Nevada governor signs emergency regulation to reduce cost of substitute teaching license

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak on Monday signed an emergency regulation to help address teacher shortages in the state.

According to a news, the emergency regulation came at the request of the Commission on Professional Standards in Education.

The release says that as part of the regulation, the cost to obtain a substitute teaching license has been reduced from $180 for initial licenses and $150 for renewal licenses to $100 for all substitute teaching licenses.

“I want to thank the Commission on Professional Standards and Governor Sisolak for taking action to help address Nevada’s educator workforce shortages,” said Jhone Ebert, State Superintendent of Public Instruction. “The Nevada Department of Education is committed to partnering with districts and schools, traditional and alternative educator preparation programs, educator associations, and other stakeholders to continue to support teacher recruitment and retention efforts Statewide.”

In addition, officials say that the regulation also allows the state superintendent of public instruction to extend expiration dates of certain provisional educator licenses for up to 6 months. This will ensure over 600 educators can continue teaching this fall, the release says.

“Administrators, teachers, and school staff are charged with the care of Nevada’s most valuable asset – our children,” said Governor Sisolak. “I am grateful to the Commission on Professional Standards for identifying an opportunity to address school staffing shortages this fall because all children deserve access to caring and qualified adults.”

The teachers union sent this statement: “The teacher vacancy rates are at an alarming rate. We are in a crisis. Small steps like this provide some relief but are not the long-term solution. We need to grow our teacher pipeline.”

For more information on obtaining a substitute teaching license in Nevada, visit: https://doe.nv.gov/Educator_Licensure/Substitute_Teaching_License/

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