Substitute Teacher Requirements in Nevada

<p>The Nevada Department of Education offers two different types of substitute teacher licenses. These are the emergency substitute teacher license and the provisional special license for substitute teachers. The requirements for these licenses vary but the general minimum criteria are summarized in the table below. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td>Education/Experience Required</td><td> High school diploma or equivalent (emergency substitute teacher<br />Associate or Higher degree or 60 semester hours of credit (provisional special license)</td></tr> <tr><td>Exam Requirements </td><td> None</td></tr> <tr><td>Certification Renewal Period </td><td>Annual (emergency license)</td></tr> <tr><td>Requirements for Renewal </td><td> Submission of an application form and <br /> knowledge of U.S. and Nevada Constitution</td></tr> <tr><td>Average Salary (2018) </td><td> $27,680 (substitute teachers in NV)*</td></tr> <tr><td>Estimated Job Growth (2016-2026) </td><td> 10% (teachers and instructors nationally)*</td></tr> </table><p><i>Sources: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i> </p> <h3 id="section---GeneralAcademicRequirementsForSubstituteTeacherLicensure">General Academic Requirements for Substitute Teacher Licensure</h3> <p>For an emergency substitute teaching license, the candidate must have earned at a minimum a high school diploma or its equivalent. To attain a provisional special license for substitute teaching, the candidate must have completed at least 60 semester hours of credit or earned an associate's or bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. The Nevada Department of Education keeps a database of these accredited institutions on their website. </p> <h3 id="section---RestrictionsOfSubstituteTeacherLicensure">Restrictions of Substitute Teacher Licensure</h3> <p>Substitute teachers are generally allowed to teach from kindergarten to Grade 12. However, only schools that are located in rural areas or have less than 9,000 students are able to hire emergency substitute teachers. The schools must also show that they are unable to find a standard licensed teacher to fill the position. Emergency substitute teachers are also not allowed to teach for more than five days out of every 20-day period. On the other hand, an educator with a provisional special license may teach for an unlimited number of days as long as they are filling in for a licensed teacher that was on contract. </p> <h3 id="section---BackgroundProcessAndMoralTurpitudeMatrix">Background Process and Moral Turpitude Matrix</h3> <p>As an educator, the candidate must submit their fingerprints for analysis so their criminal history can be obtained from the Central Repository for Nevada Records of Criminal History as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Fingerprints are collected at approved LiveScan vendors and the applicant will be guided in the process when they have initiated the application process. The Nevada Department of Education can only accept LiveScan fingerprints taken within Nevada. Applicants may be denied a license if their criminal history check reveals an offense on Nevada's moral turpitude matrix. The matrix lists offenses that can result in the applicant being permanently or temporarily barred from applying for a teaching license. </p> <h3 id="section---ApplicationProcess">Application Process</h3> <p>For an emergency teaching license, the interested applicant must first approach the school of interest so they can submit the appropriate application form to the Nevada Department of Education. The applicant must submit the transcripts for their academic achievements to the school as well. The school will aid the applicant in completing the background check. </p> <p>The application process for the special license can be completed online through the OPAL portal on the Nevada Department of Education website. Applicants will need to create a user name and password and upload a pdf of their proof of citizenship. Official transcripts may be dropped off at the department's Carson City or Las Vegas offices or the institution may send them via email to transcripts@doe.nv.gov. The application fee can also be paid via the online portal. After completion of the application, the candidate will receive an email guiding them through the background check process. </p> <h3 id="section---CertificateInformation">Certificate Information</h3> <p>The emergency substitute license is valid for a year from the date of issue and can be renewed annually twice. At the end of that three-year period, the emergency substitute teaching license can only be renewed if the educator had completed training in the knowledge of the U.S. and Nevada Constitution laws. The provisional special license is also valid for three years but cannot be renewed. It is recommended that substitute teachers seek to meet the qualifications for a standard teaching license while serving in the classroom.</p>