must satisfy to qualify for an endorsement in each field of specialization.

(e) Setting forth the qualifications and requirements for obtaining a license or endorsement to teach American Sign Language, including, without limitation, being registered with the Aging and Disability Services Division of the Department of Health and Human Services pursuant to NRS 656A.100 to engage in the practice of interpreting in an educational setting.

(f) Requiring teachers and other educational personnel to be registered with the Aging and Disability Services Division pursuant to NRS 656A.100 to engage in the practice of interpreting in an educational setting if they:

(1) Provide instruction or other educational services; and

(2) Concurrently engage in the practice of interpreting, as defined in NRS 656A.060.

(g) Providing for the issuance and renewal of a special qualifications license to an applicant who holds a bachelor s degree, a master s degree or a doctoral degree from an accredited degree-granting postsecondary educational institution in a field for which the applicant will provide instruction in a classroom and who has:

(1) At least 2 years of experience teaching at an accredited degree-granting postsecondary educational institution in a field for which the applicant will provide instruction in a classroom and at least 3 years of experience working in that field; or

(2) At least 5 years of experience working in a field for which the applicant will provide instruction in a classroom.

An applicant for licensure pursuant to this paragraph who holds a bachelor s degree must submit proof of participation in a program of student teaching or mentoring or agree to participate in a program of mentoring or courses of pedagogy for the first 2 years of the applicant s employment as a teacher with a school district or charter school.

(h) Requiring an applicant for a special qualifications license to:

(1) Pass each examination required by NRS 391.021 for the specific subject or subjects in which the applicant will provide instruction; or

(2) Hold a valid license issued by a professional licensing board of any state that is directly related to the subject area of the bachelor s degree, master s degree or doctoral degree held by the applicant.

(i) Setting forth the subject areas that may be taught by a person who holds a special qualifications license, based upon the subject area of the bachelor s degree, master s degree or doctoral degree held by that person.

(j) Providing for the issuance and renewal of a special qualifications license to an applicant who:

(1) Holds a bachelor s degree or a graduate degree from an accredited college or university in the field for which the applicant will be providing instruction;

(2) Is not licensed to teach public school in another state;

(3) Has at least 5 years of experience teaching with satisfactory evaluations at a school that is accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education; and

(4) Submits proof of participation in a program of student teaching or mentoring or agrees to participate in a program of mentoring for the first year of the applicant s employment as a teacher with a school district or charter school if the applicant holds a graduate degree or, if the applicant holds a bachelor s degree, submits proof of participation in a program of student teaching or mentoring or agrees to participate in a program of mentoring or courses of pedagogy for the first 2 years of his or her employment as a teacher with a school district or charter school.

An applicant for licensure pursuant to this paragraph is exempt from each examination required by NRS 391.021 if the applicant successfully passed the examination in another state.

(k) Prescribing course work on parental involvement and family engagement. The Commission shall work in cooperation with the Office of Parental Involvement and Family Engagement created by NRS 385.630 in developing the regulations required by this paragraph.

2. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 391.027, the Commission may adopt such other regulations as it deems necessary for its own government or to carry out its duties.

3. Any regulation which increases the amount of education, training or experience required for licensing:

(a) Must, in addition to the requirements for publication in chapter 233B of NRS, be publicized before its adoption in a manner reasonably calculated to inform those persons affected by the change.

(b) Must not become effective until at least 1 year after the date it is adopted by the Commission.

(c) Is not applicable to a license in effect on the date the regulation becomes effective.

4. A person who is licensed pursuant to paragraph (g) or (j) of subsection 1:

(a) Shall comply with all applicable statutes and regulations.

(b) Except as otherwise provided by specific statute, is entitled to all benefits, rights and privileges conferred by statutes and regulations on licensed teachers.

(c) Except as otherwise provided by specific statute, if the person is employed as a teacher by the board of trustees of a school district or the governing body of a charter school, is entitled to all benefits, rights and privileges conferred by statutes and regulations on the licensed employees of a school district or charter school, as applicable.

(Added to NRS by 1987, 995; A 1993, 441; 1995, 149; 2001, 1777; 2001 Special Session, 181, 188; 2003, 19th Special Session, 70, 71; 2005, 92, 1670, 2548; 2007, 172, 501; 2009, 470, 472, 601, 603, 1850, 2374, 2376; 2011, 1980, 2622, 3097; 2013, 3413, 3415, effective July 1, 2019)