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The Coalition’s primary roles include consulting with state and local entities to support recruitment and retention strategies, support the design and facilitation of professional development resources and workshops, assist in data collection for a variety of purposes; compose and create documents for communication and information dissemination; generate reports to meet regulatory requirements; and participate in a variety of statewide meetings with various entities and stakeholders to enrich the K-16 education system in Nevada.
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The Coalition provides a variety of supports that are responsive to stakeholders’ professional needs such as mentoring and current research in various educational and therapeutic practices as well as policy fact finding. Since Nevada held its bi-annual legislative session, the Coalition monitors all proposed legislation that may impact personnel recruitment and retention. The Coalition played an active part in the 2023 Nevada Legislative Session.
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The Coalition is responsible for their own grant management including fiscal reporting that meets state and federal requirements. They also provide supervision for any additional support personnel to assist with the Coalition’s roles and responsibilities. Since the 2018 NDE Risk Assessment, the Coalition continues to develop additional procedures that align with transparent and responsible fiscal practices.
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The Coalition continues to receive statewide recognition through the efforts of the leadership team. Nevada’s work is currently one of the examples on the ASHA website for State Recruitment Initiatives and can be retrieved at https://www.asha.org/Careers/recruitment/schools/State-Recruitment-Initiatives/
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Related Service Professional Learning:
The Coalition will collaborate with the NDE to plan, design, facilitate, and evaluate professional learning initiatives based on needs identified by NDE staff. This will result in the improvement of educational achievement and the effectiveness of related service personnel. A training plan for every professional learning project will include a summary of the need’s analysis data, a projected deliverable outline timeline, budget, and evaluation report in terms of measurable outcomes and return on investment.
➢ The project will plan, design, and facilitate systematic professional learning projects as directed by the NDE staff to support the recruitment, selection, training, and retention of effective related service personnel.
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Collaborations and Partnerships
The personnel shortage leaves classrooms and services unfilled, resulting in a lack of highly effective education and services for Nevada students. An additional factor facing seven (7) school districts, with two (2) additional school districts on boarding, is the need for master’s level speech pathologists to seek Medicaid reimbursement for speech and language services and meet the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) qualified provider requirements. A collaboration with the Nevada Speech-Language Hearing Association’s (NSHA’s) Coalition to Address Personnel Shortage, advanced programs in institutions of higher education (IHE), Nevada Department of Education (NDE) and Nevada school districts is needed to address special education related service personnel shortages.
➢ The project will support collaborations and partnerships with NDE, NSHA, Institutes of Higher Education, and Nevada school districts to enhance the preparation of advanced degree programs in special education related services.
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The “Get the Word Out” Campaign
The Nevada Speech-Language and Hearing Association’s (NSHA) Coalition promotes school-based careers and career opportunities in Nevada through their “Get the Word Out” campaign. The campaign addresses careers in the “education, health, and helping” professions, specifically educational audiology, nursing, counseling, occupational therapy, physical therapy, psychology, social work, speech-language pathology, and special education.
➢ The project will increase and expand the “Get the Word Out” campaign in Nevada.
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ED/DoED “Teacher Shortage Area” Designation
A State that desires to propose teacher shortage areas for designation must submit the information required under the program regulations for the following programs:
• Targeted teacher deferment for borrowers under the Family Federal Education Loan (FFEL) and Federal Supplemental Loans for Students (SLS) programs (34 CFR 682.210(q));34 CFR Part 682: Federal Family Education Loan Programs; Final Regulations ;
• Full-time teaching in fields of expertise, cancellation of up to 100 percent of their debt under the Federal Perkins Loan Program (34 CFR 674.53(c)); 34 CFR Part 674; et al. Federal Perkins loan Program, Federal Work-Study Programs, and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant Program; Final Rule ; and
• Teaching obligation fulfillment for recipients under the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program (34 CFR 686); 34 CFR Parts 668, 673, 674, et al. The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program and Other Federal Student Aid Programs; Final Rule
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Nevada Medicaid’s “School Health Services”
Nevada Medicaid’s School Health Services (SHS, Chapter 2800) are medically necessary services provided through a child’s local school district. SHS provided to a Medicaid eligible student who meets the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) criteria. Under the Medicaid program, SHS may be reimbursable to school districts. Services may include psychological counseling, nursing services, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and audiology. The understanding and fulfillment of federal and state regulations as outlined in the state’s Medicaid State Plan will help those Nevada school districts who have an interagency agreement with Nevada’s Division of Health Care Financing and Policy (DHCFP) (e.g., Nevada Medicaid Agency).
➢ The project supports the participation of Nevada school districts in Nevada Medicaid’s School Health Services.
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General Consulting
NSHA Coalition identifies, disseminates, and supports strategies to remedy personnel shortages of service providers of children and youth with disabilities throughout Nevada. The Coalition acts a thought partner for local and state stakeholders addressing personnel shortages in special education and related services the opportunity to seek and access assistance in identifying problems, solutions, and resources, due to personnel shortages. Activities address recruitment and retention strategies such as professional development, selection of personnel, and training.
➢ Consultative services aim to share ideas and experiences with stakeholders help navigate complex challenges and manage solutions due to personnel shortages.