Special Education PreK-12th Grade
- This pathway is best for career changers.
- There are two primary areas of focus within special education: Mild/Moderate and Severe/Profound
Option 1: Career Development Program for Paraprofessionals
This path is for paraprofessionals (teaching assistants) anyone who has a bachelor’s degree with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 and wants to pursue a career in education as a teacher.
Work in a classroom at an accredited school in the area being pursued in mild/moderate or severe/profound for one year. Your district will complete the D1 form to verify your experience.
You must pass the Oklahoma Subject Area Test (OSAT) in the area(s) you have been approved for and the Praxis Performance Assessment for Teachers (PPAT). Find more information about testing Praxis Website and CEOE Website.
Before you can apply for certification, a background check and fingerprinting must be completed. The cost is $58.25. Visit the background check/fingerprinting page for more information.
To complete the application, log in to OECS via Single Sign-On (SSO) and utilize the Educator Application Wizard. Be sure to submit your official transcripts from your university, the completed D1 form, and the $30 application fee.
When you receive your provisional certificate through the Career Development Program for Paraprofessionals, you will have three years to complete additional university credit hours specific to special education and take the PPAT (Praxis Performance Area Test).
Once you have completed all of the above, you will apply for standard certification. To complete the application, log in to OECS via Single Sign-On (SSO) and utilize the Educator Application Wizard. Be sure to submit your official transcripts from your university, College Verification Form C1, and the completed District Verification D1 form. The application fee is $50.
Option 2: Non-Traditional Special Education Program (Boot Camp)
This pathway offers an opportunity for individuals with non-teaching degrees to obtain certification to teach in accredited Oklahoma public schools. To be eligible, applicants must have one of the following:
- Terminal degree(MLS, MFA, DEd, etc) Terminal Degree in any field from an institution accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. OR
- Baccalaureate degree with a retention GPA of 2.75 or higher from an institution whose accreditation is recognized by the Oklahoma Regents for Higher Education (OSRHE).
You will need to attend a Special Education Boot Camp. Boot camps are completed through Universities, below is a list of boot camp providers:
Create a Single Sign-On (SSO) account to start your teacher certification process.
To receive your teaching certificate, you must complete a background check and fingerprinting. The cost is $58.25. Visit the background check/fingerprinting page for more information.
To complete the application, log in to OECS via Single Sign-On (SSO) and utilize the Educator Application Wizard. Be sure to submit your official transcripts from your university, verification of Boot Camp completion from your university, and the $50 application fee.
When you receive your provisional certificate through the Non-traditional SPED Program, OSDE issues 1-year provisional certificate that renews twice.
Six college credit hours in SPED each year to renew. At the end of three years, you have to have eighteen hours in SPED or your masters in SPED.
- You will repeat step 4 each year to renew your provisional certificate. No application fee for years two and three.
Once you have completed all of the above, you will apply for standard certification. To complete the application, log in to OECS via Single Sign-On (SSO) and utilize the Educator Application Wizard. Be sure to submit your official transcripts from your university and College Verification Form C3 The application fee is $50.
