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Virginia Teacher Licensure: Special Education-General Curriculum for VDOE Add-on Endorsements

The Virginia Department of Education now includes add-on endorsements for Special Education. The general curriculum course series is designed to help educators who are fully licensed Virginia Teachers develop the critical skills needed to teach students with disabilities successfully and to satisfy the Virginia Department of Education’s add-on endorsement requirements.

USE THE FOLLOWING GUIDE TO SUCCESSFULLY EARN COURSES FOR VDOE Special Education ADD-ONS

  1. Apply for admissions as a Non-Degree Student.
  2. Register for courses, taking the 5-6 classes for the add-on endorsement (6 classes if the student needs the Practicum experience).
  3. After completing courses, the student can request their Regent transcript and work with their employing school division to add the add-on endorsement to their professional license.
Special Education General Curriculum Add-on Endorsements
Special Education General Curriculum Add-on EndorsementsK-66-86-12
ETSP 570 – Instructional Methods for Students with Disabilities (3 credits)
ETSP 571 – Foundations of Human Growth and Development & Legal Aspects for Special Education  (3 credits)
ETSP 573 – Assessing & Teaching Reading and Math across Content for Students with Exceptional Needs (3 credits)
ETSP 574 – K-12 Reading Assessment and Instruction Across Content Areas  (3 credits)
ETSP 576 – Data-Driven Assessment (3 credits)xx
ETSP 579 – Transition Planning and Collaboration  (3 credits)x
ETSP 580A (Optional) – Special Education Practicum: K-6 A university-supervised practicum experience teaching students with exceptional needs accessing the general curriculum in grades K-6. (2 credits)xx
ETSP 580B (Optional) – Special Education Practicum: 6-8  A university-supervised practicum experience teaching students with exceptional needs accessing the general curriculum in grades 6-8. (2 credits)xx
ETSP 580C (Optional) – Special Education Practicum: 6-12  A university-supervised practicum experience teaching students with exceptional needs accessing the general curriculum in grades 6-12. (2 credits)xx
  • Regent offers approved Licensure Programs through the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE).
  • The student can also switch to the M.Ed. Special Education General Curriculum Licensure Program to complete the remaining credits for the Master in Education Degree.
ETSP 571 Foundations of Human Grown and Development & Legal Aspects for Special Education  (3 credits)
ETSP 570 Instructional Methods for Students with Disabilities (3 credits)
ETSP 576 Data Driven Assessment (3 credits)
ETSP 574 K-12 Reading Assessment and Instruction Across Content Areas (3 credits)
ETSP 573 Assessing & Teaching Reading and Math across Content for Students with Exceptional Needs (3 credits)
Optional – ETSP 580A Special Education Practicum: K-6 A university-supervised practicum experience teaching students with exceptional needs accessing the general curriculum in grades K-6. (2 credits)

Statement about the Special education- general curriculum K-6 (add-on endorsement)

The Special education- general curriculum K-6 (add-on endorsement) is a 15-17 semester credit hour endorsement applicable for individuals who have earned a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university and who hold a license issued by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) with an endorsement in elementary education, such as early/primary education preK-3 or elementary education preK-6.

ETSP 571 Foundations of Human Grown and Development & Legal Aspects for Special Education (3 credits)
ETSP 570 Instructional Methods for Students with Disabilities (3 credits)
ETSP 579 Transition Planning and Collaboration  (3 credits)
ETSP 574 K-12 Reading Assessment and Instruction Across Content Areas  (3 credits)
ETSP 573 Assessing & Teaching Reading and Math across Content for Students with Exceptional Needs (3 credits)
Optional – ETSP 580B Special Education Practicum: 6-8  A university-supervised practicum experience teaching students with exceptional needs accessing the general curriculum in grades 6-8. (2 credits)

Statement about the Special education- general curriculum 6-8 (add-on endorsement)

The Special education- general curriculum 6-8 (add-on endorsement) is a 15-17 semester credit hour endorsement applicable for individuals who have earned a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university and who hold a license issued by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) in middle education, such as middle education 6-8 English, middle education 6-8 history and social sciences, middle education 6-8 mathematics, or middle education-sciences.

ETSP 571 Foundations of Human Grown and Development & Legal Aspects for Special Education (3 credits)
ETSP 570 Instructional Methods for Students with Disabilities (3 credits)
ETSP 579 Transition Planning and Collaboration (3 credits)
ETSP 574 K-12 Reading Assessment and Instruction Across Content Areas (3 credits)
ETSP 573 Assessing & Teaching Reading and Math across Content for Students with Exceptional Needs (3 credits)
Optional – ETSP 580C Special Education Practicum: 6-12  A university-supervised practicum experience teaching students with exceptional needs accessing the general curriculum in grades 6-12. (2 credits)

Statement about the Special education- general curriculum 6-12 (add-on endorsement)

The Special education- general curriculum 6-12 (add-on endorsement) is a 15-17 semester credit hour endorsement applicable for individuals who have earned a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university and who hold a license issued by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) with an endorsement in English, history and social sciences, mathematics, biology, chemistry, Earth science, or physics.

The Special education- general curriculum (add-on endorsement) is a 15-17 semester credit hour endorsement applicable for individuals who have earned a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university and who hold a license issued by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) with an endorsement in elementary education, such as early/primary education preK-3 or elementary education preK-6; in middle education, such as middle education 6-8 English, middle education 6-8 history and social sciences, middle education 6-8 mathematics, or middle education-sciences; or with an endorsement in English, history and social sciences, mathematics, biology, chemistry, Earth science, or physics.

In lieu of this course, a student seeking this endorsement can work with their school division licensure specialist and the VDOE to verify one year of successful, full-time teaching experience with students with disabilities accessing the general curriculum in a public or an accredited nonpublic school, and provided the teacher is assigned a mentor holding a valid license with an endorsement in special education.