Outline of the state of Nevada
State
Nevada
Required

Category
School Counseling Elementary Grade Levels—K-8

Category
School Counseling Elementary Grade Levels—K-8

State law requires the provision of school counseling or guidance services in elementary grade levels (K-8).

Nevada Revised Statutes 385A.220. Personnel employed by school district; designation of categories of personnel.

  1. The annual report of accountability prepared pursuant to NRS 385A.070 must include information on personnel, including, without limitation:

    • (a) The total number of persons employed for each elementary school, middle school or junior high school, and high school in the district, including, without limitation, each charter school sponsored by the district. Each such person must be reported as either an administrator, a teacher or other staff and must not be reported in more than one category.
    • (b) In addition to the total number of persons employed by each school in each category, the number of employees in each of the three categories for each school expressed as a percentage of the total number of persons employed by the school.
    • (c) The total number of persons employed by the school district, including without limitation, each charter school sponsored by the district. Each such person must be reported as either an administrator, a teacher or other staff and must not be reported in more than one category.
    • (d) In addition to the total number of persons employed by the school district in each category, the number of employees in each of the three categories expressed as a percentage of the total number of persons employed by the school district.
  2. As used in this section:

    • (a) “Administrator” means a person who spends at least 50 percent of his or her work year supervising other staff or licensed personnel, or both, and who is not classified by the board of trustees of the school district as a professional-technical employee.
    • (b) “Other staff” means all persons who are not reported as administrators or teachers, including, without limitation:
    • (1) School counselors, school nurses and other employees who spend at least 50 percent of their work year providing emotional support, noninstructional guidance or medical support to pupils;
    • (2) Noninstructional support staff, including, without limitation, janitors, school police officers and maintenance staff; and
    • (3) Persons classified by the board of trustees of the school district as professional-technical employees, including, without limitation, technical employees and employees on the professional-technical pay scale.
    • (c) “Teacher” means a person licensed pursuant to chapter 391 of NRS who is classified by the board of trustees of the school district:
    • (1) As a teacher and who spends at least 50 percent of his or her work year providing instruction or discipline to pupils; or
    • (2) As instructional support staff, who does not hold a supervisory position and who spends not more than 50 percent of his or her work year providing instruction to pupils. Such instructional support staff includes, without limitation, librarians and persons who provide instructional support.
Policy Type
Statute

Nevada Revised Statutes 388.055. Employment of school counselor; program for school counseling.

Each public school, including, without limitation, each charter school, shall, to the extent that money is available for that purpose:

  1. Employ a school counselor at the school on a full-time basis.
  2. Provide for a comprehensive program for school counseling developed by a school counselor pursuant to NRS 391.293.
Policy Type
Statute

Nevada Revised Statutes 388.890. State Board to establish recommendations for ratio of pupils per teacher and specialized instructional support personnel; posting on Internet website of approved ratio of pupils per teacher in each class; adoption of strategic plan to meet ratio of pupils to specialized instructional support personnel.

  1. The State Board shall develop nonbinding recommendations for the ratio of pupils per licensed teacher and specialized instructional support personnel in the public schools of this State for kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive. The board of trustees of each school district shall consider the recommendations in establishing the ratio of pupils per licensed teacher or specialized instructional support personnel, as applicable, in the school district.
  2. The recommendations developed by the State Board must: (a) Prescribe a suggested ratio of pupils per licensed teacher for each classroom and course of instruction, except choir, orchestra and band, in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive; (b) Prescribe a suggested ratio of pupils per each type of specialized instructional support personnel for each kind of public school described in NRS 388.020; (c) Be based on evidence-based national Standard; and (d) Take into account the unique needs of certain pupils, including, without limitation, pupils who are English learners.
  3. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to relieve a school district of its obligation to comply with the requirements of NRS 388.700 and 388.720, as applicable to the school district.
  4. Not later than 30 days after the beginning of each school year, the board of trustees of each school district shall post on an Internet website maintained by the school district the ratio of pupils per licensed teacher that has been approved for each class in the district.
  5. The board of trustees of each school district shall develop a 15-year strategic plan to achieve the ratio of pupils to specialized instructional support personnel in the district.
  6. As used in this section: (a) “English learner” has the meaning ascribed to it in 20 U.S.C. § 7801(20). (b) “Specialized instructional support personnel” includes persons employed by each school to provide necessary services such as assessment, diagnosis, counseling, educational services, therapeutic services and related services, as defined in 20 U.S.C. § 1401(26), to pupils. Such persons employed by a school include, without limitation: (1) A school counselor; (2) A school psychologist; (3) A school social worker; (4) A school nurse; (5) A speech-language pathologist; (6) A school library media specialist; and (7) Any other qualified professional.
Policy Type
Statute

Nevada Revised Statutes 391.293. Duties, authority and supervision of school counselor.

  1. A school counselor shall: (a) Design and deliver a comprehensive program for school counseling that promotes achievement of pupils; and (b) Devote not less than 80 percent of his or her time providing direct or indirect services to pupils.
  2. A school counselor may, through consultation or collaboration with other educational personnel or by providing direct services: (a) Analyze data concerning the academic, career, social and emotional development of pupils to identify issues, needs and challenges of pupils; (b) Address needs relating to the academic, career, social and emotional development of all pupils; (c) Advocate for equitable access to a rigorous education for all pupils and work to remove systemic barriers to such access; (d) Deliver school counseling lessons through large-group, classroom, small-group and individual settings to promote pupil success; (e) Provide to individual pupils services relating to academic planning and goal setting; (f) Provide peer facilitation, crisis counseling and short-term counseling to pupils in individual and small-group settings; (g) Provide referrals to a pupil and the parent or legal guardian of a pupil, as needed, for additional support services provided by the school or within the community; (h) Participate on committees within the school and the school district, as appropriate; and (i) Participate in planning for and implementing a response to a crisis at the school.
  3. Each school counselor must be supervised by a licensed administrator.
Policy Type
Statute