Nevada
Teaching Standards and Leadership Standards
Teaching Standards
Is working with students with disabilities and meeting the needs of students with disabilities addressed in state teaching standards?
The state of Nevada adopted the Model Core Teaching Standards developed by the Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC). Three of these standards specifically address the needs of diverse learners.
Standard 1. Learner Development. The teacher understands how learners grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and designs and implements developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences.
Standards 2. Learning Differences. The teacher uses understanding of individual differences and diverse cultures and communities to ensure inclusive learning environments that enable each learner to meet high standards.
Standards 7. The teacher plans instruction that supports every student in meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, cross disciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context.
Sources:
Nevada Administrative Code 391.556, Adoption by reference of Model Core Teaching Standards
CCSSO’s Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC), Model Core Teaching Standards: A Resource for State Dialogue
School Leadership Standards
Is knowledge of working with students with disabilities included in leader standards?
Our initial policy scan did not generate information about school leadership standards.
Teacher and Principal Preparation
Teacher Preparation – Program Approval/Accreditation
Required course work in teaching special education students/ diverse learners
Our initial scan of state policy did not produce information about required course work in teaching special education students/diverse learners. However, the INTASC standards hold teachers responsible for understanding how students differ in their approaches to learning and creating instructional opportunities adapted to diverse learners.
Source: CCSSO, Model Core Teaching Standards: A Resource for State Dialogue
Clinical time in diverse settings/teaching special populations
According to state policy (NRS 391.019), the Commission On Professional Standards in Education is required to have adopted regulations. These regulations must require a qualified provider (approved preparation program) to provide supervised, school-based experiences and ongoing support for its students.
Source: Nevada Regulation 391.019 1(a)1.III), Regulations prescribing qualifications for licensure
Teacher Preparation – Accountability
Quality of teacher preparation programs
Nevada collects some program-specific data that reflect program performance, including a satisfaction survey that asks program graduates and principals about the quality of a program’s preparation. Nevada has also established minimum standards for performance that can be used for accountability purposes. The Board reviews any program that reports fewer than 95 percent of its teacher candidates passing their licensure tests. This 95 percent standard is among the highest in the nation, with most states setting the pass-rate standard at 80 percent. The Board will also review a program if school districts report that more than 5 percent of program graduates newly hired are dismissed or not rehired. However, the state does not collect such data for its alternate routes. Further, Nevada does not provide the public with meaningful, readily understandable indicators of how well programs are doing.
Source: 2012 State Teacher Policy Yearbook: Improving Teacher Preparation in Nevada, National Council on Teacher Quality
Principal Preparation – Program Approval/Accreditation
Require course work in leading a school/district that serves special education students/diverse learners
Our initial policy scan did not generate information about required course work in leading a school/district that serves special education students/diverse learners.
Principal Preparation – Accountability
Are programs reviewed based on outcomes of graduates’ success? Can school principals be linked back to institutions of higher education and preparation programs?
Our initial policy scan did not generate information about such principal/administrator program accountability.
Teacher and Principal Certification/Licensure
Teacher Certification/Licensure – Structure
Is a specific certificate, license or endorsement related to special education required?
Nevada does not distinguish between elementary and secondary special education teachers. The state offers only a K-12 special education certification.
Source: 2012 State Teacher Policy Yearbook: Improving Teacher Preparation in Nevada, National Council on Teacher Quality
Teacher Certification – Examination
Does the state require teachers to pass a basic skills exam for initial certification? What are the pass rates on the exams? Does the state require Praxis II or more pedagogical assessment for licensure? Does it include anything about teaching diverse learners or special populations?
All teacher candidates are required to take Praxis I, Praxis II for each area of certification, as well as Principles of Learning and Teaching (except for Elementary Education) for K-6 or 7-12 including Music, Health, Art, Language etc.
Source: Nevada Testing Requirements, ETS
Teacher Certification/Licensure – Requirements
Is professional development around working with special populations required to move from initial to a professional license?
Our initial scan of state policy did not suggest that the state of Nevada has a multi-tiered licensure system. Teachers are not required to complete professional development in working with special populations to move from an initial to a professional license.
Source: Nevada Regulation 391.031, Kinds of Licenses
Principal Certification/Licensure – Requirements
Is prior teaching experience required to become a principal and/or a superintendent? Is specific coursework or other evidence required around working with special populations?
The state of Nevada requires school leaders to obtain a master’s degree, have prior teaching experience, complete a state-approved preparation program, and pass a test.
Principals and Superintendents: Candidates must hold a master’s degree, a valid license to teach elementary, secondary or K-12 education, evidence of 3 years of teaching experience in kindergarten or grades 1 through 12 in schools approved by the State and at least 36 semester hours of graduate courses in the administration of a school.
Sources:
Operating in the Dark, George W. Bush Institute
Nevada Provisions Governing Licensure, Nevada Administrative Code 391.170
Administrator License Requirements, Portability, Waivers and Alternative Certification, ECS
Teacher and Principal Induction
Teacher Induction
Is mentoring required for all new teachers (special education) and for how many years? If so, do program guidelines/requirements specifically address teaching diverse learners?
The state does not require all new teachers to receive induction support. A teacher who holds a special qualifications license, alternate special qualifications license, or a conditional license is required to be provided induction or mentoring support. School districts that employ a teacher who holds a conditional license must assign another teacher “to provide assistance, guidance and training.” The new teacher must complete a total of 120 hours of supervised training and orientation during their first year of employment. They may begin teaching once they have completed the first 80 hours. [NAC 391.058]
School districts that employ a teacher who holds a special qualifications license must provide them with: (1) “At least 120 hours of training and orientation” before they begin teaching; and (2) A mentor teacher “to provide assistance, guidance and training” during their first three years of employment and assist them with the development of an individualized plan for professional development. [NAC 391.0583]
Applicants for an alternate special qualifications license must either submit proof that they have completed a program of student teaching or mentoring or are required to participate in a mentoring program during their first year of employment. [NAC 391.0585]
Source: Review of State Policies on Teacher Induction (2012), New Teacher Center
Principal Induction
Is coaching/mentoring required for all new principals/administrators/ superintendents and for how many years? If so, do program guidelines/requirements specifically serving diverse learners?
The state does not require all new administrators to receive induction support. New school administrators with conditional licenses are required to receive such support. An employing school district must assign at least one veteran administrator “to provide assistance, guidance and training” to the conditional license holder. Before beginning employment, the conditional license holder must complete at least 40 hours of supervised training and orientation and must complete an additional 80 hours of training and orientation within their first year of employment. [Regulation of the Commission on Professional Standards in Education LCB File R047-10]
Source: Review of State Policies on Teacher Induction (2012), New Teacher Center
Teacher and Principal Professional Development Standards
Teacher Professional Development Standards
Does the state have professional development standards for teacher PD?
Our initial policy scan did not generate information about professional learning standards for teachers.
Principal Professional Development Standards
Does the state have professional development standards for leadership PD?
Our initial policy scan did not generate information about professional learning standards for principals.