Assembly Bill No. 142–Committee on Education

 

February 15, 2001

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Referred to Committee on Education

 

SUMMARY—Requires superintendent of public instruction, in certain circumstances, to waive passing scores otherwise required on examinations for initial licensure of teachers and other educational personnel. (BDR 34‑975)

 

FISCAL NOTE:            Effect on Local Government: No.

                                    Effect on the State: Yes.

 

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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

 

AN ACT relating to educational personnel; requiring the superintendent of public instruction, in certain circumstances, to waive the passing scores otherwise required on examinations for the initial licensure of teachers and other educational personnel; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

1-1    Section 1. NRS 391.021 is hereby amended to read as follows:

1-2    391.021  1.  Except as otherwise provided in NRS 391.027, the

1-3  commission shall adopt regulations governing examinations for the initial

1-4  licensing of teachers and other educational personnel. The examinations

1-5  must test the ability of the applicant to teach and his knowledge of each

1-6  specific subject he proposes to teach. Each examination must include the

1-7  following subjects:

1-8    [1.] (a) The laws of Nevada relating to schools;

1-9    [2.] (b) The constitution of the State of Nevada; and

1-10    [3.] (c) The Constitution of the United States.

1-11    2.  The regulations adopted pursuant to this section must establish a

1-12  procedure pursuant to which an applicant for initial licensure who has:

1-13    (a) Taken the examinations prescribed by the commission pursuant to

1-14  subsection 1;

1-15    (b) Failed to achieve the requisite passing score on one or more of the

1-16  examinations but has achieved a score within a range specified for this

1-17  purpose by the commission; and

1-18    (c) More than once, taken each examination or portion thereof for

1-19  which he failed to achieve the requisite passing score,

2-1  may submit a written request to the superintendent of public instruction

2-2  or his designee for a waiver from the requirement of achieving the

2-3  passing score otherwise required of an applicant for initial licensure.

2-4    3.  Upon receipt of a written request from an applicant pursuant to

2-5  subsection 2, the superintendent of public instruction or his designee

2-6  shall grant the applicant a waiver from the requirement of achieving the

2-7  passing score otherwise required of an applicant for initial licensure on

2-8  one or more of the examinations if the applicant provides clear and

2-9  specific evidence, satisfactory to the superintendent of public instruction

2-10  or his designee, of the applicant’s knowledge of and ability to teach each

2-11  specific subject area he proposes to teach.

2-12  Sec. 2. This act becomes effective on July 1, 2001.

 

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