Nevada education commission adopts new competency exams, advances several regulation updates to public workshop

The Nevada Commission on Professional Standards on May 1 approved replacement educator competency exams and advanced several regulation updates to public workshop, including revisions to school psychology regulations, endorsement removal and update rules, reporting requirements for teaching out of field, an adaptive physical education pathway, and an additional alternative route-to-licensure pathway to allow quicker endorsement changes for employers.

The action comes as the Nevada Department of Education continues a broader review of licensure and educator preparation regulations after the recent legislative session. Jeff Briskie, director of educator licensure, development and family engagement and secretary to the commission, told members the department will bring a fuller legislative wrap-up at the commission's August meeting.

Commissioners unanimously approved a set of replacement competency exams that Educational Testing Service updated during its multistate review cycle. Briskie said the department recommends adopting the new exam titles, which include replacements or restructured versions for family and consumer sciences; secondary and middle school social studies; a parapro assessment split into a reading/writing subtest and a math subtest; and a new early childhood foundational knowledge and content exam that replaces the former “education of young children” exam. Briskie said the department generally provides a one-year overlap so candidates who have already registered for older versions can complete them.

On regulations, the commission agreed to move multiple items to a public workshop rather than vote on final language at the meeting. Doctor Jackie Nygaard, an…