Office of Career Readiness, Adult Learning, and Education Options (CRALEO)

Career guidance and counseling in Nevada supports students in academic planning, career exploration, and postsecondary readiness. School counselors play a critical role in helping students understand graduation requirements, explore career pathways, and make informed decisions aligned to education and workforce opportunities.

This page provides access to state-supported guidance resources and explains how career guidance activities align with Nevada law and statewide initiatives.

The Nevada Department of Education provides state-supported guidance resources to assist counselors in meeting planning and advising responsibilities. Districts may use state resources or locally adopted tools that align with statutory requirements and local board policy.

Career guidance resources support counselors in helping students plan coursework, explore career pathways, and prepare for postsecondary options. These resources are intended to promote consistent, developmentally appropriate advising practices while allowing flexibility for local implementation.

The Nevada College & Career Readiness (CCR) Toolkit is the state’s primary guidance resource supporting career exploration, academic planning, and postsecondary readiness for students in Nevada. The Toolkit is intended for use by school counselors, educators, administrators, students, and families.

• CCR Toolkit – Full Version
  • CCR Toolkit – Introduction
  • CCR Toolkit – Middle School
  • CCR Toolkit – High School
  • CCR Toolkit - Resources

Career guidance resources available through the Nevada College & Career Readiness Toolkit may be used to support:

• Career exploration and awareness activities
• Academic and course planning discussions
• Postsecondary readiness conversations
• Student and family engagement

Districts may use the CCR Toolkit in full or in part and may supplement it with locally adopted resources aligned to Nevada statutes, regulations, and local board policy.

District-Selected Counseling Tools

Nevada does not prescribe a single statewide template for career advising or individual learning plans. Districts may select or develop tools that support:

• Career interest and skills exploration
• Academic or multi-year course planning
• Individual learning plans or equivalent advising documents
• Postsecondary readiness and transition planning

This approach allows districts flexibility to align counseling tools with local systems, student information platforms, and community needs, while meeting statutory intent.

School counselors support student success by integrating career guidance, academic planning, and Career and Technical Education (CTE) opportunities. This work helps students understand how coursework, experiential learning, and postsecondary options connect to long-term goals.

Counselor responsibilities commonly include:

• Supporting career exploration and informed decision-making
• Assisting with course planning aligned to graduation requirements
• Advising students on participation in CTE programs and pathways
• Coordinating or referring students to Work-Based Learning opportunities
• Providing social and emotional support related to academic and career planning

Career guidance in Nevada follows a developmental planning process that supports students as they progress from exploration to postsecondary transition. This process typically includes:

• Self-assessment of interests, strengths, and goals
• Career awareness and exploration
• Academic and course planning
• Engagement in career-connected learning experiences, including Work-Based Learning
• Postsecondary planning for college, workforce, military, or training pathways

Career guidance and counseling activities support compliance with Nevada law related to educational planning, student support services, and postsecondary readiness, including:

• NRS Chapter 389 – Secondary education programs, planning, and graduation requirements
• NAC Chapter 389 – Regulations governing secondary education and instructional requirements

The Nevada Department of Education provides guidance and resources but does not require specific counseling templates or forms. Districts are responsible for implementing practices that meet statutory requirements and local policy.

Career guidance is closely connected to Career and Technical Education and Work-Based Learning, helping students understand career pathways and experiential learning opportunities.

• Nevada Career and Technical Education (CTE)
• Nevada Work-Based Learning (WBL)

Nevada school counseling programs commonly align local practices to nationally recognized counseling frameworks that support student development across academic, career, and social/emotional domains.

• American School Counselor Association (ASCA)

External resources are provided for reference only and are not mandated by the Nevada Department of Education.