Current through March 20, 2024
003.01
Original Teacher Education
Program Approval
003.01A
Letter of Application and Institutional Planning
Report. Any Nebraska institution of higher education may apply for
approval of its teacher preparation program by submitting a letter of intent to
seek approval and an Institutional Planning Report (IPR) signed by the chief
academic officer of the institution on behalf of the governing board of the
institution. These documents must be received by the Commissioner on or before
January 15 of the calendar year in which the institution seeks to begin the
approval process.
003.01B
Governing Board Approval. The IPR must include
documentation that the governing board of the institution has approved the
plans and a time table whereby the institution will meet each of the
requirements to become a standard institution of higher education within four
(4) years.
003.01C
Chapter 20 Compliance. The IPR must include the
procedures and time table for compliance with the requirements in Sections 004
through 007 of this chapter.
003.01D
Collaboration and Support
of School Systems. The IPR must contain statements of support from
school systems documenting their collaboration and assistance in planning to
provide field experiences which meet the requirements of 92 NAC 20 and 92 NAC
24.
003.01E The IPR must contain
documentation that the institution is regionally
accredited.
003.02
Initial Provisional Approval
003.02A The Commissioner, after receiving the
institution's request to begin the process of becoming a standard institution
of higher education, must appoint a team to visit the institution and report on
the institution's ability to comply with the provisions of this chapter.
003.02A1 The team must schedule a visit to
the institution within sixty (60) days after receiving the IPR.
003.02A2 The team must file a recommendation
with the Commissioner within sixty (60) days after the scheduled visit to the
institution.
003.02A3 Following a
review of the institutional visit report, the Commissioner must file a
recommendation with the Board regarding the application and must notify the
institution of the recommendations. Notification win be sent by certified mail
to the chief academic officer of the institution. The institution will have
thirty (30) days after receipt of the recommendation to request an opportunity
for a hearing before the Board as provided in Section 008 of this
chapter.
003.02A4 Following a
review of the Commissioner's recommendation, and after giving the institution
an opportunity for a hearing, if requested, the Board must either approve or
deny the institution's implementation of the plan under provisional approval.
Provisional approval permits the institution to phase in a teacher education
program, excluding clinical practice, over a period of time not to exceed three
(3) years.
003.03
Continuing Provisional
Approval
003.03A
Provisional Approval Report. By March 1 of each year
during provisional approval the institution must file the Provisional Approval
Report with the Commissioner which includes:
003.03A1 Documentation that written
notification has been made to all candidates taking education courses stating
that the institution has provisional approval, but is not yet approved for
recommending certification.
003.03A2 Statements of continuing
participation by the school systems in which the institution is placing
candidates for field experiences.
003.03A3 Documentation of the degree to which
the institution is in compliance with all applicable sections of 92 NAC 20,
excluding clinical practice; 92 NAC 23; and 92 NAC 24. The Provisional Approval
Report must indicate how, in each succeeding year, the institution is
progressing toward total compliance, excluding clinical practice.
003.03B The Commissioner may
respond each year with a scheduled visit by a team or staff, to the institution
within sixty (60) days after receiving the Provisional Approval
Report.
003.03C The team or staff
conducting such a visit must file a recommendation with the Commissioner within
thirty (30) days after a scheduled visit.
003.03D Following a review of the report, the
Commissioner must file a recommendation with the Board regarding the
application and notify the institution of the recommendations. Notification
must be sent by certified mail to the chief academic officer of the
institution. The institution has thirty (30) days after receipt of the
recommendation to request an opportunity for a hearing before the Board as
provided in Section 008 of this chapter.
003.03E Following a review of the
Commissioner's recommendation, and after giving the institution an opportunity
for a hearing, if requested, the Board must either approve or deny continuation
of provisional or recommend temporary approval.
003.04
Temporary Approval to
Offer a Teacher Education Program. If the Commissioner recommends
and the Board concurs, the institution may be granted a one (1) year temporary
approval. Temporary approval allows the institution to place candidates and to
recommend graduates of the program to the Department for certification.
Temporary approval may be renewed on a yearly basis for a maximum of three (3)
years, using the process found in Sections 003.04A through 003.04F of this
chapter for each of these years.
003.04A By
March 1 of each year in which the institution is operating with temporary
approval, the institution must file a Temporary Approval Report with the
Commissioner. The Temporary Approval Report must document complete compliance
with all applicable sections of 92 NAC 20, 92 NAC 23, and 92 NAC 24.
003.04B The Commissioner may respond with a
scheduled visit by a team or staff, to the institution within sixty (60) days
after receiving the Temporary Approval Report.
003.04C The team or staff conducting such a
visit must file a recommendation with the Commissioner within thirty (30) days
after the scheduled visit.
003.04D
Following a review of the report, the Commissioner must file a recommendation
with the Board regarding the application and must notify the institution of the
recommendations. Notification must be sent by certified mail to the chief
academic officer of the institution. The institution has thirty (30) days after
receipt of the recommendation to request an opportunity for a hearing before
the Board as provided in Section 008 of this chapter.
003.04E Following a review of the
Commissioner's recommendation, and after giving the institution an opportunity
for a hearing, if requested, the Board must exercise one of the following
options:
(a) approve the institution as a
standard institution of higher education,
(b) grant it temporary approval for another
year, or
(c) deny the institution
further status as a teacher education program.
003.04F Once the Board has approved the
institution as a standard institution of higher education, the institution is
subject to the provisions in Section 003.05 of this chapter.
003.05
Continuing
Approval of a Teacher Education Program. Continuing approval is
for the period of August 1 through July 31 of the next year and is conditional
upon the institution's compliance with the requirements in Sections 003 through
007 of this chapter. The institution's failure to meet a numbered regulation is
considered a violation and will be subject to the provisions of Section 003.05C
of this chapter.
003.05A
Annual
Board Approval. The institution must submit the information
requested in Sections 003.05A1 through 003.05A4 of this chapter by May 15 of
each year. Recommended forms may be found on the NDE Teacher Education website.
003.05A1
Endorsements
Offered. A written list of endorsements to be offered for the
period of approval. For each endorsement, the institution must provide the
Commissioner with a current list of required courses which also specifies
alignment of the courses to the requirements in 92 NAC 24.
003.05A2
Program
Outcomes. Information regarding program admission, program
completion, graduate follow-up, and program changes made or planned in response
to candidate or graduate performance, or changes made or planned in response to
the needs of school systems.
003.05A3
Assurance of
Compliance. The chief academic officer or designee for the
institution must indicate compliance or noncompliance status with the numbered
provisions of 92 NAC 20.
003.05A4
Correction of Areas of Noncompliance. For any area of
noncompliance identified in Section 003.05A3 of this chapter, a plan for
correction must be provided. In addition, the annual report shall contain
documentation of resolution/status of any areas of noncompliance reported in
the previous annual report to the Board.
003.05B
State Program
Review. At least once every seven (7) years, the Commissioner must
conduct a full review of the teacher education program to determine compliance
with all applicable provisions of 92 NAC 20 and 92 NAC 24. The review includes
both an offsite and an onsite component.
003.05B1 The state program review must be
conducted by a state team, appointed by the Commissioner, which includes
representation from the Nebraska Council on Teacher Education (NCTE), persons
with content knowledge in the endorsement areas offered by the teacher
education program, and Department staff.
003.05B2 For institutions participating in a
national accreditation review of education preparation programs, the state
program review will be conducted to coordinate with the national accreditation
process.
003.05B3
Offsite Review
003.05B3a
Institutional
Report. Qualitative and quantitative information regarding
compliance with the requirements of Sections 004 through 007 of this chapter
must be submitted on a schedule established by the Commissioner. Recommended
forms may be found on the NDE Teacher Education website.
003.05B3b
Endorsement Program
Folios. Information regarding each endorsement program offered by
the institution must be submitted on a schedule established by the
Commissioner. Recommended forms may be found on the NDE Teacher Education
website. Folio information will include:
003.05B3b1 Documentation of compliance with
the endorsement requirements in 92 NAC 24.
003.05B3b2 Quantitative and qualitative
candidate assessment and performance information.
003.05B3b3 Changes made in response to data
regarding candidate or graduate performance and/or in response to the needs of
school systems.
003.05B4
Onsite
Review. An onsite review will be conducted to validate information
submitted by the institution in response to Section 003.05B3 of this chapter or
to acquire additional information to determine compliance with the provisions
of 92 NAC 20 and 92 NAC 24.
003.05B5 Results of the state program review
must be reported to the Board during the annual approval meeting.
003.05C
Correction of
Areas of Noncompliance. The institution has until May 1 of the
year following the Board's annual approval decision to correct areas of
noncompliance identified in Section 003.05 of this chapter.
003.05C1
Approval on
Probation. The Commissioner may recommend to the Board approval on
probation for an institution with uncorrected areas of noncompliance on May 1
of the first year following the Board's annual approval decision.
003.05C2
Denial of
Approval. The Commissioner may recommend to the Board denial of
approval for an institution with uncorrected areas of noncompliance on May 1 of
the year following designation of approval on probation.
003.05C3
Notification and
Appeal. The Commissioner must notify the chief academic officer of
the institution of a recommendation for probation or denial of approval in
writing by certified mail. The institution has thirty (30) days after receipt
of the recommendation to request an opportunity for a hearing as provided in
Section 008 of this chapter.
003.06
Special Endorsement
Authorization. A Nebraska standard institution of higher education
may apply for approval of a special authorization to offer an endorsement
program that is not included in 92 NAC 24.
003.06A
Application for
Approval. An application must be received by the Commissioner on
or before January 15 of the calendar year in which the institution seeks to
begin the new endorsement program.
003.06A1
The application must include justification of interest and need for the
proposed new endorsement program, educator competencies appropriate for the
proposed new endorsement program, a list of the required courses that will
address the competencies and accompanying syllabi, and the timetable for
candidates' completion of the proposed new endorsement program.
003.06A2 The application must contain
statements of support from school systems documenting their collaboration and
assistance in planning to provide field experience placements which meet the
requirements of 92 NAC 20 and 92 NAC 24.
003.06A3 Within thirty (30) days from receipt
of the application, the Commissioner must assign a team to assess the
information provided in the application, which may include a visit to the
institution. The team will include members representing the Nebraska Council on
Teacher Education (NCTE) and persons with content knowledge in the proposed
endorsement area.
003.06A4 The team
must file a recommendation with the Commissioner for denial of the application
or provisional approval.
003.06A5
The Commissioner must provide written notification by certified mail of the
decision to the chief academic officer of the institution by May 1. The
institution has thirty (30) days after receipt of the notification to request a
meeting with the Commissioner if the decision is to deny approval. Following
the meeting, the Commissioner must inform the institution in writing if the
decision to deny is upheld.
003.06B
Provisional Approval of a
Special Endorsement Authorization.
003.06B1 Following provisional approval by
the Commissioner, the institution may phase in the new endorsement program over
a period of time not to exceed three (3) years, excluding clinical
practice.
003.06B2 By March 1 of
each year following provisional approval, the institution must file a written
progress report on the program with the Commissioner which must include:
003.06B2a Enrollment data and documentation
of written notification to the candidates that the institution has provisional
approval, including candidate recourse if the program is eliminated;
003.06B2b Statements of continuing
participation from school systems for placement of candidates for field
experiences; and
003.06B2c
Reaffirmation or updated information regarding elements in Sections 003.06A1
and 003.06A2 of this chapter.
003.06B3 The review team identified in
Section 003.06A3 of this chapter must review the progress report which may
include an onsite visit, and file a recommendation of denial, continued
provisional approval, or temporary approval with the Commissioner within thirty
(30) days following the review.
003.06B4 The Commissioner must provide
written notification by certified mail of the decision to the chief academic
officer of the institution by May 1. The institution has thirty (30) days after
receipt of the notification to request a meeting with the Commissioner if the
decision is to deny approval. Following the meeting, the Commissioner must
inform the institution in writing if the subsequent decision to deny is
upheld.
003.06C
Temporary Approval of a Special Endorsement
Authorization.
003.06C1
Following temporary approval by the Commissioner, the endorsement program may
place candidates and recommend graduates of the program for certification by
the Department.
003.06C2 By March 1
of each year following temporary approval, the institution must file a written
progress report on the program with the Commissioner which must include:
003.06C2a Enrollment data and documentation
of written notification to the candidates that the institution has temporary
approval, including candidate recourse if the program is eliminated;
003.06C2b Statements of continuing
participation from school systems for placement of candidates for field
experiences; and
003.06C2c
Reaffirmation or updated information regarding elements in Sections 003.06A1
and 003.06A2 of this chapter.
003.06C3 The review team identified in
Section 003.06A3 of this chapter will review the progress report which may
include an onsite visit, and file a recommendation with the Commissioner to (a)
continue temporary approval until the endorsement is placed in 92 NAC 24, (b)
return to provisional status, or (c) deny any further approval.
003.06C4 By May 1, the Commissioner must
consider the team's recommendation and provide written notification by
certified mail to the chief academic officer of the institution of the decision
to (a) renew temporary approval for a period not to exceed three (3) years, (b)
return the endorsement to provisional status, (c) deny further approval and the
reasons for the decision, or (d) recommend the special authorization be moved
forward for inclusion in 92 NAC 24.
003.06C5 The institution has thirty (30) days
after receipt of the notification to request a meeting with the Commissioner if
the decision is to deny approval. Following the meeting, the Commissioner must
inform the institution in writing if the subsequent decision to deny is
upheld.