Educational Psychology
Self-paced online Educational Psychology course (Psychology 120). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →NevadaTeachers
Renewing a Nevada licence when you are not in a classroom
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
Being out of the classroom does not change Nevada's renewal total: 90 clock hours, 6 semester credits or a mix, earned at any time in the licence period. Without district training, most people use college credit sent on an official transcript, an RPDP or another approved provider. Retirees may renew without continuing education if they meet NAC 391.073.
The rule is the same in or out of a classroom
NDE's renewal page does not set a separate rule for educators who are not employed by a school. Under R088-23 everyone with a licence issued on or after 16 September 2024 renews with 90 clock hours, 6 semester credits or a combination. What changes when you are not working in a school is where the hours come from, because the district training that many teachers count is no longer part of your week.
Where to earn hours without a district
NDE names four kinds of approved provider: colleges and universities, schools and school districts, Regional Professional Development Programs and employee organizations. Any other provider needs NDE approval. For someone at home, travelling, or working in another field, the realistic options are these.
Whichever you choose, keep every certificate and ask the provider before you start whether it is on NDE's approved list or is a college that will issue an official transcript.
- College courses, sent to NDE on an official transcript.
- An RPDP: ask the programme in your region whether it serves licensed educators not employed by a district.
- An employee organization you belong to, such as a union or association.
- A provider on NDE's approved continuing education list.
Retired educators
NDE's renewal page says retirees need no continuing education if they meet the conditions in NAC 391.073, and it links to that section of the code. Read those conditions before you sign up for any course: if you qualify, you may not need the 90 hours at all. If you are retired but do not meet them, the ordinary total applies.
If you plan to return to teaching later, it can still be worth keeping the licence current rather than letting it expire, because reapplying adds a fee and paperwork.
If your licence has already expired
NDE's page says that after a licence expires you reapply through OPAL and pay a licensure fee. Expired holders still need proof of the renewal hours or credits. Because renewal can start up to 9 months before expiry, anyone stepping away from teaching for a while can avoid this by planning the courses early.
| Your situation | What to check |
|---|---|
| Licence still valid, not teaching | 90 hours or 6 credits from approved providers |
| Retired | Conditions in NAC 391.073 |
| Licence expired | Reapply in OPAL with a fee and proof of hours |
| Licence issued before 16 Sep 2024 | 15 hours per year pattern |
Using online college credit while you are away
Online study suits people who are not in a school building. UPI Study's Educational Psychology and Introduction to Artificial Intelligence courses are self-paced and carry ACE or NCCRS recommendations. They help only if a college posts the credit on its official transcript and NDE agrees, and UPI Study is not an NDE-approved provider. Write to NDE first, keep the reply, and have the college send the transcript to NDE directly.
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Ask the Nevada Department of Education's Office of Educator Licensure in writing whether the credit, once on a college's official transcript, will count toward your renewal before you enrol.
UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited. ACE and NCCRS review our courses and recommend credit; a college decides whether to give that credit and records it on its own transcript.
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
Questions people ask
Do I need to be employed by a Nevada school to renew?
NDE's renewal page does not require current employment. It sets the hours or credits and the proof. If you are unsure about your licence type, ask the Office of Educator Licensure in writing.
Can I count training from a job outside education?
Only if it comes from an approved provider and relates to education or your endorsement area. Training from a non-education employer usually does not, so ask NDE before relying on it.
Is the Parent Involvement and Family Engagement course part of renewal?
The Commission's September 2024 summary says R008-24 made that course a renewal requirement that can be taken any time before renewal. Check in OPAL whether it applies to your licence.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
Self-paced online Introduction to Artificial Intelligence course (Computer Science 373). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Psychology of Diversity
Self-paced online Psychology of Diversity course (Psychology 112). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →Start when you have it in writing
Ask NDE in writing first, then take education and psychology courses at your own pace.
Sources
- Nevada Department of Education: Licensure Renewals (official)Renew with 90 clock hours, 6 semester credits or a combination; licences issued before 16 Sep 2024 need 15 hours per year; a clock hour is 60 minutes; renewal can start 9 months before expiry; retirees under NAC 391.073. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Nevada Department of Education: Professional Development Information for Educators (official)1 semester credit = 15 instructional hours; colleges and universities, school districts, RPDPs and employee organizations are approved providers; all other providers need NDE approval; college credit only on official transcripts sent to NDE. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Commission on Professional Standards in Education: Summary of Regulations Effective 16 September 2024 (official)R088-23 changes NAC 391.065 and 391.080: 90 clock hours, 6 semester credit hours or a combination, earned any time in the licensure period, from approved providers; R008-24 makes the Parent Involvement and Family Engagement course a renewal requirement. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.