NAC391.360. Qualifications for teaching pupils who have intellectual disabilities and moderate to intense needs for assistance and intervention.

     1. Before teaching pupils who have intellectual disabilities and have moderate to intense needs for assistance and intervention in their educational processes, a person must:

     (a) Hold an endorsement issued pursuant to this section; or

     (b) Hold a teacher’s elementary or secondary license, a license to teach special education, a license to teach middle school or junior high school education, or a bachelor’s or master’s degree with a major or minor in special education, must have completed 6 semester hours from the courses prescribed in subparagraph (2) of paragraph (e) of subsection 2 and must complete a program of preparation leading to licensing in this field within 3 years after beginning to teach such pupils.

     2. To receive the endorsement, the person must:

     (a) Have completed a program of preparation for teaching pupils who have intellectual disabilities which has been approved by the Board;

     (b) Hold a license or certificate, issued by another state, with an endorsement to teach pupils who have intellectual disabilities;

     (c) Hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree in special education in the area of intellectual disabilities and have completed 8 semester hours of student teaching, equivalent field experience or 1 year of verifiable teaching experience in special education;

     (d) Have:

          (1) Met the requirements for an endorsement prescribed in NAC 391.343 or 391.370;

          (2) One year of verifiable teaching experience with pupils who have intellectual disabilities and moderate to intense needs of assistance and intervention in their educational processes; and

          (3) Completed 12 semester hours of the course work prescribed in sub-subparagraphs (IV) to (IX), inclusive, of subparagraph (2) of paragraph (e); or

     (e) Hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree and:

          (1) Have completed 8 semester hours of student teaching of pupils who have intellectual disabilities, equivalent field experience with such pupils or 1 year of verifiable teaching experience with such pupils; and

          (2) Have completed 30 semester hours of course work, including course work in the following areas:

               (I) Educational psychology;

               (II) Human growth and development;

               (III) Introduction to special education or the education of pupils who have disabilities;

               (IV) The assessment of pupils who have disabilities;

               (V) Characteristics of pupils who have intellectual disabilities;

               (VI) Curriculum development or methods and strategies for teaching pupils who have intellectual disabilities;

               (VII) Behavior management;

               (VIII) Communication programming for pupils who have intellectual disabilities;

               (IX) Medical aspects of pupils who have disabilities;

               (X) Education or planning for the transition of pupils who have disabilities from their current placement to additional educational programs, employment and living as an adult; and

               (XI) Parental involvement in programs for pupils who have disabilities.

Ê The requirement for course work in two of these areas may be satisfied by completing one course, of at least 3 semester hours, that encompasses both subject matters.

     [Bd. of Education, Certification Reg. § 391.590, eff. 10-23-81]—(NAC A 3-7-84; 11-25-86; A by Comm’n on Prof. Standards in Education, 7-18-88; 11-27-91, eff. 1-11-92; 1-10-96; R103-03, 9-24-2003; R005-05, 10-31-2005; R028-11, 10-26-2011)