Education commission advances a package of teacher‑licensing regulation changes toward public hearings

The Commission on Professional Standards in Education voted to move a series of proposed regulatory changes to public workshop or hearing, covering a wide range of teacher‑licensure and endorsement topics.

At a public workshop opened at 9:15 a.m., staff explained a proposed change to NAC 391.036 to implement Assembly Bill 286. Jeff Brisky of the Nevada Department of Education said the rule would permit a candidate to waive the Praxis Core test if the candidate has a passing grade (B or better) in an approved course of study, and that the course may be taken either before or after failing the Praxis Core exam. "This course can be taken before or after not passing the Praxis Core test," Brisky said, adding the regulation must match the language of the enacted bill.

Commissioners pressed for clarification about timing and incentives. Commissioner Schultz said he did not recall the provision allowing the course to be taken before the test; Brisky replied the most recent session (2025, "bill 286") allows the course to be taken prior to or after the exam and that an approved course list will be published on the department website.

The commission also approved sending multiple other regulations to workshop or hearing: rules to comply with Senate Bill 81 to create an interim route certification pathway for school and program administrators (NAC 391.17 and 391.171); updates to implement Senate Bill 400 requiring music and art endorsements in certain large districts and schools (with physical education and health added at the department's request); a proposal to remove the notarized statement requirement to surrender a single endorsement (NAC 391.063); a requirement that school audiologists hold an audiologist endorsement with transitional language for incumbents (NAC 391.223); amendments requiring occupational and physical therapists and assistants in schools to hold corresponding endorsements; and alignment of license lengths across provisional, standard and professional categories to 3, 5 and 6 years respectively.

For each item, a commissioner moved to send the proposal to a public workshop or hearing and the motion carried. Where commissioners raised calendar or operational concerns, staff noted those issues would be handled in future drafts or through transitional language. For example, Brisky said incumbents employed on the filing date for the audiologist rule "may continue in his or her current employment without obtaining a special license" so long as they remain continuously employed.

The commission did not take final regulatory action at the meeting; the votes recorded were motions to advance the items to public workshop or hearing for additional review and public comment. The body scheduled further consideration at forthcoming meetings and hearings.

What’s next: each draft regulation will return for formal public hearing after additional work by the department and staff. The commission’s next regular meeting is set for 2026‑01‑15.