Nevada Special Education Certification & Requirements

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Special Education in Nevada

The Nevada State Snapshot on the Ed.gov website (the website of the U.S. Department of Education) indicates that 11 percent of students in the state receive special education services, two percentage points lower than the national average. There are currently 2,630 special education teachers employed in the state, according to Concordia University. Employment prospects are most promising in the Clark County School district, which serves the Las Vegas public school system, one of the largest in the country.

Licensure Requirements

For Undergraduates

Certification rules vary with the type of teaching that students want to do but, in general, having a bachelor’s degree in education with an emphasis in the area in which someone wants to teach qualifies that individual to test for an initial license. If a student’s undergraduate major is not education, that student can qualify to teach special education by completing approximately 30 semester units (depending on the area of focus) of education courses with an emphasis in their desired area of special education and doing student teaching in special education. Find more information about requirements for the various types of special education teaching at the Nevada Department of Education (NDE) website’s General Licensure Information page, in the “Special Education License” section toward the bottom of the page.

For Graduates

Graduates from bachelor’s or master’s degree programs that emphasized special education generally do not need to complete extra coursework to obtain a teaching license in Nevada. If a student’s advanced degree is in another subject area, he or she must complete additional courses in education that align with state requirements and do student teaching in a special needs environment. Generally, holding an advanced degree commands higher pay in the Nevada public school system.

Types of Licenses

The NDE lists several types of special education certificates that are awarded in the state. Licenses granted include Adapted Physical Education, Alternative Education, Audiology, Autism, Early Childhood Developmentally Delayed, General Resource Room, Hearing Impairments, Intellectual Disabilities, Speech & Language Impairments and Visual Impairments.

Reciprocity

Nevada has a relatively open reciprocity policy with educators from other states. Someone who holds an equivalent special education degree or credential from another state can complete an initial licensure application packet and a Licensing Analyst will review the file to determine if a license will be granted. Applicants seeking advanced endorsements will need to meet additional qualifications. Review the NDE reciprocity guidelines for the most up-to-date requirements. Also, Nevada allows applicants who have completed their degree in a country other than the United States to apply for licensure following a review of an English evaluation of their foreign transcripts. The NDE general licensure information page delineates the requirements for such candidates.

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Special Education Degrees in Nevada

Because would-be special education teachers can obtain state certification with a bachelor’s degree, there are undergraduate as well as graduate programs to prepare students to work with special needs populations. The University of Nevada at Reno’s College of Education offers an interdisciplinary major in developmental disabilities, which results in a bachelor’s degree. The Nevada Center for Excellence in Disabilities (NCED) administers this program, and students in it must follow a course of study that aligns with state licensure requirements. The university also offers a minor in developmental disabilities. The campus is located in Reno, a city near the California border that has ample wilderness areas. Nevada State College, located near Las Vegas in the city of Henderson, offers a bachelor’s degree program in elementary education with a concentration in special education. Situated in a forest three blocks from Lake Tahoe, Sierra Nevada College provides a master’s degree in special education. This program serves individuals holding a bachelor’s degree in any discipline (including education or special education), as well as licensed teachers who want to obtain a special education endorsement.

For profiles of all the schools in Nevada that offer master’s in special education programs, click here.

An Alternative to Certification

If a school or district has a high-need area, the administrator can hire someone who does not have a state teaching license. They must follow Nevada’s qualification requirements. The decision to follow this route is made only by the employer, not by the Nevada Office of Teacher Licensure. The employer must document, in writing, the conditions of the contract and the requirements of the Option Program. Teachers hired through this program must complete any required coursework as stipulated by the contract, and the employer determines the length of time that teachers have to meet these requirements. After they do so, teachers must apply for official certification through the Office of Teacher Licensure.

Special Education Jobs in Nevada

Public schools

For a complete list of Nevada public school districts with hyperlinks to their websites, see the Nevada School and District information page on the NDE website. The NDE also maintains a list of links to job opportunities within each district.
Nevada’s largest public school district, Clark County School District (CCSD), keeps its webpage updated with job opportunities as well as general recruitment information.

Private schools

The Nevada Special Education Schools webpage lists four private schools serving students needing special education services in Nevada. These schools include Henderson’s The Achievement Academy, Las Vegas’ New Horizons Academy and Spring Mountain Treatment Center (for boys only) and Reno’s Koinonia Day Treatment.

Other programs

Connections Academy operates a virtual school in Nevada. Licensed teachers can apply to work in the special education department.

Professional Development

The Nevada State Legislature has divided Nevada into three regions, Northeastern Nevada, Southern Nevada and Northwestern Nevada, with a Regional Professional Development Program (RPDP) to serve each one.
The Nevada Special Education Technology Assistance Project (NSETAP) provides consultations, tech support and school site trainings. Professional development programs concern the implementation of assistive technology devices and ancillary services.

Nevada Professional Groups for Special Education Teachers

The state teacher’s union, the Nevada State Education Association (NSEA), represents Nevada’s teachers and education support professionals.
Nevada PEP provides support, resources, webinars and trainings for families and professionals working with people receiving special education services.

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Nevada Special Education Bloggers

About.com: Special Education: Jerry Webster maintains this high-profile site. He is a Las Vegas teacher who has worked in a middle school autism program, a residential school and a number of other special education settings.
Desert Beacon: Nevada politics and educational policy is the focus of this blog, which also features links to many other Nevada bloggers.