SB 278 — Revises provisions relating to education. (BDR 34-788)

(ReprintedSenate withBill amendmentsNo. adopted on April 21, 2025) FIRST REPRINT S.B.

278278–Senators SCruz-Crawford, ENATEOhrenschall; B ILLN O.

278–SENATORSDoñate, CFlores RUZand -CRAWFORDNguyen ,Joint OHRENSCHALLSponsors: ;

DOÑATEAssemblymembers ,González LORESand ANDTorres-Fossett NCHAPTER.......... GUYEN M ARCH 5, 2025 ____________ JOINT SPONSORS :

SSEMBLYMEMBERS G ONZÁLEZ AND TORRES -FOSSETT ____________ Referred to Committee on Education SUMMARY—Revises provisions relating to education.

(BDR 34-788) FISCAL NOTE:

Effect on Local Government:

No.

Effect on the State:

Yes.

~ EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new;

matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

LegislativeLegiExisting Counsel’slaw Digest:creates the Commission on Professional Standards in Education and requires the Commission to adopt regulations prescribing the qualifications for licensing teachers and other educational personnel.

Existing(NRS law391.011, creates391.019) theSection Commission1.1 onof Professionalthis Standardsbill in Education and requires the Commission to adoptconsider regulationsany prescribingchanges thenecessary qualificationsto forimprove licensingaccess teachersto andlicensure otheror educationalendorsement personnel.when adopting such regulations.

(NRS 391.011, 391.019) Section 1.1 of this bill requires the Commission to consider any changes necessary to Existing law requires a public elementary school to provide certain programs, services and instruction to certain pupils who have a deficiency in the subject area of reading based on state or local assessments and other relevant information.

(NRS(NRSa 392.750, 392.755) Sections 2.6 and 3 of this bill eliminate the use of local assessments to determine whether a pupil has a deficiency in the subject area of reading.

Section 3 further provides that a pupil is not required to continue receiving - *SB278_R1* – 2 – services or instruction to correct a deficiency in the subject area of reading if the pupil achieves a score on the statewide assessment that falls within the level established by the State Board of Education for the grade level in which the pupil is enrExistingenroExisting law requires the board of trustees of each school district and the governing body of a charter school to prepare a report containing certain information regarding pupils who receive intervention services and intensive instruction to address a deficiency in the subject area of reading.

Section 2.2 of this bill prohibits any entity other than the State Board of Education from requiring a public school, the board of trustees of a school district or the governing body of a charter school to report information concerning pupils who receive intervention services and intensive instruction to address a deficiency in the subject area of reading.

- 83rd Session (2025) – 2 – EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new;

matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

Require the school to provide to a pupil who has been identified as deficient in the subject area of reading with intervention services and intensive instruction in accordance with the plan established pursuant to NRS 388.157.388.157.on in accordance with [2.

[2.

and - *SB278_R1* – 3 – (2) Received educational programs or services identified pursuant to subsection 1 of NRS 392.750 at each grade level and whose proficiency in the subject area of reading:

and (b)- Submit83rd aSession copy(2025) of– the3 report– to the Department, the Legislature and the sponsor of the charter school;

andandthe (c) Post the report on the Internet website maintained by the charter school and otherwise make the report available to the parents and legal guardians of pupils enrolled in the charter school and the general public.

(1) Must include, without limitation, the qualifications for licensing teachers and administrators pursuant to an alternative route to licensure which provides that the required education and training may be provided by any qualified provider which has been approved by the Commission, including, without limitation, institutions of higher education and other providers that operate independently of an institution of higher education.

(V) Allow for the completion in 2 years or less of the education and training required under the alternative route to licensure;licensure;(VI) Provide that a person who has completed the education and training required under the alternative route to licensure and who has satisfied all other requirements for licensure may apply for a regular license pursuant to sub-subparagraph (VII) regardless of whether the person has received an offer of employment from a school district, charter school or private school;

-and *SB278_R1*(VII) –Upon 4the –completion (VI)by Provide that a person whoof has completed the education and training required under the alternative route to licensure and whothe has- satisfied83rd allSession other(2025) requirements– for4 licensure– mayissuance applyof for a regular license pursuant to sub-subparagraph (VII) regardless of whether the person haspursuant receivedto anthe offerprovisions of employmentthis fromchapter aand schoolthe district,regulations charteradopted schoolpursuant orto privatethis school;chapter.

and (VII) Upon the completion by a person of the education and training required under the alternative route to licensure and the satisfaction of all other requirements for licensure, provide for the issuance of a regular license to the person pursuant to the provisions of this chapter and the regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter.

(c) Except as otherwise provided in NRS 391.125, requiring teachers to obtain from the Department an endorsement in a field of specialization to be eligible to teach in that field of specialization.

and (2)interpreting, Concurrentlyas engagedefined in theNRS practice656A.060.ctice of sign language interpreting,(g) asPrescribing definedcourse inwork NRSon 656A.060.parental involvement and family engagement.

- *SB278_R1* – 5 – (g) Prescribing course work on parental involvement and family engagement.

(h)- Establishing83rd theSession requirements(2025) for– obtaining5 an– endorsement on the license of a teacher, administrator or other educationaleducationalnt personnel in cultural competency.

(l) Requiring the Department to accept a program of student teaching or other teaching experience completed in another state or foreign country by an applicant for a license if the Department determines that the program or experience substantially fulfills the standards of a program of student teaching in this State.

3.training or experience required for licensing:unt of education, (a) Must, in addition to the requirements for publication in chapter 233B of NRS, be publicized before its adoption in a manner reasonably calculated to inform those persons affected by the change.

Any regulation which increases the amount of education, training or experience required for licensing:

(a) Must, in addition to the requirements for publication in chapter 233B of NRS, be publicized before its adoption in a manner - *SB278_R1* – 6 – reasonably calculated to inform those persons affected by the change.

- 83rd Session (2025) – 6 – 4.

Such changes may include, without limitation, changes to streamline procedures, consolidate requirements or otherwise simplify and improve the process for a person who is enrolled in a program for an alternative route totoa licensure or who has completed the education and training required for licensure through an alternative route to licensure.

392.750 If a pupil enrolled at a public elementary school in kindergarten or grade 1, 2 or 3 or who newly enrolls in a public elementary school exhibits a deficiency in the subject area of reading based upon state [or local] assessments and the observations of the pupil’s teacher, the principal of the school must provide written notice of the deficiency to the parent or legal guardian of the pupil within 30 days after the date on which the deficiency is discovered.