Certification and Endorsement Programs for Special Education

Boston College: Serving Exceptional Learners in Catholic Schools The Certificate in Serving Exceptional Learners in Catholic Schools is designed to prepare participants to serve the diverse learning and behavioral needs of their students who are atypical learners. Teachers will sharpen their skills in managing classrooms of diverse learners, connect their practice with new research findings, and learn practical strategies to enhance student learning. Although this certificate does not fully prepare teachers to be special educators, it addresses the key strategies needed for serving these students in Catholic school classrooms. http://www.bc.edu/schools/lsoe/academics/departments/teseci/graduate/professional-preparation- program1.html

Gonzaga University: The MIT in Special Education at Gonzaga The demand for teachers with advanced degrees in Special Education is the #1 field in need of teachers in the State of Washington and in the United States. The GONZAGA MASTER OF INITIAL TEACHING (MIT) IN SPECIAL EDUCATION offers preparation for those who seek employment as Special Education teachers or practitioners in public and private schools. Students who enter the Master of Initial Teaching in Special Education focus on learning competencies for understanding students with disabilities, policies, and procedures regarding Special Education laws and compliance issues. The faculty use evidence-based strategies and application of strategies within a classroom setting, as well as implementing action research to demonstrate ability to generalize understanding to applied settings. Coursework and practicum experiences are linked in such a manner for students to apply their course knowledge immediately. Download the Outcomes Matrices for your review of the programs offered by visiting www.gonzaga.edu/soe/speced

Seattle University: Special Education The program is primarily centered upon those students with learning (e.g., learning disabilities, speech/language disorders, and mental retardation) and/or behavioral difficulties (e.g., attention difficulties, conduct disorders, and autism) but also provides training in how to work with students with other disabilities as well (e.g., physical impairments, vision and hearing impairments, and multiple disabilities). https://www.seattleu.edu/education/specialed/ The Endorsement Only program in Special Education is designed for certified teachers with either a master's degree or a bachelor's degree. http://www.seattleu.edu/education/k-12/endorsements/special-education//

University of Notre Dame: Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) Mild to Moderate Learning Disability Certification: In 2010, the Alliance for Catholic Education at the University of Notre Dame began a new academic program that instructs Catholic school teachers who wish to develop skills to meet the needs of children with mild to moderate disabilities in an inclusionary classroom: Teaching Exceptional Children (TEC). The TEC program is a one-year certification program in which a licensed Catholic school teacher receives an additional license from the State of Indiana as a teacher of students with exceptional needs: mild interventions. The TEC program is responsive to meeting the needs of all students in Catholic schools across the country. To learn more about the TEC program, please visit the Teaching Exceptional Children homepage at: https://ace.nd.edu/news/changing-lives-ace-s-enl-and-tec-programs

OCS – August 2015 University of Portland: Special Education Endorsement Programs The Special Education Endorsement program options below are state (TSPC) and nationally accredited (NCATE). These programs are open to both in-service teachers and students. The certificate leading to the Special Education Endorsement provides candidates with the coursework for knowledge that aligns the professional Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) standards with the School of Education’s Conceptual Framework. In addition to knowledge-based coursework, candidates engage in clinical activities across their program so as to become an inclusive educator or a special educator who is able to work with a variety of individuals with disabilities across varying levels of severity. As evidence that candidates have met the knowledge and clinical competences of the standards, candidates work with an advisor to create a portfolio. http://education.up.edu/default.aspx?cid=10505

Washington Governors University (WGU): WGU Washington’s online special education degrees were designed to produce highly competent, prepared special educators who are ready for the increasing challenges of inclusive and exclusive classrooms. The WGU Washington Teachers College offers two special education degree options: a bachelor’s degree that leads to special education teacher certification and a master’s degree for current teachers who are seeking special education licensure. This program includes the following areas of study and completion of a capstone project: Special Education, Instructional Design, and Research Fundamentals. http://washington.wgu.edu/education/master_science_special_education

OCS – August 2015