Nevada declares teacher shortage emergency to boost out-of-state hiring

From staff and wire reports

Published Friday, Feb. 5, 2016 | 12:38 p.m.

Updated Friday, Feb. 5, 2016 | 2:39 p.m.

Nevada is declaring its teacher shortage as an emergency, a move that allows vacancy-filled schools to hire teachers from out of state who aren't yet licensed locally.

Gov. Brian Sandoval said in a statement today that teachers already licensed in another state can now get a provisional teaching license to teach in Nevada classrooms.

Schools previously had to refrain from hiring licensed teachers coming from elsewhere until they got a Nevada license.

The state said that forced educators into a waiting period before full employment, some working as substitute teachers while meeting Nevada's specific licensure requirements, such as learning the state Constitution.

It can take from two to six months for an out-of-state teacher to be qualified in Nevada under normal circumstances. Teachers will be able to work in Nevada for up to a year under the provisional licenses.

The state said it lost about 1,000 teaching recruits this school year because of the licensure issue.

Clark County School District recently said it had about 700 vacancies.

Steve Canavero, interim state superintendent of public instruction, said the move will provide a significant increase in teachers in the fall.

Las Vegas Sun reporter Cy Ryan and the Associated Press contributed to this report.