Become a Preschool or Kindergarten Teacher in Nevada
Preschool and kindergarten teachers are responsible for teaching children the academic and social skills required before moving on to the next level. In Nevada, persons who are interested in this must meet the specified academic and testing requirements.
Career Information for Licensed Nevada Preschool and Kindergarten Teachers
In the state of Nevada, preschool and kindergarten teachers both fall under the category of early childhood educators. Early childhood teachers are licensed to teach from birth to grade 2. The general requirements of this license are summarized in the table below.
<table border="1"><tr><td>Education/Experience Required</td><td> Bachelor's degree (minimum)</td></tr>
<tr><td>Exam Requirements </td><td> Praxis</td></tr>
<tr><td>Certification Renewal Period </td><td>Five years (standard license)</td></tr>
<tr><td>Requirements for Renewal </td><td> Six semester hours of continuing education OR <br/> Six professional development credits</td></tr>
<tr><td>Average Salary (2018) </td><td> $32,540 (preschool teachers in NV) <br/> $56,280 (kindergarten teachers in NV)*</td></tr>
<tr><td>Estimated Job Growth (2016-2026) </td><td> 10% (preschool teachers nationally) <br/> 7% (kindergarten and elementary school teachers nationally)*</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i>
</p><h3 id="section---GeneralRequirementsForAStandardEarlyChildhoodEducationLicense">General Requirements for a Standard Early Childhood Education License</h3><p>In order to qualify for the standard early childhood teaching license, persons must complete an educator preparation program approved by the Nevada Department of Education that is offered by an accredited college or university. The Department of Education has a list of approved institutions that offer these programs. For example, the University of Phoenix has a Bachelor of Science in Education program that focuses on early childhood education. The National University also offers a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education. Applicants must also pass a background check through analysis of their fingerprints and the relevant Praxis tests.
</p><h3 id="section---TestingRequirements">Testing Requirements</h3><p>As with all educators in Nevada, persons who are interested in being licensed early childhood teachers must pass the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators (CORE) test. This main test includes the core assessments for reading, writing, and mathematics. The reading test has questions pertaining to the analysis and integration of documents. The writing test is comprised of tasks that are meant to assess argumentative and informative writing. The mathematics test is focused on assessing the applicant's mathematical reasoning.
</p><p>Early childhood educators must also pass the Praxis Early Childhood Education and Education of Young Children assessments. Applicants may register for the tests online where they will be guided to the approved testing centers. If the applicant takes the test in Nevada, the results will be sent directly to the Nevada Department of Education. If the tests are taken outside of Nevada, the applicant must submit the department's code at the time of the test so the results can be sent to the right organization.
</p><h3 id="section---BackgroundCheckAndMoralTurpitudeMatrix">Background Check and Moral Turpitude Matrix</h3><p>The applicant's criminal history will be received from the Central Repository for Nevada Records of Criminal History once their fingerprints have been submitted for analysis. Generally, applicants for initial licensure will receive an email directing them to the relevant LiveScan vendors where their fingerprints can be collected. LiveScan fingerprint collection can only be accessed by Nevada residents. Persons who live outside of Nevada must instead request a fingerprint card from the Nevada Department of Education. The fingerprint card must be used at a local law enforcement office to collect the applicant's fingerprints, and the officer who collects the fingerprints must also sign the card. The completed card must then be submitted to the Department of Education by mail.
</p><p>The Moral Turpitude Matrix is a list maintained by the Nevada Department of Education and details the criminal offenses for which applicants may be denied a license and prevented from applying in the future. For example, crimes such as kidnapping, manslaughter, child abuse, and bribery will result in a lifetime ban whereas theft, DUI, and possession of a controlled substance will prevent a license from being granted for the ten years subsequent to the date of conviction.
</p><h3 id="section---ApplicationProcess">Application Process</h3><p>The application process is initiated when the applicant creates an account on the online portal available through the Nevada Department of Education website. The applicant must upload pdf files of their proof of citizenship and the relevant test results. The portal also allows for the payment of the $180 application fee. Official transcripts may be dropped off at the Nevada Department of Education, or the accredited institution that offered the educator preparation program may submit the transcripts via email to transcripts@doe.nv.gov. After this is done, the applicant will receive emails confirming the payment of the application fee as well as describing how to complete the background check process.</p>