Anyone wondering how to become a teacher in Nevada should understand that the state offers teaching candidates traditional and nontraditional pathways to teaching certifications. Nevada also offers three types of teaching licenses: standard, provisional, and professional.
Teaching candidates must undergo testing to fulfill the Nevada teacher certification requirements. Testing includes:
The traditional path to gaining a Nevada teacher certification is completing an education program from an accredited university. These candidates will complete a 4-year bachelor's degree in an education program at an accredited university. After that they become eligible for a standard Nevada teaching license. Standard teaching licensure must be renewed every five years.
Teaching candidates who have already earned a bachelor's degree with a GPA of 2.5 or higher may take a non-traditional path to gain their teaching certification. The non-traditional route allows for a provisional, non-renewable license. Coursework, testing, and teaching requirements must be completed within three years.
Candidates who have a standard license become eligible for a professional license after three years of experience and a graduate degree. Professional licenses are renewable every 6, 8, or ten years, depending on the type of advanced degree.
Nevada also offers a Retiree License for educators retiring after a minimum of 15 years of experience in Nevada schools. Retiree Licenses are valid for ten years.
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Nevada teaching certification requirements for a standard teaching license begins with a proof of education. The original transcripts must come from an accredited college and bear that college's seal. Candidates are also required to submit verification of teaching or work experience and pass the needed Praxis tests.
All candidates seeking a Nevada teaching certification must take the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators. The Praxis Core includes three subtests:
| Subtest | Questions | Content | Time Allotted | Passing Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core Academic Skills for Educators: Reading | 56 multiple-choice | Key ideas and details; craft, structure, and language skills; and integration of knowledge and ideas | 85 minutes | 156 out of 200 |
| Core Academics Skills for Educators: Writing | 40 multiple-choice and two essay | Text types, purposes, and production; and language and research skills for writing | 100 minutes | 162 out of 200 |
| Core Academic Skills for Educators: Mathematics | 56 multiple-choice | Numbers and quantity; data interpretation and representation, statistics, and probability; and algebra and geometry | 90 minutes | 150 out of 200 |
The second test required for Nevada teacher certification is the Praxis II: Subject Tests in the aspiring teacher's specialty area. Most of these tests are multiple-choice, although some include essay questions, and each test has its own subject, number of questions, and Praxis passing scores.
Teaching candidates who wish to educate grades K-6 are required to take the Praxis Elementary Education Multiple Subjects. This test is a combination of multiple-choice and numeric entry questions. Candidates will be given 4 hours and 35 minutes to complete the four subtests:
| Subtests | Passing Score |
|---|---|
| Reading and language arts | 157 out of 200 |
| Mathematics | 157 out of 200 |
| Social studies | 159 out of 200 |
| Science | 155 out of 200 |
Candidates must pass each subtest to pass this exam.
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Create AccountCandidates who wish to take the non-traditional path when seeking a Nevada standard teaching certification must provide original transcripts for a bachelor's degree in any major with a 2.5 GPA. Proof of completion of an accredited alternate path program is needed as well as verification of two years of teaching experience. Candidates must submit a passing Praxis score report to meet Nevada teaching certification requirements.
Teaching candidates on the alternative path to certification are required to take the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators. The Praxis Core includes three subtests:
| Subtest | Questions | Time Allotted | Passing Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core Academic Skills for Educators: Reading | 56 multiple-choice | 85 minutes | 156 out of 200 |
| Core Academics Skills for Educators: Writing (Praxis Core Writing) | 40 multiple-choice and 2 essay | 100 minutes | 162 out of 200 |
| Core Academic Skills for Educators: Mathematics (Praxis Core Math) | 56 multiple-choice | 90 minutes | 150 out of 200 |
The second test required for Nevada teacher certification is the Praxis II: Subject Tests in the candidates' specialty area. Most Praxis II exams and specialty tests are multiple-choice, although there are some that include essay or numeric entry questions. Each individual test has its own subject, number of questions, and Praxis passing scores.
Teaching candidates who wish to educate grades K-6 are required to take the Praxis II Elementary Education Multiple Subjects. Teaching candidates who wish to teach at a secondary level in two or more subjects must take the appropriate test for each subject.
Educators who have a teaching certification from another state may benefit from Nevada's reciprocity agreement. Educators with current, valid, non-provisional, and non-conditional licenses must provide a PDF copy of the license in another state. They also must provide a PDF copy of any Praxis scores obtained within five years of their application. Out-of-state educators will need to include copies of all college or university transcripts. A verification of teaching or work experience, filled out by previous employers must also be submitted.
Some additional requirements aspiring Nevada teachers need include a copy of a valid driver's license, passport, or military ID. Teaching candidates must undergo a background check, submit fingerprints and complete the self-disclosure portion of the OPAL application, including any official documents in criminal cases either ongoing or completed.
Applications for a Nevada Teaching Certification are available on Nevada's OPAL web platform. Candidates will need to create an account and fill out the appropriate form, submitting all information. Transcripts can be dropped off at the Las Vegas or Carson City office, mailed to the Las Vegas office, or emailed directly from the college or university to the Department of Education.
Candidates can pay application fees through the OPAL platform. The cost of a new application is $180. Secondary educator candidates who wish for endorsements in more than one subject will be charged an additional fee of $50 per endorsement.
Nevada teacher certification renewal includes guidelines for professional development and advancement. Educators are required to take a total of 90 hours of professional development before they are allowed to renew a Nevada standard teaching license. These 90 hours can be 6 credit hours or 15 professional development hours per year or a combination of credits and professional development. Educators must then provide proof of 90 professional hours on OPAL and pay renewal fees of $150.
Nevada requires all educators with a standard teaching certification to complete 90 hours of professional development every five years. For educators seeking to advance their careers, professional development can take the form of earning credits toward an advanced degree. Once an advanced degree in education has been achieved, they can advance from a standard teaching license to a Nevada professional license.
With a professional license, educators who have gained a master's degree are required to renew every 6 years. Educators with an Education Specialist degree renew every 8 years, and those with a doctorate renew every 10 years. With the advanced degree, educators often see a rise in pay.
Educators in Nevada are not a field that will experience much job growth in the immediate future. Elementary schools teachers are looking at a 0.7 percent job growth, middle School educators 1.1 percent, and high school teachers 1.8 percent job growth.
However, as teachers retire or leave the field, new jobs become available. Salaries for new teachers in Nevada are about $43,000. Median salaries are $52,590, $52,790, $52,600 for elementary, middle school, and high school teachers respectively.
Katie Slaughter, M.A. has taught middle school science and math for over 6 years. She has helped lay a foundation for personalized learning in her school and has presented internationally about what she is doing in her classroom. She has successfully passed numerous Praxis exams. Katie completed a B.S. in Marine Science from Coastal Carolina University and an M.A. in Teaching from Georgetown College.
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Educators must renew Nevada Standard License every five years. Renewing a standard teaching certification begins with completing 15 hours of professional development or six credit hours, with each credit counting for 15 hours, or any combination that will equal 90 hours of professional development. Educators may renew on Nevada's government website by signing into their OPAL account. The cost for renewing a Nevada standard teaching certificate is $150.
New educators in the state of Nevada earn about $43,000. The median salary of educators in Nevada ranges from $52,000 to $53,000.
Those who wish to become high school teachers in Nevada should enroll in an accredited education program. Once they have completed the necessary degree, the candidate can then take the Praxis basic skills test and the necessary tests for the subject they wish to specialize in. Finally, the candidate should apply for a Nevada standard teaching certification.
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