Post-Baccalaureate Mild-to-Moderate K-12 Special Education at Tulane SoPA

Approximately one-in-five PreK-12 students in the United States receives special education services. Meeting the needs of these diverse learners requires qualified teachers with specialized understandings of this population and the knowledge and skills to properly support them. This series of special education courses is designed to help teachers meet the needs of students with disabilities and to increase the pipeline of qualified educators to teach these students.

In order to be eligible for the special education add-on licensure, students must already be licensed to teach in the state of Louisiana. Students who are not licensed may take the courses and be granted the post-baccalaureate certificate from Tulane, but will not be eligible for the special education license.

To receive more information on our Special Education Pathway, please email Richard Mihans.

Special Education Courses Offered

Through our special education pathway, teachers grow their practice and skills and expand their career options. The pathway includes the courses needed to earn add-on licensure in special education mild-to-moderate disabilities in Louisiana. Our program is designed to:

Provide students with in-depth knowledge and skills needed to meet the needs of diverse learners.
Provide students with additional opportunities to advance their learning and expand their career options within the high-demand and high-need area of special education.
Create a flexible, rigorous special education talent pipeline that helps to address the special education teacher shortage at the local, regional and national levels.

The courses will be offered in a hybrid format incorporating online, face-to-face, and field experience components to ensure high-quality, rigorous training as well as flexibility and accessibility for those currently working in the field. We also offer a summer institute for two of the Special Education courses.

COURSE & CERTIFICATE REQUIREMENTS

Our Rationale

Approximately one-in-five PreK-12 students in the United States receive special education services. Meeting the needs of these diverse learners requires qualified teachers with specialized understandings of this population and the knowledge and skills to properly support them. The shortage of educators with special education credentials and training at the local, regional and national levels is growing. For Tulane students who are enrolled in the licensure path of the education program, these courses offer the opportunity to earn an initial teaching license concurrently with the special education license. For Tulane students on a non-certification education track, it expands the available course offerings to better prepare them for a range of careers within the education sector. The course series also offers practicing teachers an opportunity to advance their careers and enhance their knowledge and skills.

Learn From Leaders in the Classroom

Our special education training pathway is designed for teacher by teachers and experts in the field. Our Special Education Advisory Council includes representation from a broad spectrum of experts and stakeholders: special education teachers, special education coordinators, parents, advocates, nonprofit-support organizations, students with learning differences, school psychologists and those working in special education policy. This team of passionate experts is helping us craft a relevant, rigorous, high-impact learning experience for teachers which will equip them to meet the needs of all students. Our classes are taught by practitioners with experience working with and for students with disabilities in schools.

Praxis Requirement

The Praxis is a national licensure exam developed by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) and required by a variety of states. Teachers seeking special education add-on licensure will need to take the following exam:

Special Education: Core Knowledge and Mild to Moderate Applications (5543)

Special Education PathWay Admission Requirements

To apply for the Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Preparation and Certification Program, students must have earned a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university with at least a 2.75 cumulative GPA.

Special Education PathWay Requirements

Special Education candidates are required to complete 18 hours of coursework including field components.

K-5 Mild-to-moderate Special Education Add-on Certification Required Courses
EDUC 5500	Assessment and Evaluation of Students with Disabilities	3
EDUC 5510	Collaborative Teaming	3
EDUC 5520	Instructional Practices in Special Education	3
EDUC 5530	Reading and Literacy	3
EDUC 5540	Behavior Support and Intervention	3
EDUC 5560	Fundamentals of Instructional Technology	3
	Total	18

Grades 6-12 Mild-to-moderate Special Education Add-on Certification Required Courses
EDUC 5500	Assessment and Evaluation of Students with Disabilities	3
EDUC 5510	Collaborative Teaming	3
EDUC 5520	Instructional Practices in Special Education	3
EDUC 5530	Reading and Literacy	3
EDUC 5550	Self-Determination and Transition	3
EDUC 5560	Fundamentals of Instructional Technology	3
	Total	18

Tuition & Fees

We offer a 20% discount to full-time teachers and paraprofessionals, including classroom assistants and assistant teachers.

Information about SoPA tuition and fees may be found here.

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