MINUTES OF THE

      ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

 

      Sixty-seventh Session

      May 12, 1993

 

 

 

The Assembly Committee on Education was called to order by Vice Chairman Ken L. Haller, at 3:40 p.m., on Wednesday, May 12, 1993, in Room 330 of the Legislative Building, Carson City, Nevada.  Exhibit A is the Meeting Agenda.  Exhibit B is the Attendance Roster.

 

 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT:

     

      Mr. Ken L. Haller, Vice Chairman

      Mrs. Vonne Chowning

      Mr. Tom Collins, Jr.

      Mrs. Marcia de Braga

      Mr. William D. Gregory

      Mr. James W. McGaughey

      Mr. Roy Neighbors

      Mr. Michael A. Schneider

      Mrs. Gene W. Segerblom

      Ms. Sandra Tiffany

 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT:

 

      Wendell P. Williams, Chairman  (excused)

 

GUEST LEGISLATORS PRESENT:

 

      Senator William O'Donnell

 

STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT:

 

      Donald Williams, Research Analyst

 

OTHERS PRESENT:

 

      Dr. Eugene Paslov, Department of Education

      John Cummings, Nevada State Education Association

 

SENATE BILL 149  -      Requires commission on professional standards in education to adopt regulations setting forth educational requirements for endorsements for teachers.

 

Senator Bill O'Donnell, Senate District 5, presented testimony in support of the bill.  Senator O'Donnell indicated it was extremely difficult for a teacher to become certified in the state and university system, and SB 149 would facilitate coordination between the Department of Education, the universities, the school districts, and the Commission on Professional Standards.

 

Senator O'Donnell explained the bill would "communicate" to the teachers the specific courses they would be required to take in order to be certified.

 

Mrs. Segerblom questioned if the bill would address new teachers coming from out of state who needed certification.  Senator O'Donnell replied, "It would."  The State Board of Education would be required to compile a list of the necessary courses for teachers who were deficient in any specific course.

 

Mrs. Segerblom asked if a teacher could continue teaching while in the process of completing a deficient course.  Senator O'Donnell replied a waiver could be obtained from the state board as long as the required course or courses were completed within a certain period of time.

 

Ms. Tiffany questioned if "endorsement" and "certify" meant the same thing.  Vice Chairman Haller explained certain courses required an endorsement but certification was another subject.  The endorsement was an "addition" to the certification.  Senator O'Donnell clarified a teacher could obtain a secondary teaching certificate or be certified to teach high school; however, in order to teach math, a math endorsement would be required.

 

Dr. Eugene Paslov, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, explained certification was the initial license teachers were issued depending on their area of specialty.  Certification required each teacher meeting certain standards established for a particular license.  Further, once a teacher was certified, he could request additional endorsements in specialty areas such as English as a foreign language, computer science, etc.

 

Dr. Paslov pointed out the confusion had occurred in both areas of certification and endorsement, and Senator O'Donnell's bill would allow clarification of the misconceptions and misunderstandings for the teachers.  Dr. Paslov indicated there was no fiscal impact with the bill since additional staff had been allotted for with the new budget.

 

John Cummings, Executive Director, Nevada State Education Association, expressed support for SB 149.

 

      ASSEMBLYMAN CHOWNING MOVED TO DO PASS SB 149.

 

      ASSEMBLYMAN SEGERBLOM SECONDED THE MOTION.

 

      THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

Mr. Collins asked if AB 290, currently in subcommittee, could be rescheduled for the following Wednesday.

   

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 3:50 p.m.

 

                             RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:

 

 

 

                                                                         

                            Marilyn Cole, Committee Secretary

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Assembly Committee on Education

Date:  May 12, 1993

Page:  1