Special Education

In Idaho, special education teaching certification includes all types of exceptionalities spanning grades Kindergarten to Grade 12. An Idaho teacher certified in special education could teach anywhere from a secondary transition program to an elementary resource room.

The Special Education option prepares an educator to teach in any special education classroom or program, and provides certification for the grade options listed below.

Department Name: Department of Early and Special Education
Official Degree Name: Special Education
Degree Type: Bachelor of Arts
Type of Idaho Teaching Certification: K-12th grade option: Exceptional Child Generalist (K-12), P-8th grade option: Exceptional Child Generalist (K-8) and Early Childhood Special Education (Pre-K-3), P-12th grade option: Exceptional Child Generalist (K-12) and Early Childhood Special Education (Pre-K-3)
Note for Students with Out-of-State Home Addresses: If considering an academic program that leads to a professional license or certification in your state, it is highly recommended that you first seek guidance from the appropriate licensing agency in your home state BEFORE beginning the academic program located outside your state, or upon changing states. Visit the Professional Licensure Disclosures website for more information.

*Do you already have an undergraduate degree and are looking for a graduate option to earn your teaching certification? Check out our Master In Teaching (MIT) programs. Most programs can be completed within a year and will earn both a master’s degree and teaching certification.

What can I do with this degree?

This degree leads to recommendation in certification for one Idaho teaching certificate: Exceptional Child Generalist (K-12).

Degree Requirements and Advising Resources

Once admitted to the Teacher Education program, you complete the upper division Teacher Education courses. During the Teacher Education year, you must also complete the required Praxis 2 tests in order to apply to the Professional Year.

Praxis Tests

The required Praxis 2 tests are:

Praxis 2: Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects test #5001
Praxis 2: Special Education: Core Knowledge and Mild to Moderate Applications test #5543

Program Admissions

The deadline to apply to the Teacher Education program is either the first Friday in February if you apply in the spring and the third Friday in September if you apply in the fall.

The admission process includes an interview which is scheduled after the application deadline.

Professional Year

The deadline to apply for Professional Year is also either the first Friday in February if you apply in the fall or the third Friday in September if you apply in the spring.

After admission to Professional Year, you complete two semesters of student teaching. One semester is a Special Education practicum and the other semester is in a Special Education classroom.

Click here for more information about Teacher Education applications.

Pathway to Proficiency – Teacher Education Program Requirements

To apply to the Teacher Education program, you must have the following three things completed:

All lower division courses, including the 200-level pre-professional Teacher Education courses, must be either complete or in progress
A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and a 3.0 or higher GPA in all Teacher Education courses

Application Deadline

The deadline to apply to the Teacher Education program is either the first Friday in February if you apply in the spring and the third Friday in September if you apply in the fall.

The admission process includes an interview which is scheduled after the application deadline.

After Admission to the Program

For this major, the required Praxis 2 tests are:

Praxis Elementary Education: Content Knowledge for Teaching #7811
The following subtests are also required:
1. Reading and Language Subtest #7812 / Score: 161
2. Mathematics Subtest #7813 / Score: 150
3. Social Studies Subtest #7815 / Score: 161
4. Science Subtest #7814 / Score: 154
Praxis: Special Education: Core Knowledge and Mild to Moderate Applications test #5543 / Score: 153
Praxis: Special Education: Preschool / Early Childhood (P-3rd and P-12th only) #5692 / Score: 159

You must successfully complete ALL Praxis exams BEFORE applying to Professional Year.

Applying to Professional Year

The deadline to apply for Professional Year is also either the first Friday in February if you apply in the fall or the third Friday in September if you apply in the spring.

After admission to Professional Year, you complete two semesters of student teaching. One semester is a Special Education practicum or preschool teaching experience and the other semester is in a Special Education classroom.

Pathway to Proficiency – Courses

Courses required for entrance into program

All of the following courses are required for graduation and entrance into the teacher program.

FW ENGL 101 – Writing and Rhetoric I (3 credits)
FW ENGL 102 – Writing and Rhetoric II (3 credits)
UF 100 – Intellectual Foundations (3 credits)
UF 200 – Civic and Ethical Foundations (3 credits)
FM MATH 157 – Number and Operations for Teachers (4 credits)
MATH 158 (prerequisite: MATH 157) – Geometry and Measurement for Teachers (4 credits)
FN Natural, Physical, & Applied Science – Science course with lab (4 credits)
FN Natural, Physical, & Applied Science – Science course (must be in a second field; lab optional) (3-4 credits)
FA Arts Course (3 credits)
FH Humanities Course (3-4 credits)
FS HIST 111/112 – United States History I or II
ED-LLC 201 – Cultural Diversity in the School (3 credits)
FS ED-CIFS 201 – Education, Schooling and Society (3 credits)
ED-ESP 223 – Child Growth and Development (3 credits)
ED-ESP 250 – Exceptionality in Schools (3 credits)
ED-ESP 255 – Educational and Assistive Technology (3 credits)
ED-ESP 260 – Special Education Policies and Procedures (3 credits)

Courses that may be taken prior to admission to program

ED-LLC 300 – Foundations: Linguistics, Acquisition, Pedagogy (3 credits)
ED-LLC 340 (field experience included) – Idaho Comprehensive Literacy (4 credits)
ED-LLC 345 (pre or co-requisite: ED-LLC 340) – Writing Process & Assessment for K-8 Classrooms (3 credits)
Electives – Refer to P-3rd grade, K-12th grade or P-12th grade options below

Courses that require admission to the teacher education program

ED-ESP 330 (spring only) – Diagnostic Assessment in Special Education (3 credits)
ED-ESP 332 (field work included; spring only) – Language Arts for Students with Disabilities (3 credits)
ED-ESP 333 (field work included; fall only) – Mathematics for Students with Disabilities (3 credits)
ED-ESP 358 (fall only) – Students with Severe Disabilities (3 credits)

Courses that require admission to the Professional Year

Professional Year A – Special Education Practicum

You will be in the school all day on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. You may take elective courses during this semester.

ED-LLC 442 – Integrated Disciplinary Language Arts in the Social Sciences
(3 credits)
ED-ESP 459 or ED-ESP 461 (refer to P-8, K-12 or P-12 options below) – Special Education Practicum (5 credits)

Professional Year B – Special Education Student Teaching

You will be in the school all day, M-F

ES-ESP 467 – Teaching Experience in Special Education (12 credits)

FF ED-ESP 400 – Professional Inquiry, Reflection and Capacity for Change (1 credit)

K-12th Grade Option

ED-ESP 345 (spring only) – Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (3 credits)
ED-ESP 460 (fall only) – Special Education at the Secondary Level (3 credits)
ED-ESP 459 – Special Education Practicum (5 credits)
Electives to total 120 credits: 11-13

Total credits = 120

P-8th Grade Option

ED-ESP 221 – Foundations of Professional Practice (3 credits)
ED-ESP 321 (fall only) – Family and Community Relations: ECE/ECSE (3 credits)
ED-ESP 322 (fall only) – Inclusive Methods: ECE/ECSE (3 credits)
ED-ESP 327 (spring only) – EI/ECSE Assessment (3 credits)
ED-ESP 328 (spring only) – Intervention Methods: ECE/ECSE (3 credits)
ED-ESP 329 (spring only) – Behavior Support in Early Childhood (3 credits)
ED-ESP 461 – Teaching Experience in Preschool Programs (5 credits)
Electives to total 120 credits: 2-4

Total Credits = 120

P-12th Grade Option

ED-ESP 221 – Foundations of Professional Practice (3 credits)
ED-ESP 321 (fall only) – Family and Community Relations: ECE/ECSE (3 credits)
ED-ESP 322 (fall only) – Inclusive Methods: ECE/ECSE (3 credits)
ED-ESP 327 (spring only) – EI / ECSE Assessment (3 credits)
ED-ESP 328 (spring only) – Intervention Methods: ECE/ECSE (3 credits)
ED-ESP 329 or ED-ESP 345 (spring only) – Behavior Support in Early Childhood or Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (3 credits)
ED-ESP 460 (fall only) – Special Education at the Secondary Level (3 credits)
ED-ESP 461- Teaching Experience in Preschool Programs (5 credits)
Electives to total 120: 2-4