Section 92-20-004 - Educator Preparation Program Requirements004.01General Policy Statements. The institution must have a written policy stating its objectives which delineates its goals and commitment to the preparation of educators. Not all of the programs for the preparation of school personnel need to be administratively located within the educator preparation program; however all professional education programs must be organized and coordinated by the educator preparation program.004.02Personnel Requirements.004.02AProgram Administrator. The institution must designate an individual to administer the professional educator preparation program. This individual is required to hold, qualify for, or have held an educator certificate.004.02BCertification Officer. The institution must designate a faculty or staff member to receive correspondence regarding this chapter and to oversee the submission of certified records, transcripts, reports, and/or recommendations to the Department for the purpose of certification and/or endorsement.004.02CField Experience Coordinator. The institution must designate a faculty or staff member to coordinate field experience requirements contained in this chapter.004.02DCooperating Educators. The institution must ensure that cooperating educators employed by school systems or other field-based settings have a minimum of three (3) years of education employment experience and hold an appropriate certificate with an endorsement in the area or level they are supervising.004.03Educator Preparation Program Faculty Requirements.004.03AMinimum Required Faculty004.03A1Undergraduate faculty. There must be a minimum of three (3) full-time professional education faculty.004.03A2Graduate faculty. Each advanced degree program leading to the doctorate must have at least three (3) full-time professional education faculty members who have earned the doctorate in the field of specialization for which the degree is offered.004.03BFaculty Qualifications004.03B1 All professional education faculty must hold a graduate degree or a professional degree from a college or university accredited by an accrediting organization recognized by the United States Department of Education.004.03B2 The preparation, research, and experience of each faculty member must be in the field in which the faculty member teaches.004.03B3 All professional education faculty, hired after July 1, 1994, must have two (2) years of PK-12 teaching experience in elementary or secondary schools approved or accredited by a state or in similarly constituted and governed schools in a state where non-public schools are not recognized by the state. Faculty who do not possess two (2) years of PK-12 teaching experience must meet the exceptional expertise requirement.
004.03B4 At least one-third of the full-time undergraduate faculty must hold a terminal degree.004.03B5 At least one-half of full-time graduate faculty must hold a terminal degree.004.03B6 All faculty in programs which grant the sixth year specialist's certificate or doctorate degree must hold the doctorate and have two (2) years of teaching or school administration experience.004.03B7 Faculty who do not possess a terminal degree must meet the exceptional expertise requirement.004.03B8 Adjunct faculty utilized for clinical experience supervision must hold or have held appropriate certification for the area and/or level which they are supervising.004.03CFaculty Load004.03C1 For undergraduate faculty, assignments for teaching, supervision of clinical experience, and administration must not exceed twenty-four (24) credit hours within the same academic year for a full-time equivalent undergraduate faculty member except as provided in Section 004.03C3 of this chapter.004.03C2 For graduate faculty, assignments for teaching, supervision of clinical experience, and administration must not exceed eighteen (18) credit hours within the same academic year for a full-time equivalent graduate faculty member with the exception stated in Section 004.03C3 of this chapter.004.03C3 For faculty teaching a combination of undergraduate and graduate assignments, the load may be a proration of nine (9) undergraduate and twelve (12) graduate credit hours, with total hours assigned within the same academic year not to exceed twenty-one (21) hours.004.03C4 Supervision of clinical experiences must not exceed a ratio of eighteen (18) full-time equivalent candidates to one (1) full-time equivalent faculty member within one (1) semester. 004.04Minimum Endorsement Offering Requirements. The institution must offer courses for a minimum of eight (8) approved subject and/or field endorsements contained in 92 NAC 24 and have on file a plan of study documenting that required courses are offered on a schedule to enable candidates access to the coursework in a four (4) year period.004.05Library Requirements. Library holdings, curriculum materials, and related technology resources must provide adequate scope, breadth, and currency to support education candidates and faculty. The institution must employ staff to work collaboratively with the educator preparation program to acquire relevant and current resources and to provide support services for material utilization.004.06Policies for Program Admission, Progression, and Completion. The institution must have on file, and systematically communicate to all candidates, specific requirements regarding candidate admission, progression, and completion of the educator preparation program, including: 004.06ADisclosure. The institution must require the prospective candidate to disclose all criminal convictions, except traffic offenses.004.06BNotice Regarding Convictions. The institution must inform all persons who apply for admission to its program that persons who have felony convictions or misdemeanor convictions involving abuse, neglect, or sexual misconduct, as outlined in 92 NAC 21, Section 003.12, may only be considered for certification, or participation in field experiences, with the approval of the Department. A person with a felony conviction or a misdemeanor conviction involving abuse, neglect, or sexual misconduct may request the approval of the Department using the procedures set forth in 92 NAC 21, Sections 009.02 through 009.04.004.06CCriminal Background Check. The institution must conduct or verify an official criminal background check on candidates prior to admission to an initial teacher educator preparation program.004.06DGrade Point Average.004.06D1 Candidates must hold a cumulative GPA, as measured by the institution, of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent for admission to an educator preparation program.004.06D2 Candidates for admission to clinical practice must hold a cumulative GPA, as measured by the institution, of at least 2.75 on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent.004.06EApplication. Candidates for admission to an educator preparation program must complete an application process which includes consideration of components identified in Section 004.06 of this chapter and other institution-determined criteria for selection, such as recommendations from professional educators, interviews, or essays. 004.06FPerformance Assessments. The institution must identify the performance standards and assessments for successful progression and completion of the education programs offered by the educator preparation program.92 Neb. Admin. Code, ch. 20, § 004
Amended effective 7/16/2019Amended effective 6/2/2024