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There is a great need for special education teachers as states all across the country are experiencing shortages. ​Today's special​ ​education​ teachers​ ​must​ ​be​ ​highly-skilled​ ​individuals who​ ​not just understand​ ​the​ ​complexities​ ​of​ ​their​ ​students’​ ​needs,​ but are can modify ​curriculum,​ ​and provide​ ​remedial​ ​instruction.

Drexel​ ​University’s​ School​ ​of​ ​Education​ certification in special education program​ prepares​ ​special​ ​education teachers​ ​for​ ​these​ ​challenges.

​What ​Can ​You ​Do ​with ​a ​Special ​Education (SPED) ​Certification?

Drexel’s​ online​ Special​ ​Education​ ​(SPED) certification​ ​program​ ​seeks​ ​to​ ​produce professionals​ ​who​ ​are​ ​equipped​ ​with​ ​the​ ​fundamental​ ​skills,​ ​knowledge,​ ​and competencies​ ​they​ ​require​ ​to​ ​meet​ ​the​ ​needs​ ​of​ ​students​ ​at​ ​risk​ ​for​ ​school​ ​failure and​ ​students​ ​with​ ​disabilities​ ​in​ ​multiple​ ​settings.​ ​The​ ​program​ ​is​ ​intended​ ​for​ ​those interested​ ​in​ ​gaining​ ​greater​ ​skills​ ​and​ ​expertise​ ​and​ ​a​ ​teaching​ ​certification​ ​in​ ​the area​ ​of​ ​special​ ​education.

The responsibilities of special education teachers typically include:

• Assess the skills of a student and develop an Individual Lesson Plan (IEP) that meets their educational needs and make updates based on student progress
• Teach students individually, or in small group and whole class settings
• Discuss IEP’s with the student’s parents, teachers, and appropriate school staff
• Mentor and train teaching assistants who work with students with special needs
• Transition students from one grade to the next

How ​to ​Get ​Certified ​in ​Special ​Education

Special Education Certification Eligibility and Admissions Requirements

This​ online​ ​Special​ ​Education​ ​certification​ program​ ​is​ ​for​ actively​ ​certified​ ​teachers seeking​ ​Pennsylvania's​ ​Special​ ​Education​ ​PreK-12​ ​certification.​ ​Candidates must​ ​have​ ​an​ ​active​ ​PA​ ​Instructional​ ​I​ ​or​ ​Instructional​ ​II​ ​teaching​ ​certificate​.

Out-of-state​ ​teachers​ ​are​ ​welcome​ ​to​ ​participate​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Special​ ​Education​ ​Program as​ ​non-PA​ ​certification​ ​students.

To be admitted into the Special Education certification program, students must also have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution.

Required Materials

• Completed graduate school application
• Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher (graduate GPA will be considered along with the undergraduate GPA)
• If you do not meet this requirement, you’re still encouraged to apply and your file will be reviewed on an individual basis by the Program Director
• Official transcripts from all universities or colleges and other post-secondary educational institutions (including trade schools) attended
• Two letters of recommendation—professional or academic
• An essay describing why the applicant is interested in pursuing graduate study in this field

Special ​Education ​Certification ​Program Curriculum

The​ ​Special​ ​Education​ ​Certification​ ​program​ ​is​ ​a​ ​part-time​ online​ program​ ​consisting of​ ​27​ ​graduate​ ​credits.​ ​For​ ​students​ ​that​ ​have​ ​not​ ​completed​ ​the​ ​prerequisite courses,​ ​the​ ​program​ ​will​ ​require​ ​36​ ​credits:​ ​27​ ​credits​ ​in​ ​Core​ ​Special​ ​Education Certification​ ​courses​ ​and​ ​9.0​ ​credits​ ​in​ ​prerequisites​ ​for​ ​certification​ ​in​ ​special education.​ ​The​ ​certification​ ​areas​ ​are​ ​Special​ ​Education​ ​PreK-8​ ​and​ ​Special Education​ ​7-12.

Course​ ​descriptions​ ​may​ ​be​ ​found​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Drexel​ ​University​ ​Catalog.

Most​ ​of​ ​the​ ​coursework​ ​in this program requires​ ​field​ ​hours.​ ​Students​ ​must​ ​have​ ​the​ ​necessary clearances​ ​in​ ​order​ ​to​ ​begin​ ​the​ ​program.

Learning Outcomes and Program Benefits

There are multiple learning outcomes and benefits of enrolling in the Special Education Certification Program offered at Drexel University School of Education. Through the program, students will:

• Gain the skills, knowledge, and competencies necessary to meet the needs of students at risk for academic failure and students with disabilities in multiple settings
• Prepare to teach special education at all grade levels from PreK-12
• Complete all the courses required under state and federal regulations, as well as the PA General Standards for Special Education and the standards outlined by the Council of Exceptional Children (CEC).

How ​Long ​Does ​it ​Take ​To ​Get ​Certified ​in ​Special Education?

The Special Education certification program is a part-time, accelerated program. Students, on average, complete the program in about a year and a half.

DO YOU NEED TO RENEW THE SPECIAL EDUCATION CERTIFICATION?

For certified teachers in Pennsylvania, a special education certification follows the same renewal cycle as the teacher’s original teaching certification. If a teacher converts their Instructional I teaching certification to Instructional II, their special education certification will also be converted.

Teachers in Pennsylvania must complete their Act 48 requirements every 5 years to renew their certification. This includes 6 semester hours of college credit (there is a conversion for quarter hours), or 180 hours of continuing education programming, i.e., professional development.

WHO SHOULD APPLY TO THE SPECIAL EDUCATION CERTIFICATION PROGRAM?

Special Education certification is a great program for teachers who are looking to expand their skills to understand how to teach students with special needs. It also a requirement for teachers who would like to become certified special education teachers. Teachers looking for a rewarding career as a special education teacher would also benefit from this program.

Master​ ​of​ ​Science​ ​in​ ​Special​ ​Education

Credits​ ​earned​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Special​ ​Education​ ​Certification​ ​program​ ​may​ ​be​ ​applied​ ​to​ ​the Master​ ​of​ ​Science​ ​in​ ​Special​ ​Education​ ​graduate​ ​program​.​ ​The​ ​MS​ ​program​ ​offers four​ ​concentrations:​ ​Applied Behavior Analysis; Autism​ ​Spectrum​ ​Disorders;​ ​Collaborative​ ​Special​ ​Education Law​ ​&​ ​Process;​ and ​Dyslexia Specialist (Wilson® Level 1 certification).​ ​Students​ ​may​ ​also​ ​work​ ​with​ ​their​ ​academic​ ​advisor​ ​to​ ​develop​ ​a customized​ ​concentration​ ​to​ ​meet​ ​specific​ ​objectives.

How ​to ​Apply ​to ​the ​Special ​Education ​Certification Program

The Special Education certification program is offered 100% online. you can get started by filling out the Drexel Online Application.

Enrollment Certification for Loan Deferment

The National Student Clearinghouse processes deferment forms. If you need an enrollment certification for deferment of a student loan, mail the forms to the Office of Student Services, Lyons Hall, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 or stop by Lyons Hall. Your deferment form will be forwarded to the National Student Clearinghouse. If the enrollment certification does not require an official school seal or signature, you may process the certification through www.bc.edu/myservices.

Enrollment Certifications

Academic Status

Current students can use Student Self-Service in myPurdue for the following enrollment certification services:

• Print the official enrollment verification certificates for health insurers, lenders, insurance companies and other organizations
• Find out when deferment notices were sent to their student lenders
• View their enrollment history
• View the proofs of enrollment sent on their behalf to student service providers
• Obtain a list of their student loan holders

To access enrollment certification services in Student Self-Service, current students should:

• Log onto myPurdue using their User Name and Password
• Click on the Academic tab
• Select Enrollment Certification

SPECIAL NOTE: Current students needing information not included in the above form may e-mail certifications@purdue.edu from their Purdue e-mail with their special request. They must include their PUID and clearly state the information needed on the request.

Mail requests should be sent to Purdue University, Office of the Registrar, Room 45, Hovde Hall of Administration, 610 Purdue Mall, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2040. Requests must include the requestor's PUID or student ID number and signature.

Fax requests should be sent to (765) 494-0570. Requests must include the requestor's PUID or student ID number and signature.

Online requests should be sent using the Certification Request Form.

For further information, call (765) 494-6165 or send an inquiry via e-mail to certifications@purdue.edu.

Apostille (International Certifications)

Apostille is a French word which means a certification. It is commonly used as the legalization of a document for international use under the terms of the 1961 Hague Convention.

The University Registrar currently makes the following general documents available for the apostille process: transcripts, enrollment/degree certification and replacement diplomas. If you require additional services, such as a replacement/duplicate diploma, please note details for your apostille when ordering your transcript. Prior to sending back to the address provided, our office will send certification documents to the Department of State in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Requestors should provide the following:

• Transcript
• Country certification is being processed
• Address to send the completed documents
• A scanned copy of their diploma (a replacement/duplicate would need to be ordered if original is not available)

Please note: Purdue University staff cannot advise requestors on the international apostille process. It is the requestors' responsibility to follow the procedures outlined by the Department of State Office of Authentications.

Given the additional complexity of notarization, please allow 4 to 6 weeks for the completed certification.

Other Requests for Certifications/Verifications

Current students and graduates may request enrollment certifications, degree verifications, certificates of graduation/degree, and course descriptions by visiting the Office of the Registrar, Room 45, or by mail, fax, or online form.

In-person requests may be brought or made at the Office of the Registrar, Room 45, Hovde Hall. Requestors should bring picture IDs with them.

Mail requests should be sent to Purdue University, Office of the Registrar, Room 45, Hovde Hall of Administration, 610 Purdue Mall, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2040. Requests must include the requestor's PUID or student ID number and signature.

Fax requests should be sent to (765) 494-0570. Requests must include the requestor's PUID or student ID number and signature.

Online requests should be sent using the Certification Request Form.

For further information, call (765) 494-6165 or send an inquiry via e-mail to certifications@purdue.edu.

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The certification class will be held at Cone Health MedCenter Greensboro at Drawbridge Parkway. 

If interested and for more information, please call Laura Brown to schedule the swimming test and enroll in the class at 336-890-2985. 

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Generation Hope, an organization focused on supporting parenting students, is launching a new certification to identify and reward colleges, universities and nonprofits actively supporting students with children.

The three-year certification, called the FamilyU Seal, is open to two-year and four-year nonprofit higher ed institutions and organizations that demonstrate a dedication to serving student parents. Applications are due in July, and one standout college or university and one nonprofit organization will also earn cash awards, of $25,000 and $15,000 respectively, with winners to be announced in September.

Nicole Lynn Lewis, founder and CEO of Generation Hope, said her organization is frequently asked whether there’s a directory of colleges successfully supporting students with children. The question sometimes comes from parenting students considering where to apply and enroll, college leaders looking to learn from other institutions’ best practices, and philanthropic organizations and local policy makers interested in funding efforts to support these students.

“What we really hope is that institutions will be easily identifiable by potential students,” she said. “I think every college and university across the country right now is looking at enrollment and looking at ways to recruit more students. And this is a population that has really been off the radar for many higher ed institutions in terms of intentionally recruiting them, intentionally supporting them.”

She also wants to celebrate and reward creative efforts already underway to support these students, she said.

Parents make up more than a fifth of U.S. undergraduates, about 3.8 million students, according to a 2019 report by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research and Ascend at the Aspen Institute, a program focused on social mobility. These students are disproportionately students of color and experience financial insecurity. Median debt among student parents enrolled in 2015–16 was more than two and a half times higher than that of their nonparenting peers, the report found. Students with caregiving responsibilities are also more likely to consider stopping out of college than their peers, according to a 2020 survey from Gallup and the Lumina Foundation.

To earn a FamilyU Seal, colleges and universities will be judged on four criteria: their institutional data on parenting students, their level of parent-friendly policies, how well prepared faculty and staff members are to support these students, and the overall “culture” for parents, including whether campuses have family-friendly areas in their libraries or on-campus childcare centers. The review committee for applications will include parenting students, who served as fellows for the 2021 FamilyU Cohort program, which helps a group of colleges devise and implement plans to better serve students with children.

“You have the experts around the table,” Lewis said.

The effort echoes other certifications in higher ed created to reward colleges and universities based on the supports they provide for certain student groups and their academic outcomes. For example, Excelencia in Education, an organization focused on Latino student success, annually gives out the Seal of Excelencia to institutions that demonstrate academic progress for Latino students through their data and programming. There have also been designations and lists over the years that identify colleges and universities that best serve veterans and active-duty service members.

Carrie Welton, senior director of policy and advocacy on antipoverty and basic needs at the Institute for College Access and Success, said the new seal could signal to parents that they belong on campuses because it’s such a public “recognition of their experience.”

Speaking from firsthand experience, as a former parenting student herself, Welton emphasized that parent-friendly messaging from colleges makes a difference to these learners.

“It was an identity I didn’t readily share,” she said. “It felt like an othering experience. And to be on a campus with institutions that call it out and make efforts, I think, would feel very much more welcoming and also help parenting students feel more comfortable self-identifying and even finding each other.”

David Croom, associate director for postsecondary success for parents at Ascend, said an “element of prestige,” such as an official seal, can also motivate institutions to do better. He noted that many student-parent advocacy groups have considered starting certifications like this one but have been stymied by a lack of institutional data on parenting students.

“Many institutions are not necessarily collecting robust student-parent data, which is something that we believe systematically but unintentionally excludes student parents from important resources," he said. “If colleges are not collecting those data, then they don’t know what student parents need and they’re not seeing how student parents are being not served effectively at those institutions.”

He believes the certification program could push college leaders to ask themselves if they collect the right data to show student parents are enrolling, persisting and graduating.

“I think it’ll actually lead to really compelling conversations in this space about what should be tracked, what’s the key information we need to know about this population in order to prioritize it,” he said.

He added that both state policy makers and campus leaders are showing heightened interest in serving parenting students since the COVID-19 pandemic put a spotlight on the challenges parents face balancing childcare with their work and academic responsibilities.

Croom noted that there has also been an increased focus in higher ed on students of color, adult learners and first-generation students over the last few years. “Student parents are an amalgam of all of those populations,” he said. So, serving them is “so well in tuned with many of its other priorities,” including closing equity gaps.

Lewis said it’s going to be important to “really look at the totality of the application” and assess institutions “holistically” because of the lack of adequate data on parenting students on most campuses.

“We know that there are institutions that don’t have formalized collecting methods for tracking the parenting status of their students, but they might have made incredible strides in making sure all of their faculty and staff are trained in how to support this population,” she said. The certification process can acknowledge those institutions, as well, while encouraging them “to be reflective” about what metrics they’re missing.

Institutions that serve students with children well help not just those individuals but also create a path for generations of learners after them to get an education and pursue careers, Welton said.

“The ability of parenting students to access and persist and complete a postsecondary credential is so critical,” she said. “We know that occupations requiring more education are now predicted to grow even faster than average. And ensuring that we’re removing barriers for parenting students, and reducing the amount of time it takes for parenting students to complete a credential, is critical not only for themselves but for their children and their broader health and well-being and really for the economy.”

Enrollment Certification

Student Veteran Services is here to help you access your VA benefits. The three mostly commonly used VA educational benefits are:

To use your benefits, you must go through the VA certification process. A student's VA certification is completed once he or she has registered for classes. Students must request VA certification each semester through the online form. Students using VR&E or Post-9/11 G Bill should also request a tuition deferral with Student Accounts. Certification is a two-step process that helps to decrease the amount of debt to the institution and the VA:

1. After registering for classes, the student submits certification to start payment of Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) and book stipend.
2. After the drop date has passed, the Student Veteran Services office will report tuition and fees (including any Yellow Ribbon Scholarship)

Students who drop or add courses throughout the semester should contact the coordinator of Student Veteran Services as soon as possible to avoid overpayment.

New Student Certification

Like continuing students, new students should first meet with their academic advisor and then contact the coordinator of Student Veteran Services for the next steps.

Using eBenefits

eBenefits is a joint VA and DoD Web portal that provides self-service resources for student veterans. Through eBenefits, you can also access your up-to-date Enrollment Entitlement to track the time you have left for your GI Bill benefits. All students using Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits are encouraged to set up an account.

Yellow Ribbon Scholarships

Each year, The New School awards Yellow Ribbon Scholarships to all qualifying students. The scholarship is a match-to-match payment provided by The New School and the VA that covers the tuition and fees not covered by the Post-9/11 GI Bill. 

To qualify for Yellow Ribbon, students must:

• Have 100 percent eligibility from the Post-9/11 GI Bill
• Be enrolled in a degree-seeking program
• Have at least one semester of benefits remaining
• Submit an updated Enrollment Entitlement outlining remaining benefits
• Full-time status is preferred

Tuition Assistance

Tuition Assistance (TA) is a benefit paid by the DoD and is usually the first education benefit available to military members. Each service has its own criteria for eligibility, obligated service, application process, and restrictions.

Return of Unearned Military Tuition Assistance

TA is awarded to a student under the assumption that the student will attend school for the entire period for which the assistance is awarded. When a student using military tuition assistance withdraws, they may no longer be eligible for the full amount of TA funds originally awarded. To comply with the U.S. Department of Defense policy, The New School will return any unearned TA funds on a proportional basis through at least 60 percent of the period for which the funds were provided. TA funds will be returned to the service member’s branch of service (the Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, or Air Force). In instances when a service member stops attending because of a military service obligation, The New School will work with them to find solutions to avoid a student debt for the returned portion.

More Options

For additional financial options, visit Student Financial Services or email [email protected].

Pennsylvania Bar Admission Rules 321 and 322 authorize students to appear in Pennsylvania courts as Certified Legal Interns on behalf of government agencies or on behalf of indigent individuals. To become a Certified Legal Intern, students must show “[c]ompletion of legal studies amounting to at least three semesters, or the equivalent…" Pa. Bar. Rule 321(a)(2). This means that students must have completed half of their law school credits required for graduation, which typically will mean 43 credits. 

The Application for Certification for Formal Participation in Legal Matters by Law Students Under Pa. BAR 321 and 322 can be downloaded from: http://www.pabarexam.org/non_bar_exam_admission/321_322_app.htm.

Students seeking certification in Pennsylvania need to read and follow all the instructions on the application form.

On Page 1 of the Application, students need to fill out the Applicant Information and have their supervising attorney fill out the Supervising Attorney Information. Please note that only one supervising attorney should be listed on page 1. If there are additional supervisors, they can be included on a separate sheet.

On Page 2 of the Application (Dean's Certification), students need to complete the top half of the form and bring the application to Associate Dean for Experiential Learning Richard Frankel.

If appropriate, Dean Frankel will then certify that the student has met all the requirements to become a Certified Legal Intern, is in good standing, is of competent legal ability, and has adequate training to perform the duties as an intern. Once the form is completed and signed, it is the student’s responsibility to mail the form to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in accordance with the instructions on the form.