Art Teachers can make a strongly positive impact on students’ lives: in a national study of 25,000 middle and high school students, those with higher involvement in the arts were found to score better on standardized tests than their peers with lower arts involvement, watch less TV, and report less boredom in school. The Nevada Department of Education, Educator Licensure department is responsible for licensing teachers in the state.
To become an art teacher in Nevada, follow these steps:
 | Complete Educational Requirements |
 | Complete Testing |
 | Apply for a Certificate/License |
 | Maintain and Upgrade Your License |
 | Pursue Graduate Work |
Step 1. Complete Educational Requirements
The first step to becoming an art teacher in Nevada is to earn a bachelors degree from a regionally accredited college or university and complete certain teacher training requirements, including student teaching. A list of approved teacher prep programs in the state is here.
In Nevada, you can become license to teach art in grades K-12 or 7-12. Your educational requirements will vary according to the grade you will be teaching, as outlined below:
Art 7-12 Endorsement
To teach art in high school, you must complete certain general teacher prep requirements and have a comprehensive major or comprehensive minor in art. The general requirements include twenty-two semester hours of credit, including:
- Eight semester hours of supervised teaching;
- A course in the methods and materials of teaching art
- Three credits in a course of study regarding education or curricular adaptation for pupils with disabilities
- Three credits in a course of study regarding parental involvement and family engagement
- The remaining secondary pedagogy classes, such as: adolescent growth and development, educational psychology, foundations of education, classroom management, multicultural education, differentiated instructional techniques, teaching English to second language learners, technology in education, or assessment and measurement in education. (Coursework designated for elementary is not accepted.)
You must also complete a comprehensive major or comprehensive minor in art, as follows:
Comprehensive Major (36 semester credits in art, including):
1.Twenty-four semester credits which must include at least six semester credits in each of the following:
I. History of art
II. Drawing
III. Painting
IV. Ceramics or sculpture; and
Twelve semester credits which must include at least three semester credits in each of the following:
I. Design
II. Digital or graphic arts
III. Photography or printmaking
IV. Working with any other medium not listed above
Comprehensive Minor (Twenty-four semester credits in art, including):
1.Fifteen semester credits which must include at least three semester credits in each of the following:
I. History of art
II. Drawing
III. Ceramics or sculpture
IV. Digital or graphic arts; and
Nine semester credits which must include at least three semester credits in at least three of the following:
I. Design
II. Photography
III. Printmaking; OR
IV. Working with any medium not listed above
Art K-12
To teach art with a special K-12 endorsement, you must hold a bachelors’ degree and have completed the following:
22 semester credits of professional education, including courses in:
I. Foundations of education;
II. Methods of teaching art in elementary or secondary schools
III. Eight semester credits of student teaching; and
Thirty-six semester credits in the principles of fine and applied arts, including:
I. History of art
II. Design
III. Drawing
IV. Painting
V. Digital or graphic arts
VI. Ceramics or sculpture; and
IV. Photography or printmaking
Step 2. Complete Testing
As a prospective art teacher in Nevada, you will be required to pass all three Praxis Core skills tests and Principles of Learning and Teaching tests, as well as a subject area assessment.
The Praxis Core tests measures basic skills in reading, writing, and math, through multiple choice questions and two thirty-minute essay questions. Passing scores in Nevada are as follows:
- Core Academic Skills for Educators: Reading 156
- Core Academic Skills for Educators: Writing 162
- Core Academic Skills for Educators: Mathematics 150
The Principles of Learning and Teaching measures general pedagogical knowledge through multiple-choice questions and constructed-response prompts based on case studies. These tests are administered at four grade level ranges: Early Childhood, K–6, 5–9 and 7–12. Minimum scores in Nevada are as follows:
- Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades K–6
- Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades 7–12
ThePraxis II Art: Content and Analysis test is a computer-delivered, two-hour exam with 85 selected-response questions and three constructed-response questions that cover the process and techniques of art making, the historical and theoretical foundations of art in Western culture and worldwide, and a portion of arts analysis. The analysis section of the test asks you to write about verifiable art historical examples from memory, and to write about work that you yourself have created in two different media.
For study guides and to find out how to register, consult the Praxis website. Certain exceptions apply; see the Nevada Department of Education website here.
Step 3 Apply for Your License
In Nevada, you can be licensed to teach art in grades K-12 or as a 7-12 endorsement. Regardless of what type of license you apply for, you must be a US citizen, provide proof that you are on the path to becoming one, or provide verification of being a lawful permanent resident in the country. Applications can be found on the Nevada Department of Education website. These should be send along with official transcripts, a fingerprint card, verification of student teaching, and a payment of $161 in cashier’s check or money order. A detailed checklist for the application is here.
Step 4. Maintain and Upgrade Your License
You are required to complete six credits of professional development education to renew your license. The precise renewal requirements may vary depending on the type of license you have, but the requirements are also listed on the reverse side of your license. According to state law, the credits of professional development education should:
- Be directly related to the person’s current license
- Be part of an additional endorsement
- Be in a subject for which shortages of personnel exist, or
- Be part of an approved program leading to an advanced degree
You can earn professional development credits from a regionally accredited college or university at the undergraduate or graduate level, or from a provider sanctioned by the Nevada Department of Education. A list of approved providers may be found here.
Nevada has only one level of license, although as in all states, national board certification is available.
Step 5. Pursue Graduate Work
Graduate coursework can be an important way to expand your teaching practice, grow skills, deepen your commitment, and last but not last, earn credits that keep your license current. Some of the post-baccalaureate programs in the state include:
- Master of Arts in Teaching
- Master of Education in Educational Psychology
- Master of Science Degree in Information Technology in Education
- Master of Arts in Educational Leadership
- Master of Education in Educational Leadership
- Master of Science in Equity and Diversity in Education
- Master of Arts in Literacy Studies
- Master of Arts in Secondary Education
- Master of Education in Secondary Education
- Master of Science in Secondary Education
- Master of Education in Curriculum & Instruction; Children’s and Young Adult Literature
- Master of Education in Curriculum & Instruction; Literacy Education
- Master of Education in Curriculum & Instruction; Multicultural Education
- Master of Education/Master of Science in Curriculum & Instruction; Career & Technical
- Master of Education/Master of Science in Curriculum & Instruction; Elementary Science
- Master of Education/Master of Science in Curriculum & Instruction; Elementary Social Studies
- Master of Education/Master of Science in Curriculum & Instruction; English Education
- Master of Education/Master of Science in Curriculum & Instruction; Technology Integration
- Master of Education/Master of Science in Curriculum & Instruction; Technology Leadership
- Educational Specialist in Curriculum & Instruction
- Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum & Instruction
- Doctor of Education in Curriculum & Instruction
Nevada Art Teacher Salaries
According to the National Education Association, the average starting salary for teachers in Nevada (as of the 2012-2013 school year) is $35,358, slightly lower than the national average of $36,141.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not provide data on art teacher salaries as a separate unit, but tracks salaries for elementary, middle, and secondary school teachers as larger categories. The department reports the following annual mean wages and employment numbers as of May 2013:
| Occupation Title | Employment | Annual Mean Salary |
| Elementary School Teachers | 10,300 | $53,760 |
| Middle School Teachers | 4,140 | $54,000 |
| Secondary School Teachers | 5,640 | $53,660 |
However, teacher salaries can vary significantly by location. A sample of the median salaries and employment figures as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for some major cities appears below:
| Occupation Title | Employment | Annual Mean Salary |
| Las Vegas, NV | ||
| Elementary School Teachers | 7,510 | $53,750 |
| Middle School Teachers | 3,080 | $54,200 |
| Secondary School Teachers | 3,950 | $54,170 |
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| Reno-Sparks, NV | ||
| Elementary School Teachers | 1,640 | $51,960 |
| Middle School Teachers | 500 | $49,810 |
| Secondary School Teachers | 900 | $50,240 |
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| Western Central Nevada nonmetropolitan area | ||
| Elementary School Teachers | 480 | $55,280 |
| Middle School Teachers | 210 | $55,170 |
| Secondary School Teachers | 300 | $52,530 |
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| Other Nevada nonmetropolitan area | ||
| Elementary School Teachers | 500 | $57,750 |
| Middle School Teachers | 260 | $57,940 |
| Secondary School Teachers | Estimates not released | $56,400 |
There is no statewide salary schedule, and salaries vary by school district. In the Clark County School District, which includes Las Vegas and is the fifth largest district in the United States, the starting teacher salary is $34,684, while salaries top out at $70,765.
Unlike other states, Nevada does not track information on postsecondary art teacher salaries. Nationally, the annual mean wage for postsecondary Art, Drama, and Music Teachers is $72,630.