Existing law creates the Commission on Professional Standards in Education and requires the Commission to prescribe regulations for licensing teachers and other educational personnel. (NRS 391.011, 391.019) Under existing law, such regulations are required to provide for the reciprocal licensure of educational personnel from other states. (NRS 391.032) Section 1 of this bill requires the Commission to compile a list of states in which the requirements and qualifications to obtain a license to teach are equivalent to the requirements and qualifications to obtain a license to teach in this State. Section 1 additionally authorizes the board of trustees of a school district or the governing body of a charter school to employ as a teacher a person not licensed as a teacher in this State if the person: (1) holds a license in good standing from a state included on the list compiled by the Commission; (2) has submitted an application to receive a license to teach in this State; and (3) has completed the background investigation the employing school district is required to conduct. Section 2 of this bill requires that the regulations adopted by the Commission also prescribe qualifications for a person who holds certain licenses to teach to receive a license to teach elementary education without repeating previously completed requirements or satisfying additional requirements. Section 2 additionally requires such regulations to prescribe qualifications for a person to use work experience or a license in an area of career and technical education to receive an endorsement in career and technical education without repeating certain requirements. Section 2 also requires such regulations to authorize a person to serve as a school nurse or school social worker without the applicable endorsement if the person: (1) has applied for such an endorsement but the endorsement has not yet been approved or denied; and (2) holds certain valid licenses issued by the State Board of Nursing or the Board of Examiners for Social Workers, as applicable. Section 4 of this bill makes a conforming change to authorize such a registered nurse to be employed as a school nurse without an endorsement as a school nurse. Existing law requires the Commission to prescribe regulations that set forth the qualifications for licensing teachers through an alternative route to licensure. (NRS 391.019) Section 2 requires such regulations to authorize a person to simultaneously enroll in multiple programs for an alternative route to licensure. Section 3 of this bill requires a reduction in the fee for a license to teach for certain applicants who are substitute teachers.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 391.019, 391.040, 391.291
BDR: 391.019, 391.040, 391.291