Nebraska Administrative Code
Topic - EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF
Title 92 - NEBRASKA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Chapter 20 - APPROVAL OF TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Section 92-20-004 - Professional Teacher Education Program Requirements

Universal Citation: 92 NE Admin Rules and Regs ch 20 ยง 004

Current through March 20, 2024

004.01 General Policy Statements. The institution must have a written policy stating its philosophy and objectives and 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 unit; however all professional education programs are organized and coordinated by the unit.

004.02 Personnel Requirements.

004.02A Unit Administrator. The institution must designate an individual to administer the professional teacher education program or unit. This individual must hold, qualify for, or have held an educator certificate.

004.02B Certification 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.

004.02C Field Experience Coordinator. The institution must designate a faculty or staff member to coordinate field experience requirements contained in this chapter.

004.02D Cooperating Educators. The institution must ensure that cooperating educators employed by school systems or other field-based settings must 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.

004.03 Professional Teacher Education Program Faculty Requirements.

004.03A Minimum Required Faculty
004.03A1 Undergraduate faculty. A minimum of three (3) full-time professional education faculty are required for undergraduate degree programs.

004.03A2 Graduate 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.

004.03B Faculty Qualifications
004.03B1 All professional education faculty must hold a master's degree.

004.03B2 The preparation, research, and experience of each faculty member must be in the field in which he or she teaches.

004.03B3 All professional education faculty, hired after July 1, 1994, must have two (2) years of PK-12 teaching experience in state approved or accredited elementary or secondary schools or 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 defined as documented scholarship, skill, or experience in the priorities of the teacher education program such as content specialization, diversity, assessment or technology.

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 Adjunct faculty utilized for clinical experience supervision must hold or have held appropriate certification for the area and/or level which they are supervising.

004.03C Faculty Load
004.03C1 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) and twelve (12) 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.

004.03C5 Advising for advanced program candidates must be assigned to advanced program faculty.

004.04 Minimum 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 which documents that required courses are offered on a schedule to enable candidates access to the required coursework in a four (4) year period.

004.05 Library Requirements. Library holdings, curriculum materials, and related technology resources must provide adequate scope, breadth, and currency to support education candidates and faculty. The institution shall employ staff to work collaboratively with the unit to acquire relevant and current resources and to provide support services for material utilization.

004.06 Policies 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 teacher education program, including:

004.06A Disclosure. The institution must require the prospective candidate to disclose all criminal convictions, except traffic offenses.

004.06B Notice 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 defined in Section 004.06D of this chapter, are automatically rejected by the Department for certification, and may only be considered for certification, or participation in field experiences, with the approval of the Department. A person with a conviction as defined in Section 004.06D of this chapter may request approval by the Department using the procedures set forth in 92 NAC 21 Sections 009.02 through 009.04.

004.06C Criminal Background Check. The institution must conduct or verify an official criminal background check on candidates prior to admission to an initial teacher education program and again prior to clinical practice.

004.06D Convictions
004.06D1 For purposes of this chapter, a felony conviction means any felony offense under the laws of any jurisdiction, including misdemeanor convictions in other jurisdictions that would constitute a felony if committed in Nebraska.

004.06D2 For purposes of this chapter, a misdemeanor conviction involving abuse, neglect, or sexual misconduct means an offense under the laws of any jurisdiction, which, if committed in Nebraska, would constitute one of the following misdemeanors (with the applicable sections of the Revised Statutes of Nebraska in parentheses):
004.06D2a Abandonment; cruel neglect, harassment of a police animal ( 28-1009)

004.06D2b Abandonment of Spouse or Child ( 28-705)

004.06D2c Assault (third degree) ( 28-310)

004.06D2d Child Abuse ( 28-707)

004.06D2e Child Enticement ( 28-311)

004.06D2f ChildA/ulnerable Adult Contact with Methamphetamine ( 28-457)

004.06D2g Contributing to the Delinquency of a Child ( 28-709)

004.06D2h Debauching a Minor ( 28-805)

004.06D2i Domestic Assault ( 28-323)

004.06D2j False Imprisonment ( 28-315)

004.06D2k Hazing ( 28-311.06)

004.06D2l Indecency with an Animal ( 28-1010)

004.06D2m Intimidation by Phone Call ( 28-1310)

004.06D2n Keeping a Place of Prostitution ( 28-804)

004.06D2o Obscene Literature Distribution ( 28-813)

004.06D2p Obscene Motion Picture Show, Admitting Minor ( 28-809)

004.06D2q Pandering ( 28-802)

004.06D2r Prostitution ( 28-801)

004.06D2s Public Indecency ( 28-806)

004.06D2t Resisting Arrest ( 28-904), when the conviction involves use or threat of physical force or violence against a police officer

004.06D2u Sale of Obscene Material to Minor ( 28-808)

004.06D2v Sexual Assault (third degree) ( 28-320)

004.06D2w Sexually Explicit Conduct ( 28-813.01)

004.06D2x Solicitation of Prostitution ( 28-801)

004.06D2y Stalking ( 28-311.03)

004.06D2z Unlawful Intrusion ( 28-311.08)

004.06D2aa Violating a Harassment Protection Order ( 28-311.09)

004.06D2bb Violating a Protection Order ( 42-924(4))

004.06D2cc Violence on a Service Animal ( 28-1009.01)

004.06D3 For purposes of this chapter, in addition to the offenses listed above, felony convictions, and misdemeanor convictions involving abuse, neglect, or sexual misconduct must include convictions related to such crimes, including: (with the applicable sections of the Revised Statutes of Nebraska in parentheses)
004.06D3a Accessory to a Felony ( 28-204)

004.06D3b Aiding, Abetting, Procuring, or Causing Another to Commit an Offense ( 28-206)

004.06D3c Attempt to Commit A Crime ( 28-201)

004.06D3d Criminal Conspiracy ( 28-202)

004.06D4 Convictions which have been set aside, nullified, expunged, or pardoned will not be considered convictions for purposes of this chapter, unless the laws of the jurisdiction of the conviction would allow the conviction to be used as the basis for denial of permission to teach or participate in classroom or field experiences, or for denial of a certificate to teach, counsel, supervise, administer, or provide special services in schools. However, such convictions must be listed by the candidate as required in Section 004.06A of this chapter.

004.06E Grade Point Average.
004.06E1 Candidates must hold a cumulative GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent for admission to a teacher education program.

004.06E2 Candidates for admission to clinical practice must hold a cumulative GPA of at least 2.75 on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent.

004.06F Application. Candidates for admission to a teacher education 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.

004.06G Performance Assessments. The institution must identify the performance standards and assessments for successful progression and completion of the education programs offered by the unit.

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