Code of Maine Rules › 05 - DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION › 071 - EDUCATION - GENERAL › Chapter 115 - THE CREDENTIALING OF EDUCATION PERSONNEL › Part II - Requirements for Specific Certificates and Endorsements › Section 071-115-II-2 - TEACHERS AND EDUCATIONAL SPECIALISTS: SPECIAL EDUCATION CERTIFICATES AND ENDORSEMENTS

Current through 2024-29, July 17, 2024
2.1
Endorsement 282: Teacher of Children with Disabilities
A.
Function
: This endorsement on
				  a teacher certificate allows the holder to teach children with disabilities and
				  to consult with teachers, children, and parents/guardians. The endorsement
				  specifies the applicable grade levels: birth to school age 5, kindergarten
				  through grade 8, or grades 7 through 12.
B.
Eligibility
: Applicants shall
				  meet eligibility requirements specified in Part I. In addition, eligibility for
				  this endorsement shall be established by one of two pathways. Individuals who
				  are not eligible through either pathway may be eligible for a conditional
				  certificate, in accordance with 2.1.B.3 and 2.1.B.4, below, and Part I Section
				  6.6 of this rule.
1.
Endorsement
				  Eligibility Pathway 1
(a) Graduated
				  from a Maine program approved for teachers of children with disabilities birth
				  to school age 5, kindergarten through grade 8, or grades 7 through 12, together
				  with a formal recommendation from the preparing institution;
(b) Earned at least a bachelor's degree from
				  an accredited college or university, in accordance with Part I Section 6.1 of
				  this rule; and
(c) Completed an
				  approved course for teaching students with exceptionalities in the regular
				  classroom.
2.
Endorsement Eligibility Pathway 2
(a) Earned at least a bachelor's degree from
				  an accredited college or university, in accordance with Part I Section 6.1 of
				  this rule;
(b) Completed a minimum
				  of 24 semester hours in special education with three courses (at least three
				  semester hours each) in the following areas: evaluation and assessment,
				  specially designed instruction (SDI), and reading instruction, including
				  phonemic awareness and phonics using evidence-based practices.
Additionally, at least one course (at least three semester
					 hours) must address one of the following areas: Universal Design for Learning
					 (UDL), inclusion and least restrictive environment (LRE), types of
					 disabilities, program planning, behavior intervention and supports, special
					 education law and implementation.
The remaining semester hours must come from the above list
					 or other special education courses.
(c) For the birth to school age 5 grade
				  level, completed a minimum of three semester hours for teaching early childhood
				  special education;
(d) Completed a
				  minimum of three semester hours in diversity-centered content related to
				  today's classroom (e.g., culturally responsive teaching, multicultural
				  education, intercultural education, second language acquisition or world
				  language teaching methods);
(e)
				  Completed a minimum of three semester hours in human development, educational
				  psychology, developmental psychology, adolescent psychology, or child
				  development;
(f) Passed basic
				  skills test in reading, writing, and mathematics, in accordance with Maine
				  Department of Education Regulation 13, or
achieved at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA in all courses
					 required for the certification, or
completed a successful portfolio review demonstrating
					 competency in Maine's Initial Teacher Standards; and
(g) Completed one academic semester or a
				  minimum of 15 weeks of full-time student teaching, or a combination of
				  part-time and full-time student teaching in an amount equivalent to 15 weeks in
				  this endorsement area at the specified grade level: birth to school age 5,
				  kindergarten through grade 8, or grades 7 through 12. This requirement shall be
				  waived upon completion of one full year of successful teaching under a
				  conditional certificate in this endorsement area at the specified grade level.
NOTE: Section 2.1. B.2.f, above, does not apply to this
					 endorsement for birth to age 5.
3.
Conditional Certificate for this
				  Endorsement
(a) Earned at least a
				  bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, in accordance with
				  Part I Section 6.1 of this rule;
(b) Completed a minimum of nine semester
				  hours in special education; and
(c)
				  In the first year of employment, be enrolled in a Maine approved program for
				  mentoring teachers under a Conditional Certificate for a special education
				  endorsement.
4.
Conditional Certificate for Endorsement: Educational Technician III to
				  Teacher of Children with Disabilities
(a) Earned at least a bachelor's degree from
				  an accredited college or university, in accordance with Part I Section 6.1 of
				  this rule;
(b) Completed a minimum
				  of three years of experience as an Educational Technician III with positive
				  evaluations from administrator(s);
(c) Employed as a special education classroom
				  teacher and received positive evaluations annually from a school
				  administrator;
(d) Accepted into a
				  post-baccalaureate or graduate program in special education at an accredited
				  university program;
(e) Maintained
				  good standing in the program (e.g., grades, cumulative GPA, successful academic
				  progress); and
(f) In the first
				  year of employment, be enrolled in a Maine approved program for mentoring
				  teachers under a Conditional Certificate for a special education
				  endorsement.