According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 104,270 individuals aged three to 21 years old were served under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in Kentucky in the 2017-18 year. That equates to 15.3% of the total number of public school students enrolled in Kentucky during that year. In comparison, only 13.7% of the entire public school student body in the United States was served under IDEA in the same year.
Reflecting this, the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) has made significant efforts to increase the number of qualified special education teachers in the state. The Traineeship Program for Special Education was created to provide tuition assistance for individuals in approved special education teacher preparation programs. KDE also established eight alternative routes to teacher certification for those looking to enter the education profession.
Northern Kentucky University (NKU) offers online Alternative Certification in Special Education programs in two areas of state certification: Moderate & Severe Disabilities (MSD) and Learning & Behavior Disorders (LBD). Both degree programs are approved by the KDE and the tuition assistance Traineeship Program. These programs are especially suitable for those with non-education backgrounds interested in working in special education while pursuing full certification.
How Does Alternative Certification for Special Education Work in Kentucky?
The eight alternative routes to certification in Kentucky are based on different combinations of content-specific academic education, programmatic training and work experience. KDE’s University-Based Alternative Route to Certification (Option 6) is the most popular of the eight options. NKU’s online Alternative Certification in Special Education programs fall under this alternative route option.
Option 6 allows people with a non-education bachelor’s degree to pursue teacher certification while working in a school and concurrently studying in a KDE-approved university teacher preparation program. The individual must teach in the content area or specialization in which they are studying and pursuing certification. For instance, NKU students enrolled in the approved MSD alternative certification program must work in a Kentucky school in an MSD position.
What Is Involved in the Option 6 Alternative Certification Process?
To generalize the process by which individuals accomplish alternative certification, Kentucky’s Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB) states:
“Upon admission to the program at the college/university — the college/university produces a hiring eligibility letter for the student to submit to a hiring district which indicates the certification area for which they are eligible for hire, based on their program of study.”
Then, admitted NKU students must provide admissions with an offer of employment from a Kentucky school in their area of study, along with other required documents. When all these steps are completed and the school district fulfills its application requirements, the individual is granted a Temporary Provisional certificate from KDE’s Office of Educator Licensure and Effectiveness.
When renewed annually, this certificate allows students up to three years to complete their program studies while teaching in their area. Upon completion of one of NKU’s online Alternative Certification in Special Education programs, graduates will become fully certified by Kentucky in their specific area of study.
How Are NKU’s Alternative Certification in Special Education Programs Structured?
NKU’s online alternative certification programs include comprehensive coursework that aligns with EPSB’s teacher preparation program standards. Core studies for both programs cover teaching students with exceptionalities, exploring diverse needs, educational approaches and legal requirements.
Shared coursework also focuses on varying intellectual and orthopedic disabilities, family engagement, behavioral analysis and teaching practices, assessment methods and instructional design for students with LBDs. Both programs include field experience integration as well.
NKU’s online LBD program delves further into subjects specific to LBD certification. Examples include literacy education theory and methodology, advanced study of various disorders, differentiated instruction and assessment techniques and inclusive classroom practices.
MSD courses focus adaptive education approaches, teaching holistic skill development, selecting and integrating assistive technologies, learning technologies and behavior management. MSD course requirements are adjusted for teachers who are already LBD-certified.
Similarly, students can apply credit hours for appropriate courses in both alternative certification programs to NKU’s five online Master of Arts in Education — Teacher as Leader programs. This can significantly reduce the amount of time (and money) required to go beyond certification and earn a master’s in education, opening further career opportunities for special education professionals.
NKU’s programs offer convenience in pursuing the KDE’s university-based alternative route to teacher certification in special education. In completing studies whenever one’s schedule permits, students can take advantage of the opportunity to work in their chosen profession while earning certification. Most importantly, through studying the complexities of modern, effective special education, individuals can learn how to make a positive difference in the lives of students with disabilities today.
Learn more about NKU’s online Alternative Certification in Special Education programs in Moderate & Severe Disabilities (MSD) and Learning & Behavior Disorders (LBD).
Sources:
Education Professional Standards Board: University-Based Alternative Route for Teaching Grades P-12
Kentucky Department of Education:
Homepage
Educator Development and Equity: Recruitment and Retention: Certification
Traineeship Program for Special Education: About
