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- 83rd Session (2025)
Senate Bill No. 277–Senators Cruz-Crawford and Doñate
Joint Sponsors: Assemblymembers
Jackson; Anderson and D’Silva
CHAPTER..........
AN ACT relating to education; requiring certain public schools to
employ a school social worker to the extent that money is
available for that purpose; creating immunity from civil
liability for a school district or c harter school for certain
actions that constitute harassment or power-based violence if
the school district or charter school establishes, enforces and
publishes a policy contain ing certain provisions relating to
harassment and power -based violence ; requiring the
Commission on Professional Standards in Education to adopt
regulations relating to the licensure of school psychologists,
school counselors and school social workers; and providing
other matters properly relating thereto.
Legislative Counsel’s Digest:
Existing law establishes various requirements governing educational personnel,
including requirements governing the licensing, qualifications, employment,
powers, duties, supervision and evaluation of such personnel. (Chapter 391 of
NRS) Under existing law, the Commission on Professional Standards in Education
is required to adopt regulations relating to the qualifications for licensure of
teachers and other educational personnel, including: (1) regulations relating to the
qualifications for licensure of school counselors and school social workers; and (2)
regulations that allow a person who is currently employed by a public school in a
position to provide support or other services relating to school psychology to
simultaneously complete a program of internship in psychology. (NRS 391.019,
391.0349) Section 2 of this bill requires the Commission to adopt regulations that
allow a person who is employed by a public school in a position relating to school
counseling or school social work, as applicabl e, and is enrolled in a program that
would allow the person to obtain a license or endorsement as a school counselor or
school social worker, as applicable, to simultaneously complete any required
internship or practicum hours for the purpose of obtaining such a license or
endorsement. Section 2 further requires the Commission to adopt regulations that
allow a person who is employed by a public school in a position relating to school
psychology and is enrolled in a program that would allow the person to obt ain a
license or endorsement as a school psychologist to simultaneously complete any
required practicum hours.
Existing law establishes the powers and duties of a school counselor and school
social worker. (NRS 391.293, 391.296) Existing law requires each public school,
including each charter school, to the extent that money is available for that purpose,
to employ a school counselor at the school on a full -time basis. (NRS 388.055)
Section 1.3 of this bill additionally requires each public school in a cou nty whose
population is 700,000 or more (currently only Clark County), to the extent that
money is available for that purpose, to employ a school social worker at the school
on a full-time basis. Section 1.3 also prohibits, insofar as is practicable, each public
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school from entering into a contract with an independent contractor for the
provision of the services that a school social worker is authorized to perform.
Existing law creates county school districts as political subdivisions of this
State and pro vides that each school district may be sued. (NRS 386.010) Section
1.7 of this bill: (1) makes a school district or charter school immune from civil
liability for an incident of harassment or power -based violence by pupils or staff if
it demonstrates that it established, enforced and adequately published a
comprehensive policy to prevent harassment and power-based violence; and (2)
requires such a policy to include certain provisions.
EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN
SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Chapter 388 of NRS is hereby amended by adding
thereto the provisions set forth as sections 1.3 and 1.7 of this act.
Sec. 1.3. Each public school, including, without limitation,
each charter school, in a county whose population is 700,000 or
more:
1. Shall, to the extent that money is available for that
purpose, employ a school social worker at the school on a full-time
basis.
2. Shall not, insofar as is practicable, enter into a contract
with an independent contractor for the provision of the services
that a school social worker is authorized to perform pursuant to
NRS 391.296.
Sec. 1.7. 1. A school district or charter school is immune
from civil liability for any incident of harassment or power -based
violence by a pupil, employee or contractor of the school district or
charter school if the school district or charter school demonstrates
that the school district or charter school, as applicable,
established, enforced and adequately published on its Internet
website and in its handbook of policies and procedures a
comprehensive policy to prevent harassment and power -based
violence that includes, without limitation:
(a) Protocols that describe spec ific measures that must be
adhered to in responding to a complaint of an alleged incident of
harassment or power -based violence by a pupil , employee or
contractor;
(b) Trauma-informed procedures to address a complaint of an
alleged incident of harassment or power -based violence, without
exposing the complainant and any alleged victims to further harm
or to unreasonable effort or expense;
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(c) Regardless of whether a complainant requests an
investigation, a plan to deliver supportive measures to a
complainant and any alleged victims not later than 3 days after
receiving the complaint of an alleged incident of harassment or
power-based violence; and
(d) Any corrective action that is necessary, appropriate,
delivered promptly and designed for an alleged inci dent of
harassment or power-based violence, to:
(1) Stop any such incident;
(2) Prevent the recurrence of any such incident; and
(3) Remedy the effects of any such incident.
2. As used in this section:
(a) “Harassment” has the meaning ascribed to it in
NRS 200.571.
(b) “Power-based violence” has the meaning ascribed to it in
NRS 396.1285.
(c) “Supportive measures” includes, without limitation:
(1) Adjusting the schedule of courses of a pupil;
(2) Providing a pupil with accommodations for assignments
and examinations;
(3) Complying with a court order prohibiting contact;
(4) Providing counseling services;
(5) Adjusting participation in school activities or the duties
of an employee or contractor;
(6) Providing a list of providers of counseling or legal
services in the community;
(7) Regardless of any requirements concerning the
attendance or grade point average of a pupil, preserving the ability
of the pupil to serve in leadership positions and participate in
activities and educational programs;
(8) As appropriate, excusing any absences of a pupil or
providing a leave of absence to an employee or contractor; and
(9) Increasing the monitoring or supervision of locations
on school property or during school-sponsored activities where the
parties involved in an alleged incident of harassment or power -
based violence are likely to interact.
Sec. 2. NRS 391.019 is hereby amended to read as follows:
391.019 1. Except as otherwise provided in N RS 391.027,
the Commission shall adopt regulations:
(a) Prescribing the qualifications for licensing teachers and other
educational personnel and the procedures for the issuance and
renewal of those licenses. The regulations:
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(1) Must include, without limitation, the qualifications for
licensing teachers and administrators pursuant to an alternative route
to licensure which provides that the required education and training
may be provided by any qualified provider which has been approved
by the Commissi on, including, without limitation, institutions of
higher education and other providers that operate independently of
an institution of higher education. The regulations adopted pursuant
to this subparagraph must:
(I) Establish the requirements for appr oval as a qualified
provider;
(II) Require a qualified provider to be selective in its
acceptance of students;
(III) Require a qualified provider to provide in -person or
virtual supervised, school -based experiences and ongoing support
for its students, such as mentoring and coaching;
(IV) Significantly limit the amount of course work
required or provide for the waiver of required course work for
students who achieve certain scores on tests;
(V) Allow for the completion in 2 years or less of the
education and training required under the alternative route to
licensure;
(VI) Provide that a person who has completed the
education and training required under the alternative route to
licensure and who has satisfied all other requirements for l icensure
may apply for a regular license pursuant to sub -subparagraph (VII)
regardless of whether the person has received an offer of
employment from a school district, charter school or private school;
and
(VII) Upon the completion by a person of the e ducation
and training required under the alternative route to licensure and the
satisfaction of all other requirements for licensure, provide for the
issuance of a regular license to the person pursuant to the provisions
of this chapter and the regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter.
(2) Must require an applicant for a license to teach middle
school or junior high school education or secondary education to
demonstrate proficiency in a field of specialization or area of
concentration by successfully completing course work prescribed by
the Department or completing a subject matter competency
examination prescribed by the Department with a score deemed
satisfactory.
(3) Must not prescribe qualifications which are more
stringent than the qualification s set forth in NRS 391.0315 for a
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licensed teacher who applies for an additional license in accordance
with that section.
(b) Identifying fields of specialization in teaching which require
the specialized training of teachers.
(c) Except as otherwise pro vided in NRS 391.125, requiring
teachers to obtain from the Department an endorsement in a field of
specialization to be eligible to teach in that field of specialization.
(d) Setting forth the educational requirements a teacher must
satisfy to qualify for an endorsement in each field of specialization.
(e) Setting forth the qualifications and requirements for
obtaining a license or endorsement to teach American Sign
Language, including, without limitation, being registered with the
Aging and Disability Services Division of the Department of Health
and Human Services pursuant to NRS 656A.100 to engage in the
practice of sign language interpreting in a primary or secondary
educational setting.
(f) Requiring teachers and other educational personnel to be
registered with the Aging and Disability Services Division pursuant
to NRS 656A.100 to engage in the practice of sign language
interpreting in a primary or secondary educational setting if they:
(1) Provide instruction or other educational services; and
(2) Concurrently engage in the practice of sign language
interpreting, as defined in NRS 656A.060.
(g) Prescribing course work on parental involvement and family
engagement. The Commission shall:
(1) Work in cooperation with the Office of Parental
Involvement and Family Engagement created by NRS 385.630 in
developing the regulations required by this paragraph.
(2) Establish standards for professional development training
which may be used to satisfy any course work requirement
prescribed pursuant to this paragraph.
(h) Establishing the requirements for obtaining an endorsement
on the license of a teacher, administrator or other educational
personnel in cultural competency.
(i) Authorizing the Superintendent of Public Instruction to issue
a license by endorsement to an applicant who holds an equivalent
license or authorization issued by a governmental entity in another
country if the Superintendent determines that the qualifications for
the equivalent license or authorization are substantially similar to
those prescribed pursuant to paragraph (a).
(j) Establishing the requirements for obtaining an endorsement
on the license of a teacher, administrator or other educational
personnel in teaching courses relating to financial literacy.
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(k) Authorizing a person who is employed as a paraprofessional
and enrolled in a program to become a teacher to complete an
accelerated program of student teaching in the same or a
substantially similar area in which the person is employed as a
paraprofessional while remaining employed as a paraprofessional.
(l) Requiring the Department to accept a program of student
teaching or other teaching experience completed in another state or
foreign country by an applicant for a license if the Department
determines that the program or experience substantially fulfills the
standards of a program of student teaching in this State.
(m) Authorizing a person who is employed by a public school in
a position to provide support or other services relating to [school] :
(1) School psychology, if the person does not hold a license
or endorsement as a school psychologist but is enrolled in a program
that would allow the person to obtain such a license or endorsement,
to complete a program of internship in school psychology or any
required practicum hours for the purpose of obtaining a license or
endorsement as a school psychologist while remaining employed in
such a position.
(2) School counseling, if the person does not hold a license
or endorsement as a school counselor but is enrolled in a program
that would allow the person to obtain such a license or
endorsement, to complete any required internship or practicum
hours for the purpose of obtaining a license or endorsement as a
school counselor while remaining employed in such a position.
(3) School social work, if the person does not hold a license
or endorsement as a school social worker but is enrolled in a
program that would allow the person to obtain such a license or
endorsement, to complete any required internship or practicum
hours for the purpose of obtaining a license or endorsement as a
school social worker while remaining employed in such a position.
(n) To carry out the provisions of NRS 391B.010.
2. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 391.027, the
Commission may adopt such other regulations as it deems necessary
for its own government or to carry out its duties.
3. Any regulation which increases the amount of education,
training or experience required for licensing:
(a) Must, in addition to the requirements for publicatio n in
chapter 233B of NRS, be publicized before its adoption in a manner
reasonably calculated to inform those persons affected by the
change.
(b) Must not become effective until at least 1 year after the date
it is adopted by the Commission.
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(c) Is not applicable to a license in effect on the date the
regulation becomes effective.
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