Revises provisions relating to educational personnel. (BDR 34-519)

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 authorizes the board of trustees of a school district or the governing body of a charter school to employ as a teacher, on a provisional basis not to exceed 1 year, a person not licensed as a teacher in this State if the person: (1) holds a license in good standing from another state; (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 1 additionally requires a school district or charter school to, at the time such a person is hired, report the hiring to the Department of Education. Section 2 of this bill requires that the regulations adopted by the Commission also 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. Additionally, section 2 requires such regulations to authorize a person who is employed by a public school to provide support and other services relating to school counseling and is enrolled in a program that would allow the person to obtain a license or endorsement as a school counselor to simultaneously complete any required internship or practicum hours for the purpose of obtaining such a license or endorsement. 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 and is awaiting the issuance or denial of the endorsement; and (2) holds certain valid licenses issued by the State Board of Nursing or the Board of Examiners for Social Workers, as applicable. Furthermore, section 2 provides that such regulations adopted by the Commission must require a school district who employs such a person to, at the time the person is hired, report the hiring to the Department. 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 authorizes the State Board of Education to disapprove of any regulation that is adopted by the Commission on Professional Standards in Education. (NRS 391.027) Section 4.5 of this bill eliminates the authority of the State Board to take such an action. Sections 2, 2.3 and 2.7 of this bill make conforming changes to remove references to this authority in other provisions of law.