Special Education Initial Certification & Endorsements

Initial Certification and Endorsements are offered in the Special Education and Gifted Online Programs. Students pursuing certification in other states must check with their State Department of Education for certification requirements.

Initial Certification

PROVISIONAL COMMITMENT TEACHING CERTIFICATE:

Must complete 50% of pre-Student Teaching Professional Sequence and 75% of content requirements to be eligible.

FIELD REQUIREMENTS

K-6 Special Education, 7-12 Special Education, K-12 Special Education:

TE 100 (Teaching in a Democratic Society) - 3 hours; Prerequisite: None - Online Fall
  • Must complete a background check for the required class visits. Go to One Source Background Check to complete the UNK College of Education - Background Check #1. Pay the $27.82 (subject to change) background check fee; payment will be made to the vendor.
  • 4 School Visits - Online students are responsible for their own school selections for the 4 visits.
  • Taskstream will be required. The fee varies depending on how many semesters you purchase. See the following website for more information: https://www.taskstream.com/pub/.


TE 204 (Typical/Atypical Growth and Development) - 4 hours; Prerequisite: Sophomore Standing or above - Online Spring

  • Students will be required to take the PRAXIS CORE exam as part of the class
  • 4 School Visits - Online students are responsible for their own school selections for the 4 visits

Taskstream will be required. The fee varies depending on how many semesters you purchase. See the following website for more information: https://www.taskstream.com/pub/

TE 400 (Student Teaching) - 12-14 hours - Online Spring and Fall

  • Praxis Subject Assessment (test #5354) should be taken and passed by the end of the Student Teaching semester before the teaching certificate can be awarded.
  • Must complete a background check for the required class visits. Go to One Source Background Check to complete the UNK College of Education - Student Teaching Background Check. Pay the $27.82 (subject to change) background check fee; payment will be made to the vendor.
  • Taskstream will be required. The fee varies depending on how many semesters you purchase. See the following website for more information: https://www.taskstream.com/pub/


TESE 864 FIELD EXPERIENCE NOTE: Documented experience working with individuals with disabilities will need to be submitted to your advisor for approval to waive the credit. If credit is not waived, contact your advisor for permission to register. 

K-6 Special Education / K-12 Special Education

TE 311/313 (Math Methods I with Field Experience) - 2.5 hours; Prerequisite: TE 204; Co-requisite: MATH 230 - Online Summer

  • TE 313 (Field Experience: Math) – Students will be placed in two elementary classroom settings (lower & upper elementary) for a total of 20 clock hours. Students will implement math activities and assessment procedures with individual students.


TE 312/313 (Math Methods II with Field Experience) – 2.5 hours; Prerequisite: TE 311/313 and Admission to Teacher Education; Co-requisite: MATH 330 – Online Spring

  • TE 313 (Field Experience: Math) – Students will develop and implement math activities, lesson plans, and assessment procedures with small groups and the entire class in one elementary classroom setting for a total of 30 clock hours.
  • Taskstream will be required. The fee varies depending on how many semesters you purchase. See the following website for more information: https://www.taskstream.com/pub/

TE 314, 315, 316, 317 (Primary Literacy Block) – 7 hours; Prerequisite: TE 318 and Admission to Teacher Education – Online Fall

  • TE 317 (Field Experience: Literacy) – Students will be assigned in a diverse elementary (Kindergarten to Grade 3) classroom setting for 8 full days. Students will develop and implement primary literacy lesson plans and assessment procedures. Students should expect to travel to schools that meet the diversity requirement. Students that are employed in an elementary school, cannot complete this field experience in their place of employment and no family members are allowed in the same building.
  • No Reading Mastery Curriculum can be used for your field experience.
  • Students must take all 4 classes together in the same semester
  • Taskstream will be required. The fee varies depending on how many semesters you purchase. See the following website for more information: https://www.taskstream.com/pub/

Endorsements

AVAILABLE ENDORSEMENTS:

Special Education Generalist K-6, Special Education Generalist 7-12, Special Education Generalist K-12, SPED: Behavior Intervention Specialist B-12, SPED: Functional Academic Skills and Independent Living Specialist B-12, SPED: Inclusion and Collaboration Specialist PK-12.

THE ENDORSEMENT PROCESS:

  • Contact Tracey in the Educator Certification Office
  • Request an official transcript or a copy of an official transcript be sent the Educator Certification Office

    Tracey Roeder
    Educator Certification Office
    University of Nebraska Kearney
    1615 W 24th St, COE 128
    Kearney, NE 68849
    308.865.8264
    eco@unk.edu

  • An initialized plan will be created based off of transcripts
  • The program of study will be send out
  • Complete a graduate application (initial, endorsement, MAE)
  • Email your advisor

PRAXIS SUBJECT ASSESSMENT (formerly Praxis II)

To add the special education endorsement with NDE, students will need to complete Praxis subject Assessment test 5354: Special Education: Core Knowledge and Application