UNLV and the Clark County School District (CCSD) have announced a partnership aimed at addressing the shortage of special education teachers in Southern Nevada. The initiative is supported by the Nevada Recruitment and Retention Grant.
Under this program, current CCSD teachers who hold general elementary or secondary licenses are eligible to receive about $6,000 to cover tuition and fees for a new graduate certificate called the Nevada Collaborative on Autism. In return, participants commit to serve for three years in a “Strategies for Teaching Based on Autism Research” (STAR) classroom.
The program has already resulted in 71 teachers being placed in autism and STAR classrooms during the current school year. Enrollment numbers suggest continued strong participation for next year.
According to UNLV, “The collaboration continues the College of Education’s mission to create a sustained pipeline to certified educators to support special education students across Southern Nevada.”
This effort aims to help fill critical gaps in special education staffing within CCSD schools.
