Special Education
The Special Education Master’s Degree and Certification-Only Program at the University of Idaho is designed to offer certified teachers a convenient pathway to obtain a master’s degree in special education, coupled with the option of special education certification. Our program stands out as a top choice for students seeking distance learning opportunities, allowing them to complete their degree and certification remotely. All courses are delivered through distance technologies, eliminating the need for on-campus attendance.
The University of Idaho's Special Education Program holds national accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (formerly known as the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education) and is a state-approved program in special education. To qualify for entry into the program, candidates should possess an undergraduate degree in education or a related field and meet the university's enrollment criteria for the College of Graduate Studies. For those pursuing certification options, a valid teaching certificate is a prerequisite. Join our program to advance your career and expertise in special education from the comfort of your own location.
Overview
The coursework and practicum in the program will help prepare or further your knowledge of working with students with special needs.
Special education teachers design and teach appropriate curricula and assign work geared toward each student’s needs and abilities. This includes behavioral, social, and academic development as well as preparing special education students for daily life beyond school also is an important aspect of the job.
A degree in special education prepares you for a rewarding career providing services to those with special needs or training others to work with students with special needs.
Paraeducators provide essential support to students with disabilities in special education settings and inclusive classrooms across the United States. The most recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) indicate there were 883,071 instructional aids (i.e., paraeducators) in the United States. (NCES, 2021). Compared to teachers, the need for paraeducators is growing at an even faster rate. Since 2000, the annual growth rate for teachers is 0.46% compared to 1.98% for paraeducators (NCES, 2021). Preparing current paraeducators to become special education teachers could help address the special education teacher shortage. Paraeducators may be an especially good fit because:
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Strong Community Connections: Many paraeducators have strong connections to the community in which they serve. These connections are especially important for to racially, linguistically, and ethnically diverse communities, as paraeducators across the United States are more racially and ethnically diverse than the teacher workforce (Bisht et al., 2021; Morrison & Lightner 2017)
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Knowledge of Special Education: Through their work in schools, paraeducators also have first-hand understanding of school policy and procedures. As limited previous experiences in schools are associated with levels of special education teacher attrition (Billingsley & Bettini, 2019), paraeducators are especially well-suited for the transition to service as the teacher of record.
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Career Interests and Job Benefits: Connally et al. (2017) described why paraeducators, especially those from culturally diverse backgrounds, may want to make the transition to become certified special education teachers. Primary reasons include enjoyment of working with children and youth, monetary benefits, and career status.
Unfortunately, paraeducators face a variety of barriers in obtaining teacher certification, including a lack of specific academic credentials required to teach, licensure and student teaching rules, difficulty getting reliable information, low pay (students regularly work multiple jobs), and high tuition costs (Connally et al., 2017). The University of Idaho recently received federal funding (OSEP 325k) to develop Idaho’s Model Paraeducators Advancing to Certified Teacher (IMPACT). More information about the program can be found here, or by contacting Andrew Scheef.
Billingsley, B., & Bettini, E. (2019). Special education teacher attrition and retention: A review of the literature. Review of Educational Research, 89(5), 697-744.
Bisht, B., LeClair, Z., Loeb, S., & Sun, M. (2021). Paraeducators: Growth, Diversity and a Dearth of Professional Supports. EdWorkingPaper No. 21-490. Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University.
Connally, K., Garcia, A., Cook, S., & Williams, C. P. (2017). Teacher talent untapped: Multilingual paraprofessionals speak about the barriers to entering the profession. New America. https://na-production.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/Teacher-Talent-Untapped.pdf
Morrison, J., & Lightner, L. (2017). Putting paraeducators on the path to teacher certification. Phi Delta Kappan, 98(8), 43-47.
National Center for Education Statistics. (2021). Digest of education statistics. https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d21/tables/dt21_213.10.asp
Many high school students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) learn in inclusive classrooms alongside their peers. However, when high school finishes and many peers transition to college or university, students with IDD may not have opportunities to follow this same path to higher education. Like their peers, students with IDD may need additional schooling to help achieve employment goals.
To address this inequity, many colleges and universities across the United States have developed inclusive postsecondary education programs to serve students with IDD. These are typically not degree-granting offerings, but provide students opportunities to develop employment and community skills while learning alongside their peers in college or university courses. Although the programming may look somewhat different, they are at college to pave a pathway to employment (much like their peers).
Those interested in learning more about inclusive post-secondary education should explore resources at Think College. They serve as the national coordinating center for inclusive postsecondary education programs and have resources for students, families, teachers, and those interested in promoting the idea that students with IDD can attend college.
Vandal QUEST (Quality University Experiences to Support Transition) is an inclusive postsecondary program at the University of Idaho. Students in QUEST enroll in university courses, participate in campus activities, develop individualized skills, and engage in a variety of work experiences. Another key component involves our partnership with Peer Mentors, who are traditionally-enrolled students at the University of Idaho. Our teacher education students have opportunities to engage with our Vandal QUEST students; it is an experience that benefits everyone.
To learn more about inclusive postsecondary education, watch these videos:
Think College: https://youtu.be/SV84JbNTKyI?si=2a2qooKNa7vR0aCd
Vandal QUEST: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPE5CoTFeS0