AN ACT relating to education; requiring the Department of Education to establish a program to provide certain professional development relating to literacy instruction; requiring the submission of certain reports concerning literacy and the academic growth of pupils identified as having a reading disability; prohibiting various classes and services for pupils with certain disabilities from exceeding certain size limitations; setting forth certain requirements governing special education classrooms; setting forth certain provisions governing pupils with disabilities who require educational stability; revising provisions governing the safety of pupils in schools; revising certain definitions concerning pupils with disabilities; revising provisions governing instruction and services provided to certain pupils with disabilities; revising provisions governing early literacy screening assessments; revising provisions governing pupils with dyslexia; revising provisions governing due process hearings; revising provisions governing the suspension and expulsion of certain pupils; requiring the submission of certain reports; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.
Sponsored By: Lori Rogich (Republican)
Failed
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
13 provisions identified: 12 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Class size limits for special education
Beginning July 1, 2027, special education classes without an aide have disability-based enrollment caps. Caps are 8 for hearing impairments, 8 for visual impairments, 3 for autism, and 9 for emotional disturbances. Intellectual disability caps are 12 for mild, 10 for moderate, and 3 for severe disabilities. Speech and language impairment caps are 10 for mild or moderate and 8 for severe; multiple disabilities have an 8-student cap. In classes with aides, no more than 3 students with autism or severe intellectual disabilities may be assigned per aide.
Discipline safeguards for vulnerable school students
Beginning July 1, 2027, the covered suspension for homeless or foster-care students cannot exceed 5 days. Principals must review available information, find an ongoing safety threat, and find that homelessness or foster care did not contribute. They must consult the homeless-student liaison or school contact, or the foster-care advocate or student counselor. Before disability-related removals for continuing danger, ongoing academic disruption, or a dangerous weapon other than a firearm, administrators must meet with the education team. They must find under federal special education law that the behavior was not a manifestation of the disability. For covered suspensions or expulsions, school leaders must allow a written modification when they determine a restorative-justice plan can succeed.
Faster reading help and parent notices
Beginning July 1, 2027, schools must send parents written results within 20 days of the first literacy screening. Notices must compare grade-level scores, explain services and special education rights, and outline regular progress updates. Within those same 20 days, schools must start individual help, including structured literacy, for dyslexia signs or below-grade literacy. Additional screening or evaluation is required when screening confirms learning-disability signs or a parent, guardian, teacher, counselor, or district psychologist requests it. Trained staff must conduct the assessment, and schools cannot use screening to delay special education referrals.
More behavior support for disabled students
Beginning July 1, 2027, state standards must provide for behavior analyst treatment in education programs for specified students. Covered students have emotional disturbances, autism, or developmental delays; behavior intervention plans are required when needed. Public schools must assign analysts to classrooms with those students or students with severe behaviors. Staffing must include at least 1 analyst for every 2 qualifying classrooms, with regular consultation and help reviewing behavior plans.
More stable placements for disabled students
Beginning July 1, 2027, special education placement must follow the student's individualized education program and least restrictive appropriate setting. Classroom instruction must stay within that program, student ages may span no more than 3 years, and classes cannot be kindergarten-only. Nevada's Education Department must plan for consistent service locations, curriculum, and staffing. When frequent service-location changes cause learning to regress, the education team must consider location consistency in placement. Schools must also reevaluate students receiving developmental-delay services when they turn 10 to check for additional disability-service needs.
Protected staffing for special education students
Beginning July 1, 2027, special education classroom teachers must hold a special education teaching license. Districts and charter schools cannot pull special education teachers, paraprofessionals, or instructional aides to substitute in general education classes. Secondary special education classes with more than 6 students, and preschool classes with more than 8, need at least 2 instructional aides. For secondary pull-out classes using an adapted general curriculum, the law specifies 12 students without an aide and 16 with one.
Regular reading checks for elementary students
Beginning July 1, 2027, Nevada districts and charter schools must screen all kindergarten through grade 6 students at least twice yearly. The first check is due within 90 days after instruction starts, including for struggling readers who need help. Newly enrolled students without screening records must be screened promptly. If their grade's screening already happened, the deadline is 90 calendar days after enrollment. Administrators must review screening and progress data and share it with teachers to guide instruction.
Safer schools and disability-aware emergency plans
Beginning July 1, 2027, schools must provide students and staff an environment free from race-based discrimination, bullying, cyberbullying, and predictable injury threats. Districts must adopt one districtwide emergency plan with crisis response, staff active-assailant training, parent notices, and post-crisis mental health support. Planning groups must show they considered each student with an individualized education program or Section 504 disability plan. Plans must address sharing individual needs with responders, but only as federal student privacy law allows.
Stronger teaching standards for students with dyslexia
Beginning July 1, 2027, state dyslexia standards must cover speech sounds, rapid naming, sound memory, decoding, spelling, and reading fluency. The law defines dyslexia as a neurobiological learning disability. When developing an individualized education program, the team must consider evaluations, parent concerns, screening results, the state framework, and the least restrictive setting. It must also consider evidence-based teaching from a teacher endorsed to teach students with disabilities. Teaching approaches considered must include individual, explicit, systematic, intensive, meaning-based, multisensory instruction and layered school supports.
Faster hearings for special education disputes
Beginning July 1, 2027, federally required expedited hearings must occur within 15 days after a request. Decisions are due within 10 school days after the hearing ends; schools must first share free or low-cost legal-service information. Either side may request a temporary order about interrupted services, discipline, placement, or graduation while a dispute awaits decision. Requests must explain the relief and reasons, include an affidavit or notarized statement, and go to the opposing side. Relief requires findings of irreparable harm, a right supported by case law, likely success, and a balance of harms favoring the requester.
In-person schooling for students after removal
Beginning July 1, 2027, districts must provide in-person alternative education for students required to enroll after expulsion or a one-semester suspension. Districts may run the program alone or with another district. Programs must provide educational services in the least restrictive educational setting.
Principals can reduce some student discipline
Beginning July 1, 2027, principals may reduce, eliminate, or change discipline for battery that causes bodily injury to a school employee. They may also reduce suspension or convert expulsion to suspension for students under 11 who distribute controlled substances. This covers distribution on school premises, at school-sponsored activities, or on school buses. The student must have no prior such conduct, and a thorough review must show the student did not know the substance was controlled. Neither change guarantees reduced discipline.
New school requirements affect local budgets
Beginning July 1, 2025, the state expenditure-limit rule in NRS 354.599 does not apply to added local-government costs from this law. The law specifies no new appropriation, cost amount, or household tax increase. Beginning July 1, 2027, districts must meet special education minimum standards before receiving state funds for that instruction. The Education Department must provide free literacy training of at least 20 hours yearly for staff serving preschool through grade 6. Districts and charters must report literacy tools, training, screening, interventions, and growth by June 30 yearly. By July 1, 2027, they must also submit implementation plans and reports on fiscal, staffing, and logistical challenges for legislative review.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Lori Rogich
Republican • Senate
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
Actions Timeline
(No further action taken.)
6/3/2025SenateFrom printer. To engrossment. Engrossed. First reprint. To committee.
4/24/2025SenateTaken from General File. Re-referred to Committee on Finance. Exemption effective. To printer.
4/21/2025SenateRead second time. Amended. (Amend. No. 419.)
4/21/2025SenatePlaced on Second Reading File.
4/21/2025SenateFrom committee: Amend, and do pass as amended.
4/21/2025SenateNotice of eligibility for exemption.
4/10/2025SenateFrom printer. To committee.
3/19/2025SenateRead first time. Referred to Committee on Education. To printer.
3/17/2025Senate
Bill Text
As Introduced
Reprint 1
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