Take the Next Step
Do you want to know more about the certification or licensure requirements for becoming a special education teacher? Are you wondering what schools offer special education programs or where you can earn professional development credits?
These are common questions among current and aspiring special education teachers, and it’s often difficult and time consuming to find the information you need. The good news is that we’ve done the searching for you and have all the answers to these questions (and more) in one place!
Career Paths
There are many different ways to get involved in the education of special needs students. We’ve put together explanations of some of the major ones, to help you get started:
- What Behaviorists do
- What Early Intervention Specialists do
- What Educational Diagnosticians do
- What Instructional Assistants do
- What Special Education Administrators do
- What Special Education Teachers do
Licensure and Degree Programs
Below you will find links, for each state in the U.S., to information about:
- Teacher certification or licensure requirements, including reciprocity: breaks down information on certification/licensure from state’s Department of Education website for current undergraduate college students and college graduates; lists the types of certificates and/or licenses the state awards; explains what teachers licensed in other states or countries need to do to be licensed/certified in state; provides links to the appropriate websites for detailed information, forms, etc.
- Alternatives to certification: outlines state’s programs, if any, for becoming a teacher in the state without certification or a degree in education (typically for career-changers)
- Professional development: lists agencies and organizations that provide professional development courses, seminars and workshops
- Special education degree or endorsement programs: describes special education degree program at the state’s top school(s); links to lists of schools in the state with special education degree programs; details special education endorsements available in the state
- Where to look for jobs: provides links to state’s department of education job listings, as well as public and private schools and other programs in the state for children with special needs
Degree and Certification Info by State
Click on one of the states below to get started!
