This certificate is designed for licensed teachers who want to develop the skills to work effectively and successfully with preschool-aged children with disabilities in a variety of settings. Students in this certificate program complete the requirements for the Ohio Endorsement in Prekindergarten Special Needs and are qualified to teach in a school district-sponsored preschool special needs classroom or serve as itinerant preschool teachers serving young children with disabilities.

The certificate is a 15 semester-hour program. All coursework is completed online and includes a minimum of 50 hours of field-based experience.  

Admission to the Certificate in Prekindergarten Special Needs

In addition to admission requirements of the College of Graduate Studies, admission to the master's program requires the following:

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited four-year institution
• A current Ohio educator license in K-12 Intervention Specialist (mild/moderate or moderate/intensive) or in Early Childhood Education (PK-3)

The certificate program has selective admissions and may admit a limited number of students. Thus, meeting all formal criteria does not guarantee admission.

What to Submit with Your Application

• Official transcripts from all institutions of higher education
• Copy of current teaching license(s)
• Resume or curriculum vitae

Requirements for the Certificate in Prekindergarten Special Needs

For the Certificate, students must complete the following program requirements: 

• A minimum of 15 semester hours of approved graduate coursework

Courses may be included as part of a master's degree program as approved by the student's faculty advisor. 

All coursework and requirements of the certificate must be taken within a four-year period immediately preceding the date the degree is awarded.

Certificate Coursework

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
SPED 5010	Atypical Development In Early Childhood: Implications For Development	3
SPED 5270	Team Models And Community Networking In Early Intervention	3
SPED 5280	Management Of The Learning Environment In Early Childhood Special Education	3
SPED 6070	Curriculum Models And Intervention Strategies In Early Childhood Special Education	3
CIEC 6750	Developmental And Classroom Assessment	3

Additional requirements

Prior to Apply for Ohio Teaching Endorsement

• Acceptable scores on the Ohio Assessment for Educators (OAE) Content Assessment(s) for the endorsement

GUIDE FOR DEVELOPING A PLAN OF STUDY

Below is a guide for developing a Plan of Study for the Certificate. Students should review their degree audit and work with their faculty advisor to identify specific courses to fulfill program requirements.

Plan of Study Grid

First Term		Hours
CIEC 6750	Developmental And Classroom Assessment	3
SPED 5010	Atypical Development In Early Childhood: Implications For Development	3
	Hours	6
Second Term
SPED 5270	Team Models And Community Networking In Early Intervention	3
	Hours	3
Third Term
SPED 6070	Curriculum Models And Intervention Strategies In Early Childhood Special Education	3
	Hours	3
Fourth Term
SPED 5280	Management Of The Learning Environment In Early Childhood Special Education	3
	Hours	3
	Total Hours	15

• 2.6 Candidates design environments to promote active engagement, learning, and participation.
• 3.1 Candidates use developmentally appropriate instructional strategies to meet the individual needs and learning styles of young children.
• 3.2 Candidates utilize a variety of resources to design, implement, and evaluate meaningful curricula that address learning goals.
• 3.3 Candidates know and use multiple and varied strategies to help special needs young children learn content-specific knowledge in the general curriculum.
• 4.1 Candidates use data to individualize and adapt practices to meet each child's changing needs.
• 4.2 Candidates use appropriate formal and informal assessment tools and approaches.
• 4.3 Candidates partner with families and other professionals in the assessment process.
• 4.5 Candidates know and uphold federal and state laws, policies, and procedural requirements.
• 5.1 Candidates interact, communicate and work collaboratively with other professionals to plan instruction and construct appropriate learning goals for the special needs child.
• 5.2 Candidates collaborate with families to help establish connections with community resources.
• 5.3 Candidates support and empower families to participate in the early childhood special education process, including the development and implementation of the Individual Education Program (IEP).
• 6.1 Candidates know professional codes of ethics, and uphold ethical practices in their teaching.
• 6.2 Candidates reflect on their practices, articulate a philosophy and rationale for decisions, and self-assess and evaluate themselves as a basis for professional development.
• 6.3 Candidates seek opportunities to positively impact policies, practices, and procedures that support young children with special needs and their families.
• 6.4 Candidates support the evaluation process to secure and evaluate services by participating as an Evaluation Team member.
• 6.5 Candidates assume a leadership role in connecting children and families to community resources and services.