MED in Special Education General Curriculum Presented on behalf of the Department of Inclusive Education November 22, 2013

Purpose Summarize the proposed program changes for the MED in Special Education General Curriculum program. November 22, 20132

Rationale October 10, National: 2013 CEC Federal Outlook for Exceptional Children indicates 7+ million students with disabilities are services under IDEA and a shortage of teachers are available to meet this need. 45,514 of those serving as Special Education teachers do not meet required standards. State: 2013 U.S. Teacher Shortage Area listing identified special education teaching as an official shortage area for 48 states and D.C. Notably, Georgia’s demand for fully credentialed special education teachers exceeds the available supply. Local: Teachers take and pass the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators (GACE) but do not hold specific content and pedagogical knowledge acquired from teacher preparation programs that lead to certification. A Director of Special Education Services from a metro-Atlanta school district reported, “ Given our staffing crisis, it is increasingly challenging to provide quality services to children with disabilities as required by federal mandates.” KSU: INED SPED MEd aims to ameliorate the challenge of chronic teacher shortage, by preparing highly effective Special Education teachers to meet the needs of children with disabilities within an increasingly diverse community.

Guiding Questions? What are the best practices in the field of special education today? What will it take to become a program of excellence? How can we better meet the needs of practicing teachers? October 10, 20134

Essential Tenets Culturally Responsive Practitioner Ethical Practitioner Collaborative and Reflective Practitioner Advocate Evidence Based Decision Maker October 10,

Revision Timeline 6 Admit candidates under new curriculum Summer 2014 Began examining and revising key assessments Curriculum Review Committees INED Curriculum Committee TEC GPCC Fall 2013 Aligned Course Objectives with Guiding Standards EPP Proficiencies Council for Exceptional Children InTASC NCATE/CAEP Georgia PSC Summer 2013 Identified Essential Program Topics Organized Course Content and Sequence Developed / Updated Syllabi and learning objectives Established Program Outcomes Review by Constituents Spring 2013 Evaluation of the Landscape Examined guiding standards Analyzed aspirant programs Consulted with Constituents Fall 2012 Department of Inclusive Education Identified the MED revision as priority after MAT was developed. Fall 2011 October 10, 2013

Considerations Relevancy Changing Requirements Best Practices Delivery Options No major revisions in the past decade Minor changes to meet revised CEC standards when necessary Informed feedback from constituent groups Significant need to clarify expectations, alignments, policies and overall clean-up Clarification of eligible candidates by GaPSC (must have an education degree in a field other than special education) Justification for changes based on previous CEC SPA Review Changes in guiding standards is on the horizon Revisions to existing standards Evidence-based Practices Strategic Instruction Universal Design for Learning Culturally Responsive Pedagogy Reflective Practices Differentiation Fully Online Delivery for Master’s Level Program 7October 10, 2013

8 Standards Alignment

Program Electives Historic Special education teachers required to be highly qualified in a content area. Reading was a content area Reading Endorsement Newly Implemented Require Reading Endorsement unless candidates were already reading endorsed. Course substitutions would be done for exceptions. Current Candidates entering with reading expertise KSU implemented a variety of new endorsements Seek to differentiate based on student interests Build scalability by eliminating substitution exceptions 9October 10, 2013

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