Special Education, Minor

The Special Education minor sequence is designed to prepare students for licensing to teach learners with disabilities and must be taken as an accompaniment to the Elementary Education, BA  major. The minor is comprised of 37 credits from courses designed to meet the Council for Exceptional Children Teaching Standards/K-12 Clinical and Field Experience Standards.

Initial courses are cross categorical, but special education courses transition from cross categorical when the student selects an area of emphasis in EDU 202 . Three areas are available: (A) Emotional/ Behavioral Disabilities, (B) Intellectual Disabilities, or (C) Specific Learning Disabilities.

Policies

The Special Education minor may be declared in the freshman or sophomore year (at the same time the student declares the Elementary Education major). Students may take courses starting the second semester of sophomore year. Courses in the minor are taken in sequence based on prerequisites and passing through Edgewood College Transition STEPS.

Each student in the minor will be required to select a concentration area after taking EDU 202 Exceptional Children and Youth . If the student is not ready to select, the student must have the selection made at the first quarter-point of EDU 410 Indiv. Educ. Assess and Analysis .

Practicum is connected to the Elementary Education, BA  major at specific junctures in the course sequence. Practicum course numbers are identified in the Elementary Education, BA  major. 

Licensing Steps

To attain the Elementary Middle Level Education ESL Licenses and the Special Education Cross Categorical License, students must progress satisfactorily through the curriculum demonstrating proficient coursework. In addition, candidates for the Cross Categorical license should have the following:

• Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 in Communication Skills, General Education, Content Knowledge, Teacher Education
• Cumulative GPA of 3.0 in the major and minor field of study
• Wisconsin Foundations of Reading Test (exam #190), with passing score of 233 or above.
• Edgewood College Initial Teacher Performance Assessment - Proficient passing score

Candidates will progress through a sequence of Cross Categorical Courses based on the current Council for Exceptional Children Educator Standards.