92 Neb. Admin. Code, ch. 24, § 004 - Application Procedures

004.01 Eligibility Criteria. Each applicant for an Initial, Standard, Professional, Alternative Program, Postsecondary, Career Education, State Substitute, Local Substitute, or Military teaching certificate or permit may be required to:

004.01A Submit evidence of Qualifying for or be eligible to have placed on a certificate or permit one (1) or more endorsements pursuant to this Chapter, except that a content test will not be required for applicants who otherwise qualify for an endorsement in Nebraska and taught in the earned endorsed area for two years or more in another state while holding a comparable and equivalent certificate; or

004.01B Submit evidence that the applicant has completed two years of teaching experience in a Nebraska school system in the earned endorsement area after the completion of a Nebraska approved educator preparation program, and evidence that the individual has attempted the content test for the earned endorsed area unsuccessfully at least once.

004.02 Initial Endorsement. When an applicant applies for his or her teaching, administrative, or special services certificate or permit pursuant to 92 NAC 21, he or she will be required to file documentation, signed by a certification officer of a standard institution of higher education, indicating that he or she has met the requirements of this chapter for one or more endorsements (depending upon the requirements of 92 NAC 21 for the type of certificate or permit and the type of endorsements), to file an application and pay the fee provided for in 92 NAC 21. A recommended form (Institutional Verification) is available on the Teacher Certification website.

004.03 Additional Endorsements. Additional endorsements may be added to a certificate or permit at any time upon the payment of the fee provided for in 92 NAC 21 and documentation signed by a certification officer of a standard institution of higher education, that clearly show that the endorsement requirements and student teaching experience requirements, if applicable, of this chapter have been met in approved endorsement programs.

004.03A Applicants applying for additional subject or field endorsements have no additional student teaching requirement if the endorsement is for the same grade level as endorsement(s) already held on the certificate. If it is for a different level, the applicant must meet half of the 14 week student teaching requirement through student teaching or internship.

004.04 Provisional Endorsements. Individuals holding a regular Nebraska certificate may apply to add one provisional endorsement as follows:

004.04A Completing an application and payment of the statutory fee as required under 92 NAC 21; and

004.04B Submitting a document signed and dated by the certification officer of a Nebraska standard institution of higher education which verifies that the applicant has completed 50 percent of the endorsement credit hour requirement in an approved endorsement program and lists the remaining courses to be completed. A recommended form (Added Provisional Endorsement) is available on the Teacher Certification website.

This provisional endorsement cannot be renewed and will expire on August 31 of the third year following issuance.

004.05 Interim Special Education Endorsement. Individuals holding a regular Nebraska certificate may apply to add an interim a special education endorsement. The interim special education endorsement will expire August 31 in the year following the year of issuance and may be renewed two (2) times.

004.05A Each applicant for an interim special education endorsement will:

004.05A1 Complete an application and pay the statutory fee as required under 92 NAC 21;

004.05A2 Submit the Affirmation of Eligibility form, a copy of which is attached as Appendix B and available on the Teacher Certification website, requesting the issuance of the interim special education endorsement;

004.05A3 Submit an official transcript from a standard institution of higher education that demonstrates at least six (6) semester hours of coursework has already been completed for the interim special education endorsement; and

004.05A4 Submit a document that is signed and dated by the certification officer from a Nebraska standard institution of higher education which verifies that the applicant has established a plan for completion of course work leading to a Special Education Generalist endorsement. A recommended form, Added Provisional Endorsement, is available on the Teacher Certification website.

004.05B Each applicant for renewal of an interim special education endorsement will:

004.05B1 Complete an application and pay the statutory fee as required under 92 NAC 21; and

004.05B2 Submit an official transcript verifying completion of at least nine (9) semester hours of course work from the established plan for completion of course work leading to a Special Education Generalist endorsement.

004.06 Duration of Endorsements

004.06A Endorsements, once granted, continue in effect so long as the holder maintains a certificate or permit in force, or until revoked or amended pursuant to state law or regulation.

004.06B Provisional endorsements continue for three (3) years.

004.06C Interim special education endorsements must be renewed annually.

004.06D If an endorsement is amended through changes to this chapter but the title remains the same, current holders of that endorsement will continue to have that endorsement in effect for their current and future certificates or permits. If an endorsement is no longer contained in this chapter because it has been repealed or the title and requirements have changed, the following provisions apply:

004.06D1 If a comparable existing endorsement is listed for such former endorsement in Appendix A of this chapter, the certificate or permit holder will be considered to hold such comparable endorsement for purposes of determining school or school district compliance with approval or accreditation requirements under Chapters 10 or 14 of this Title, and for purposes of the requirements of any other chapter of this Title. At the time of future renewals, the new certificate or permit will carry the comparable endorsement.

004.06D2 If an endorsement that was formerly designated as a subject or field endorsement is reclassified as a supplemental endorsement, the endorsement will continue to be placed on a certificate or permit as a subject or field endorsement if the subject or field endorsement appeared on a certificate or permit prior to the implementation date of the reclassification, or if the individual seeking the endorsement completes a program for which a standard institution of higher education makes recommendation for a subject or field endorsement within one year of the implementation date of the reclassification.

004.06D3 If no comparable endorsement is listed in Appendix A, the endorsement will be considered non-existent for purposes of Department regulations.

004.07 Revocation of Endorsements. Endorsements will be revoked for any of the following reasons:

004.07A Revocation of the certificate or permit.

004.07B Fraud, misrepresentation, or error.

004.07C Written request by the endorsed person to the Commissioner and the Commissioner determines that the person has no employment experience and no college credit in the endorsed area within ten (10) years prior to the written request.

004.07D Elimination of the endorsement by the Board as shown in Appendix A.

004.07E Replacement of the endorsement by the Board with another endorsement as shown in Appendix A.

004.08 Hearings and Appeals. All actions taken by the Department under the provisions of this chapter may be subject to appeal under the appeals procedure contained in 92 NAC 21.

004.09 Certification of Completion of Endorsement Requirements. Certification officers will be required, as a condition of institution approval pursuant to 92 NAC 20, to certify for the Department the completion of endorsement requirements as specified in this chapter as part of endorsement applications.

Notes

92 Neb. Admin. Code, ch. 24, § 004

Amended effective 11/9/2020 Amended effective 6/2/2024