Twenty-first-century schools are diverse and inclusive communities. Students with special needs receive support for their educational and career goals just like their peers. As a special education teacher, your students will present a range of support needs and you will work with their other teachers, counselors, and families to create their Individualized Education Plans. Special education teachers develop unique insights into their students' needs, supporting their growth and learning through creative practices. This means that special education teachers often have the most diverse teaching jobs.
Our special education licensure program will teach you the fundamentals of a comprehensive special education program, how to implement that in your classroom, and provide you with the practice to develop and hone your skills through field experiences. As a special education teacher, you will understand the importance of responsive and effective teaching; creating and sustaining meaningful community partnerships; and developing and disseminating research to advance educational theory, practices, and implementation. You will use these skills and knowledge to stand up for all students, meet their challenges with real progress, and provide equity in education.
Program benefits
- Learn in an experiential learning environment through discussion, practice, and clinical field experiences
- Learn to advocate for the importance of equity and inclusion for all students
- Benefit from your peers’ knowledge and experience in our unique cohort model
- Experience incredible value: Learn from seasoned teachers who have scholarly expertise and advanced degrees—and do so in convenient locations and at an accessible price
- Benefit from partnerships with local school districts and community agencies; these collaborations support preservice teacher candidates and recent graduates
Program specifics
- Two-year program of study (64 credits) leads to a Preliminary Teaching License. You can choose to complete master's degree requirements at the same time or after program completion to earn a master's degree in special education.
- Gain valuable hands-on experience through three collaborative field experiences and full-time student teaching
- Culminate your studies with a student teaching experience in which you will assume the wide range of roles and responsibilities of the special education teacher
- Focus on six areas: scaffolding instruction, collaboration and teaming, individualization, data-based decision-making, inclusion and diversity, and leadership and advocacy
PSU’s Special Educator License program is part of the largest Department of Special Education in Oregon. The Special Educator License program is accredited through the state’s Teacher and Standards Practices Commission. Our program welcomes collaboration and values community-based partnerships to support children, youth, families, school districts, and agencies throughout the state. Our committed faculty and their strong partnerships with community agencies help you explore a wide range of expertise in special education. This includes instructional methods, autism, positive behavior supports, inclusion, assessment, early intervention/early childhood, transition to adulthood, and visual impairments. PSU is also the public research university for the Portland metro area. The faculty in the Special Educator License program are intensely involved in improving special education services and instruction in Oregon and the nation through developing research-based curricula and teaching methods, setting up model classrooms and programs, and building collaborative relationships within schools and between schools and the community that improve education for students with and without disabilities.
After graduating from Portland State University’s College of Education, Kamala Arumugam was hired to be the Learning Specialist and Individualized Education Program (IEP) case manager at William Walker Elementary and Barnes Elementary Schools in Beaverton. “I came to PSU because of the multicultural values of inclusion and diversity at the College of Education. The faculty consists of culturally and linguistically diverse members, making PSU a more equitable place for all. That was extremely important to me coming from another culture,” she says. Read Kamala's story >> |
“Special Education is a highly satisfying career that makes a positive impact on the lives of children with learning disabilities.”
~Alumna Kamala Arumugam, 2019 Special Education alumna
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Special Educator License graduates are well-prepared to work with a wide range of students in a variety of instructional settings. Potential roles include: self-contained special education classroom teacher, learning specialist/resource room classroom teacher, inclusive/co-teaching roles, and transition specialists.
Accreditation
The Special Educator License is accredited by the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP).