NAC391.461. Application for approval to become qualified provider; review; conditions of provisional approval; term of validity; approval to offer program for different area of licensure; annual evaluation.

     1. An institution of higher education or any other provider that operates independently of an institution of higher education which wishes to offer a program for an alternative route for the licensure of teachers and administrators in this State must apply to the Commission on a form prescribed by the Department for approval to become a qualified provider of such a program. The application must include, without limitation:

     (a) The name and location of the applicant;

     (b) The name of the program;

     (c) If the applicant is accredited, the name of the regional accrediting body and the accreditation status of the applicant;

     (d) If the applicant is a private postsecondary educational institution, as defined in NRS 394.099, evidence that the applicant is licensed to operate by the Commission on Postsecondary Education pursuant to chapter 394 of NRS;

     (e) A description of the budget of the program;

     (f) The areas of licensure for which the applicant will offer the program;

     (g) A description of the program, which must include, without limitation:

          (1) The way in which the elements of the program will comply with the requirements of this chapter and chapter 391 of NRS;

          (2) The application and review process for persons to enroll in the program, including, without limitation, a copy of all forms that will be used in the process; and

          (3) The supervised, school-based experiences the applicant will provide as required by NRS 391.019, including, without limitation:

               (I) The name of each school and school district that will participate in the supervised, school-based experience;

               (II) The length of time for which a student will be required to participate in the supervised, school-based experience, including, without limitation, any orientation that the student must complete;

               (III) The manner by which students will be mentored by a postprobationary teacher and evaluated during the supervised, school-based experience;

               (IV) How the supervised, school-based experience will promote the effectiveness of teachers; and

               (V) A copy of all forms that will be used for the supervised, school-based experience process;

     (h) A list of all staff members for the program, the roles and responsibilities of each person and his or her credentials;

     (i) A statement of the estimated time it will take a student enrolled in the program to complete the program, which must allow for completion of the program within 2 years but not more than 3 years;

     (j) A description of the manner by which the applicant will evaluate the success or failure of each student enrolled in the program and track the progress of each such student, including a copy of all forms that will be used for the evaluation and tracking;

     (k) A description of how the applicant will evaluate the success of the program, which must include the information required for the evaluation pursuant to NRS 391.039; and

     (l) Any other information required by the Department or the Commission.

     2. Upon receipt of an application for approval as a qualified provider pursuant to subsection 1, the Commission will appoint a review team to review the application. The review team shall:

     (a) Examine the application;

     (b) Determine whether to recommend that the Commission grant its approval of the application; and

     (c) Submit its recommendation to the Commission.

     3. The Commission will review the recommendation of the review team submitted pursuant to subsection 2 and provide to the applicant written notice of its approval or denial. The Commission may grant provisional approval to an applicant pursuant to subsection 4. If the Commission denies an application, the applicant may correct any deficiencies identified in the notice of denial and resubmit the application for review by the Commission.

     4. If the Commission grants an applicant provisional approval, the applicant may offer the program for an alternative route to licensure described in the application for the period prescribed by the Commission. The applicant must remove all the provisions under which the approval was issued before the expiration of the provisional approval. If the applicant removes the provisions within the prescribed time, the Commission will grant nonprovisional approval to the applicant as a qualified provider. Provisional approval is valid for 2 years after the date on which the Commission granted provisional approval. If an applicant does not remove all the provisions within the prescribed time, the provisional approval is automatically revoked.

     5. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 4, if an applicant is approved as a qualified provider pursuant to this section, the approval is valid for 2 years after the date of approval. To continue the approval, the qualified provider must submit an application for renewal before the expiration of the approval to the Commission on a form prescribed by the Department. If the application for renewal is approved by the Commission, the renewal is valid for 2 years after the date of the approval.

     6. If a qualified provider intends to offer a program for an alternative route to licensure for an area of licensure that is different from the area of licensure for which the qualified provider has been approved, the qualified provider must submit a new application pursuant to subsection 1 to offer a program for an alternative route to licensure for that area of licensure.

     7. Each qualified provider must be evaluated on an annual basis pursuant to NRS 391.039. The Department shall:

     (a) Present the results of the evaluation to the Commission; and

     (b) After the results have been presented to the Commission, post the evaluation on the Department’s Internet website.

     8. Each qualified provider shall cooperate with the Commission and the Department in the evaluation of the effectiveness of this section and NAC 391.057.

     (Added to NAC by Comm’n on Prof. Standards in Education by R115-11, eff. 10-4-2013)