2023 Nevada Revised Statutes › Chapter 388 - System of Public Instruction › NRS 388.223 - Teacher Academy College Pathway Program: Required in large school districts; requirements of Program; authorization to enter certain partnerships; regulations.

1. Each large school district shall offer a Teacher Academy College Pathway Program at every high school in the school district with 250 or more pupils enrolled that will enable interested pupils in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, to prepare for employment in professions in K-12 education. A large school district may offer a Program at high schools with fewer than 250 pupils. A school district that is not a large school district may offer a Program at one or more high schools in the school district.
2. A large school district, and a school district that is not a large school district which elects to offer the Program, shall:
(a) Advertise the Program and the benefits of participation in the Program.
(b) Ensure each high school in the school district which offers such a Program is staffed by a full-time employee who is:
(1) A licensed teacher or administrator; and
(2) Responsible for implementing the Program at the school.
(c) Assess each pupil entering grade 9 who is or will be enrolled in a high school which offers such a Program and who is interested in participating in the Program, identify any barriers, including, without limitation, academic, financial, socioeconomic and transportation barriers, to the participation in and completion of the Program by such interested pupils and, if such barriers are identified, inform the pupil and the parents or legal guardian of the pupil of any programs and services which are available to help the pupil to overcome such barriers and provide such programs and services to the pupil.
(d) Offer internships at elementary, junior high or middle schools in the school district to qualified pupils in grades 11 and 12 who participate in the Program.
(e) Offer employment as a paraprofessional to qualified high school graduates who have completed the Program and are enrolled in a program to become a teacher at an institution in the Nevada System of Higher Education.
(f) For qualified applicants for employment with the school district who have completed the Program and who have submitted a timely application, provide an offer of employment or decline to provide an offer of employment to such an applicant not later than January 31 of the year immediately preceding the school year for which the applicant applied for employment.
(g) Enter into an agreement with the Board of Regents of the University of Nevada to:
(1) Enable pupils who participate in the Program to earn up to 12 units of college credit for courses taken and internships engaged in as part of the Program at no cost to the pupil.
(2) Establish qualifications for teachers of the school district who teach courses in the Program which are eligible for college credit, which may include, without limitation, a minimum of 4 years of classroom teaching experience or a Master’s degree.
(3) Guarantee the admission of otherwise academically qualified pupils who complete the Program to institutions in the Nevada System of Higher Education.
(4) Provide programs, services, scholarships and financial aid to assist pupils who participate in the Program in applying for admission to institutions in the Nevada System of Higher Education and completing the Program at such an institution.
(h) Inform pupils who participate in the Program and the parents and legal guardians of such pupils about programs, services, scholarships and financial aid which are available to assist pupils in applying for admission to institutions in the Nevada System of Higher Education and completing the Program at such an institution.
3. A large school district, and a school district that is not a large school district which elects to offer the Program, may enter into an agreement with the Board of Regents of the University of Nevada to provide a faculty mentor from the Nevada System of Higher Education to teachers of the school district who teach courses in the Program to ensure such courses align with the contents and rigor of equivalent courses taught at institutions within the Nevada System of Higher Education. If the provisions of this subsection conflict with the provisions of chapter 388G of NRS, the provisions of this subsection prevail.
4. The State Board:
(a) Shall adopt regulations that prescribe the curriculum for the Program which are consistent with the provisions of this section. To the extent a school district provides programs of career and technical education other than the Program, such programs of career and technical education must nonetheless be consistent with the regulations adopted pursuant to this paragraph, to the extent applicable.
(b) May adopt such other regulations as are necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.
5. As used in this section:
(a) "Large school district" means any school district in this State which has more than 100,000 pupils enrolled in its public schools.
(b) "Program" means the Teacher Academy College Pathway Program created pursuant to this section.
(Added to NRS by 2023, 3009)