What is the qualification of a special educator?

Question

Zippia Team · Accepted Answer

Special educators require minimum qualifications of a bachelor's degree from an accredited program and a state-issued license. These qualifications ensure that the educator has completed all necessary training to engage with students who have special needs.

Some employment qualifications may not require a bachelor's degree directly related to the educational field, but those educators are required to complete some sort of certification before attempting their licensure. Licensure is always required and needs to be maintained as per state regulations.

Special educators also need to complete CEUs, or continuing education credits, to maintain their licensure. In some states, if a special educator is working towards transferring their licensure from another state, or a different bureaucratic need arises, they can be provided either a temporary or provisional license. These tend to expire within a year and cannot be renewed.

However, most special educators complete their permanent licensure for their specific state and district within 13 to 18 months.