Persons with this endorsement may teach children in all elementary subjects in kindergarten through grade 6 in all schools; and in grades 7 and 8 in self-contained classrooms. Self-contained classrooms exist when students spend more than half the school day with one teacher who provides instruction in more than half of the academic areas of the curriculum.
Certification Endorsement Requirements: This endorsement requires professional education coursework related to teaching children from kindergarten through grade eight and academic coursework in all areas of the elementary curriculum.
A minimum of 40 semester hours of professional education coursework will include the following:
- Child growth and development; and
- Curriculum, methodology, and assessment appropriate for all students in all areas of the elementary school curriculum; and
Instructional strategies that are adapted for diverse students; and - Organization and management of the classroom; and
- Communication skills in collaborating with parents and other adults, including those with diverse languages and cultures; and
- History, trends, and societal and cultural issues which impact elementary education.
A minimum of 30 semester hours of academic coursework distributed across the four curriculum areas of English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies/history. A minimum of six (6) semester hours is required in each of the four areas. Course work in the four core areas includes:
- Communication, including literature, composition and speech, and reading instruction to include identification of deficiencies and effective instructional and intervention strategies; and
- Mathematics, including identification of deficiencies and effective instructional and intervention strategies; and
- Natural sciences; and
- Social sciences.
In addition to the 30 semester hours listed above, academic coursework is required in each of the following areas:
- Fine arts and humanities, and;
- Health and wellness.
Endorsement Program Requirements: Standard institutions of higher education offering this endorsement program must have on file, within the institution, a plan which identifies the courses and the course completion requirements which the institution utilizes to grant credit toward completion of this endorsement.
Effective September 1, 2015, an applicant will be required to submit a passing score as set forth in Appendix C for the applicable content test for the first-time placement of this endorsement on a Nebraska certificate or permit.
Extracted from Nebraska Department of Education Rule 24 Regulations for Certificate Endorsements
Title 92, Nebraska Administrative Code, Chapter 24