The Nevada Institute on Educator Preparation, Retention, and Research (NIEPRR) is a grant-funded program designed to prepare you, as a NIEPRR fellow, for success in a variety of educational settings, with a focus on the educational needs within our Nevada communities. Our goal is to provide each NIEPRR fellow with new and innovative experiences around education research, training, and preparation that go above and beyond what you receive in your pre-service coursework and practicum. As a result, you should be equipped to be a skilled practitioner and leader in K-12 education in Nevada.
INNOVATIVE CROSS-INSTITUTION COLLABORATION
Underscoring a deep commitment of partnership on behalf of all Nevadans, NIEPRR facilitates a first-of-its-kind cross-institutional collaboration among the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), Nevada State College (NSC), and the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR). This collaboration offers unprecedented opportunities for program students and faculty to work together in community to serve the communities across Nevada in which we all live and work.
Mission
Intentional recruitment, meaningful engagement, and long-term retention of Nevada educators through community-focused and research-informed approaches to education.
Vision
For all Nevada educators to be community-focused, research-informed, and equipped with the knowledge and skills to effectively teach all Nevada students.
Program Components
Each NIEPRR fellow receives approximately 60 hours of enhanced learning opportunities each academic year to support your knowledge and skill development as an emerging educational leader. The NIEPRR program takes a multifocal approach, providing enhanced preparation of pre-service teachers through programming, community engagement, participation in research, and knowledge dissemination.
educational engagement pathways (EEPs)
EEPs provide hands-on experiences with fellows, teachers, families, and the communities they serve to ensure our future educators are prepared for the realities of 21st century educational delivery for diverse populations, particularly within southern Nevada. EEPs also seek to provide educators with best practices and strategies to support mental health and wellness to keep teachers in classrooms and from burning out.
Community engagement pathways (CEPS)
Fellows are being trained not only to be leaders in the classroom, but also on the UNLV campus and within larger Nevada communities. CEPs are specially designed opportunities for fellows to engage in meaningful service learning. by building relationships and working with students and families in the communities in which they live and work.
Professional Development
In an effort to provide future educators with experiences that help them continue their pursuit of knowledge, fellows are offered professional development resources during and after their fellowships with Educators LEAD Professional Development Days, Global Professional Development Conferences in Concepción and Santiago, Chile, and access to microcredential courses that build their toolkits and qualify them for advancement within the school district’s system.
(Optional) research fellowship
Gain experience conducting research in the field of education that seeks to identify or validate unique, innovative, promising, or novel pedagogical practices or approaches for diverse learners. Accepted fellows receive an additional $2,500 stipend for committing 30 hours to the project in addition to mentorship by the project’s research faculty over the course of the year.
