Birth through Second Grade

To receive a special license or endorsement to teach pupils from birth through the second grade, a person must hold a bachelor's degree or graduate degree from an accredited college or university and must:  

1. Have completed a program of preparation to teach such pupils that is approved by the board; 

2. Hold a license to teach such pupils that was issued by another state and approved by the commission;  

3. Hold an elementary license, middle school or junior high license, or a secondary license that is endorsed with a major in child care; and:  

A. Have experience teaching pupils under 6 years of age that consists of:  

1) Eight semester hours of student teaching; or 

2) One year of verifiable experience teaching pupils in a program of early childhood education conducted by a public school, a public agency or a private school licensed pursuant to chapter 394 of NRS at the conclusion of which the person was eligible for reemployment; or  

3) An equivalent field experience or practicum conducted by an accredited college or university; and 

B. Have completed at least 6 semester hours of courses in early childhood education, consisting of courses in any of the following subjects: 

1) Early childhood curriculum;

2) Emergent language and literacy; or

3) Play theory and creativity; and

C. Have completed at least 6 semester hours of courses in any of the courses described above (I through III) or in any of the following subjects:

1) Child development from birth to age 8;

2) Diversity in young children;

3) Introduction to early childhood education;

4) Positive discipline and guidance for young children;

5) Working with families with young children; or

4. Or have completed at least 35 semester hours of courses in early childhood education for children who are developing typically and atypically consisting of:

A. Six semester hours in child development and learning, with the content of the courses covering diversity in culture, language and ability; and 

B. Twelve semester hours in early childhood curriculum and program implementation that include at least one course in each of the following subjects:

1) Language and literacy;

2) Mathematics and science;

3) Social studies; and

4) Strategies for working with children with disabilities;

C. Three additional semester hours in early childhood curriculum and program implementation, consisting of courses in any of the following subjects:

1) Curriculum for infants and toddlers;

2) Early childhood classroom management;

 3) Integrated curriculum;

4) Play theory and creativity;

5) Positive discipline and guidance for young children; or

6) Technology; and

D. Three semester hours in family and community relations, including working with families; and

E. Three semester hours in assessment and evaluation for early childhood education; and

F. Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, 8 semester hours of student teaching involving pupils in at least two different age groups, one of which must have included pupils in the first or second grade and one of which must have included pupils of any age from birth through kindergarten.  At least one of the groups must have included pupils with and without disabilities. In lieu of completing eight semester hours of student teaching, a person may have 1 year of verifiable experience teaching pupils under 6 years of age in a program of early childhood education conducted by a public school, a public agency or a private school licensed pursuant to chapter 392 of NRS at the conclusion of which the person was eligible for reemployment.