Growing Demand for Special Education Certification
A child-centered, holistic, strength-based and culturally sustaining approach to understanding and teaching children with disabilities.
Special Education certification is in high and ever-growing demand. There has been a steady increase in the number of Special Education teachers employed in schools (both early childhood and elementary) to meet the growing number of ICT (Integrative Co-Teaching) classrooms as well as the many other roles Special Educators fill, serving the growing number of children diagnosed with a wide range of disabilities. To meet this need, Sarah Lawrence’s Art of Teaching program is launching the Early Childhood Special Education Advanced Certificate in the fall of 2024.
Who Should Consider this Certification?
This advanced certificate program is designed for teachers who already have a Bachelors or Masters degree in Education or a related field and hold initial New York State certification in Early Childhood and/or Childhood Education.
About the Credential
This three course, 17-credit program leads (along with the NYS CST exam in Students with Disabilities and the NYS Autism workshop) to a New York State extension certificate in Teaching Students with Disabilities in Early Childhood (birth-2nd grade). This qualifies teachers who already hold initial certification in Early Childhood and/or Childhood General Education to work as the Special Education teacher of record in inclusion and special education classroom settings for children from infancy through second grade.
Coursework
Classes are held in the evening on Sarah Lawrence’s Bronxville campus to accommodate those already holding full-time classroom teaching positions.
The coursework takes a child-centered, holistic, strength-based and culturally sustaining approach to understanding and teaching children with disabilities. Students will learn about young children’s development across the full spectrum of learners and within sociocultural contexts as well as about systems and structures in special education with an orientation towards equity and justice.
The certificate can be completed in two or three semesters.
Typical Course of Study
Fall Semester- Inclusive Emergent Curriculum and Responsive Environments (5 Credits)
- Special Education Field Work (2 Credits)
Spring Semester
- Neurodiversity and Special Education: History, Policy, Practice (5 Credits)
- Clinical Perspectives: Challenges to Child and Adolescent Development (5 Credits)
Tuition and Fees
A nonrefundable application fee of $30 must be submitted; upon completion of the application, online payment will become available.
Payments may also be made by check or money order to Sarah Lawrence College, and submitted via mail.
Students enrolled in the Early Childhood Special Education Advanced Certificate pay the Art of Teaching per credit rate for each of their 17 credits. You can find tuition information here. Note: Tuition rates for fall 2024 will be posted in March 2024.
Learn More
How To Apply
The priority deadline for the Early Childhood Special Education Advanced Certificate is March 1. Subsequent application reviews will take place on April 1, May 1, and June 1
You can find the application to the Early Childhood Special Education Advanced Certificate Program here.