1. The principal of a public elementary school, including, without limitation, a charter school, shall designate a licensed teacher employed by the school to serve as a literacy specialist. The licensed teacher so designated must:

(a) Demonstrate the ability to improve the literacy of pupils;

(b) Demonstrate competency in effective instruction in literacy and the administration of assessments;

(c) Demonstrate an understanding of building relationships with teachers and other adults;

(d) Collaborate with the principal of the public elementary school to develop a schedule of professional development and assist in providing such professional development; and

(e) Assist teachers at the school by implementing a system of support which includes various methods to provide intervention services and intensive instruction for pupils who have been identified as deficient in the subject area of reading.

2. A school district or charter school may provide additional compensation to:

(a) A licensed teacher designated as a literacy specialist pursuant to this section; or

(b) A licensed teacher who is employed by a school district or charter school to teach at an elementary school and provides instruction in reading.

3. Each licensed teacher employed by a school district or charter school to teach at an elementary school and who is responsible for providing instruction in reading shall complete professional development developed by a licensed teacher designated as a literacy specialist pursuant to subsection 1 in the subject area of reading.

4. The State Board shall prescribe by regulation:

(a) Any training or professional development that a licensed teacher designated as a literacy specialist is required to successfully complete;

(b) Any professional development that a teacher employed by a school district or charter school to teach at an elementary school is required to receive as developed by a licensed teacher designated as a literacy specialist in the subject area of reading; and

(c) The duties and responsibilities of a licensed teacher designated as a literacy specialist.

(Added to NRS by 2015, 1861; A 2019, 4491)