To qualify for the Early Childhood Developmentally Delayed endorsement, a person must:

1. Have completed a program of special education, approved by the Board, for children who have disabilities and who are under 8 years of age; or

2. Hold a current license or certificate with a similar endorsement issued by another state; or

3. Hold a Master’s degree in early childhood special education and have completed 8 semester credits of student teaching, equivalent field experience or 1 year of verifiable teaching experience in early childhood special education; or

4. A person may also receive the endorsement if he/she:

1. Holds an elementary or secondary license, a license to teach middle school or junior high school education, a special license with an endorsement in special education, or a bachelor’s or master’s degree in early childhood special education, special education, education for early childhood, child development or a related field that customarily involves providing service to children who have disabilities and who are under 8 years of age, such as counseling of children or families, educational or developmental psychology, speech pathology, physical or occupational therapy, elementary education, social work, or nursing if the person has at least 1 year of experience in pediatric nursing; and

2. Has completed at least 18 semester credits which included a course in each area listed in numbers (1) through (5) with any remaining hours completed in areas (6) to (9):

1. Foundations or overview of early childhood special education;

2. Typical and atypical development of children who are under 8 years of age;

3. Assessment of children who have disabilities and who are under 8 years of age;

4. Strategies for intervention or development of curriculum for children who have disabilities and who are under 8 years of age; and

5. Working with families of children who have disabilities and who are under 8 years of age;

6. Issues regarding physical and medical management of children who have disabilities and who are under 8 years of age;

7. Development of language and strategies for intervention for children who have disabilities and who are under 8 years of age;

8. Social and emotional development and strategies for intervention for children who have disabilities and who are under 8 years of age; and

9. Coordination and collaboration of services among other agencies and disciplines which serve children who have disabilities and who are under 8 years of age; and

3. Has completed student teaching of pupils who have disabilities or developmental delays and who are under 8 years of age or has 1 year of verifiable experience working as a teacher in a program of early childhood special education in a public or private agency that is licensed by the State or that has been approved by a national organization or has completed equivalent field experience with such pupils through a regionally accredited college or university.

NOTE: Some colleges/universities combine subject matter into one course. We will accept one course that encompasses two areas listed above if the course was specifically designed to fulfill more than one area and is a minimum of three (3) semester credits; however, the allowance will only be made once.
 

The Option Program

The Option Program is a way an employer can fill high-need areas. The Option Program is an agreement between you and your employer and is not coordinated through the Office of Teacher Licensure. Your employer will provide written documentation to you if you are placed on the Option Program. While on the program, you will be required to complete the appropriate course work and meet the requirements for the full endorsement in the time prescribed by your employer but generally no longer than 3 years from the date that you are placed on the program. The endorsement is not reflected on your license while you are on the program. At the end of the Option Program, you must submit the additional endorsement application and fee to our office in order to add the endorsement to your license.

The minimum requirements for the Early Childhood Developmentally Delayed Option Program are:

Hold a Nevada elementary, middle school/junior high or secondary license or a special license issued by Nevada with an endorsement in special education. This option also requires you to submit verification that progress is being made toward meeting the requirements for the full endorsement by completing 6 semester credits from the courses listed above in 4(B) within 1 year after you begin teaching under this option.