Special Education Career Guide and Counseling

Question: What is a Special Education Generalist in the State of Colorado? I am a California Teacher and just received my credential for a move I am planning in CO, which came back as a CO Special Education Generalist. I am assuming that this would allow me to teach a broad spectrum of students with special needs. Any CO teachers out there that can fill me in on this?

Answer: The sites below are for out of state teachers with questions about becoming certified in Colorado.I have been a special ed teacher in Colorado for more than 30 years. Colorado has changed its classification program more than once. In general, the specialist allows you more latitude in whom you can teach. It used to be that we had one endorsement for learning disabled, another for students with limited intelligence, another for emotionally disturbed , another for students with visual or hearing impairments, etc. Now, I could have any or all of these kids on my caseload. Various school districts may have more stringent requirements. Choose an area in Colorado and check out the local school districts. Hope this helps. By the way, I am retiring next year , so there will be at least one special ed opening , lol.

Question: How to prevent a child from being enrolled in special education? A child in the state of Missouri was diagnosed with epilepsy several months ago, due to false information provided by one of the parents. A second opinion and new tests revealed no seizure activity. However, the parent who provided the false information is now pursuing special education for this child, who won't qualify without a diagnosis. Unfortunately, the educators didn't know about the second set of tests, and are ready to pursue the special education route. They will not delay the deadline for a decision, stating "the plan is already in place." They also state that only one parent needs to sign the consent to enroll the child, which the parent providing false information is ready to do. What, if anything, can be done to prevent this child from being enrolled in special education? If nothing, is there any recourse?

Answer: I get the feeling you are a relative or the other parent, so if this is a personal case, I understand why you are concerned. Unfortunately, I am not sure about legal recourse or what legal options you may have, it is an unusual situation. I am sure it probably depends on your relation to the child and may be influenced by state laws. However, learning a bit more about special education law will probably help you out. Look for information online about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504. One thing that may make you feel better is to understand that under IDEA/Section 504, a child with epilepsy must be provided with provisions to help him or her succeed in school, in the "least restrictive environment." Even for most children that actually have epilepsy, this will usually not consist of a self contained classroom, but may include some extra help or attention. Obviously if this child has been functioning fine in normal classrooms up to this point, the school will not pull him/her out of regular classes just because of this false diagnosis. My guess would be that most schools would just include extra support in case he or she needs it. Thus, just because a child is "in special education" or has an IEP, it does not mean that the child will be isolated or pulled from regular classes. The only time that any child is not mainstreamed is when he or she cannot learn in a regular classroom. Thus, if this child truly has no disability, it would be unlikely (and against IDEA, as well as unethical) for the school to place the child in a separate classroom, even with a false diagnosis. So, if this is your fear, it seems very unlikely. Either way, if you are the other parent or have some rights to this child, it may be beneficial to try and attend the IEP meeting so you can have some input and better understand what the plan is. To learn what provisions are made for children diagnosed with epilepsy: http://www.epilepsy.com/info/family_kids_education

Question: How much does a special education preschool teacher earn in California? I'm deciding whether to teach Special Education in the Elementary grades, or to go into Early Childhood Special Education; Does anyone know if both types of teaching pay the same salary? How much does a preschool special ed teacher make in California?

Answer: Not much in pre-school. But move up to kindergarden and it increases.

Question: What is the best university for special education? And what degrees do you need to get in order to make the most money when you actually teach.. because I heard that special education teachers don't make much. What is the max. amount of money a special education teacher makes yearly? What about school in Washington, like in Seattle?

Answer: some teachers can make over $110,000 a year it depends on what state you live in and what school you work at and how devoted you are.

Question: What college is good to get a Special Education degree in? I am looking at colleges and I want to major in special education. I wanted to know what are good colleges to go to for special education.

Answer: try to check on this site it's help you a lot of information http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=good%20college%20to%20get%20special%20education%20degree

Question: What happens if the majority is special education students in the mainstream school? Would that be bad? Does that mean that there would be a lot of self-contained classrooms? Don't give me an answer that says "it will never happen". It could happen and when it does what happens? Does that mean that the majority don't have to take state exams? Special education students' standards are lower than general education students. Therefore No Child Left Behind Act would be completely useless. They have it on record at my high school of how many special education students they have in their school. Is it bad if it is a high number and why?

Answer: I guess 'anything is possible' as they say, but I highly doubt that ANY public school would EVER have MOSTLY special ed kids. Schools all over the country fight parents to no end to keep the children OUT of special ed. Schools take parents to court to keep from helping their child thru special ed, using the parents own tax dollars. They sometimes go thru every court , up to the highest one. Schools pay thousands and thousands of dollars to hire lawyers to fight the parents to keep their children out of special ed, when they could have used just a fraction of that money to just go ahead and help the child. Sure is funny how the educational field has the 'dumbest' people I've ever seen. No matter if the school has mostly sped kids or not, they still have to follow the federal special ed law IDEA and have every special ed child in the reg ed classroom with the other reg kids to determine if the sped child can progress in that setting. If the sped kid does not progress, THEN they are placed in the self contained classrooms, other schools, etc. Anywhere that would help them to progress. Some schools put the sped children in the self contained classrooms from the start and not even give the child a chance to see if they will progress in the regular ed class. This is illegal. From the common sense side of it (which is the opposite of the 'law' side of it LOL) ,, the child should be FIRST placed where they will progress no matter where that is, instead of automatically being in the reg ed classroom, especially when the parents and the school KNOWS the child will NOT progress in the reg ed classroom. I don't know for certain if sped kids do not have to take the NCLB state testing. I have heard yes and no. But I have never read the exact law stating this. I have read on front page of yahoo news that in GA the schools are not counting the sped kids scores so their scores will be higher so they can get more money, and the state dept of education is allowing this to happen with no repercussions. The whole NCLB crap has shattered education as a whole and I wish they would get rid of it.

Question: Where to find a good special education program for Autistic child? How do I figure out where to find a public school with a good special education program? A friend of mine has a son with Autism and needs to move to be closer to work.

Answer: I think your friend needs to contact all the public schools near the area in which she or he will need to move to be closer to work.Perhaps asking the employer for the "local" opinion as well as contacting a real estate agent would add to the information. Each school system should have a parent resource center to contact which would provide the name of the special ed director and autism program supervisor. Your friend might arrange to meet with both of the those persons to seek information and ask to observe classes. Good Luck!

Question: What are the statistics of special education students? I am a teacher of students with emotional disabilities, I am also enrolled in classes since I am on an emergency license. I am doing a project where I need the statistics of special education showing the races of students. So, I need to know the breakdown of each race in special education. I know that information is out there (it just has to be) but I cannot find it. Any help would be very much appreciated!! Thanks!!

Answer: http://www.ecs.org/html/offsite.asp?document=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eedexcellence%2Enet%2Flibrary%2Fspecial%5Fed%2Fspecial%5Fed%5Fch5%2Epdf The key words to search are: "overidentification," "African American," and also "Emotionally Disturbed" or "Special Education." Your professor probably wants you to address the disproportionate numbers of African American males identified as "Emotionally Disturbed," as well as in other Special Education programs. Looking at the statistics, it appears to be a case racism or a lack of understanding of non-Eurocentric cultures. School values students who sit, raise their hands to speak, etc., which is thought to be Eurocentric and not sympathetic to the diverse cultural backgrounds of at-risk student populations.

Question: How can I become a special education teacher in autism area? How can I get my teaching license in special education ( autism area)? Hi. I have a bachelores degree and want to work as a special education teacher in Autism ,anybody knows what the process is to get my teaching license in the state of Virginia? thanks for your help.

Answer: Basically you two ways of earning an alternative license in special education. One is to enter a program a full-time program that has your license completely finished in 15-18 months. Or, you can take the necessary courses and take a test or two, then be hired as a teacher while completing your coursework at night. http://www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/newvdoe/colleges.htm http://www.teachvirginia.org/ (Since you have a BA or BS, look for alternative routes for teaching. One thing to note is there is no specific license for students with autism...at least not in VA (each state is different). You need to decide on your type of student. Do you want to work with students who are dually diagnosed with mental retardation? If so, you want the Special Education License for mental retardation. These teachers often have their own classroom. If you want to work with students in the general education classroom, you want the Special Education license for the general curriculum. This would involve working with students with learning disabilities, etc.

Question: How do I become eligible to teach Special Education classes in New Jersey? I am 23 years old and currently have a BA in psychology and certificate for early childhood education. I am interested in becoming a special education teacher and was curious as to what the best way to go about this would be. I know I need more schooling but is it another degree or certificate? Would any classes I have taken count towards this? Could I complete this in a year? I live in New Jersey and realize it changes from state to state but any information or suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks!

Answer: Yes, the 2nd degree will be shorter. I'm not sure about a year, maybe 2. Why don't you proceed to Masters & PhD ? I don't think you'll need a degree in Education to teach, once completed.

Question: Can parents deny special education for their child? A child has ADD. Teachers want to put the kid in special education classes, but the parents say no. The parents feel that the kid don't need special education and the kid is very smart but just needs extra time to learn schoolwork and things. The parents say they will never allow the teachers to put the child in special education. They believe that if their child goes to special education, the child will be a retarted person one day. Do parents have that right?

Answer: Parent's do have the right to deny special services. However, it does not sound like they want to deny special services, they are defending their childs right to least restrictive environment. They are denying placement. Most children with ADD do not need full time sped classes, but rather benefit from being in regular ed classes a majority of the time, with either pull out for tutoring, or modified work amounts. He'll probably also need supports in the classroom to help with fidgiting and other manifestations of his disability. In an IEP meeting, the parents are equal members of the team (under federal law) and therefore their concerns MUST BE CONSIDERED in the IEP, in writing. For every concern that the school dismisses, they legally must provide prior written notice, informing the parents as to why the school has decided this is not appropriate in terms of the child's education (NOT IN TERMS OF what the school usually does, or can afford, what have you)

Question: What schools in the Atlanta area that benefit children in special education? I'm moving to Atlanta, Georgia soon. I have a son that is in special ed because of his learning disability. He has a short attention span. Before I move to Atlanta, I want to find an excellent school that would give him the one on one attention that he needs. Most importantly, I don't want him to be put in a basement with other special education children being isolated from the other school children. What EXCELLENT schools in the Atlanta area that benefit children in special education?

Answer: Are you looking for a public school system or a private school. I used to live in the Atlanta area. I worked for Marietta City Schools. If you are looking for public school, their district has the most technology, facilities, and up to date materials for students. Several other public districts are good as well. Good luck with your move!

Question: Why do people want to get their kids into special education? I was just wondering why do people want to get their kids into special education. In general, the outcomes for special education are not that great. Also, when a student gets into special education, they rarely get out. Later in life this can cause issues also. You cannot even go to the military or a community college without a general education diploma in many places. There are cases where a student definitely needs some type of individualized instruction, but there is a long term cost involved.

Answer: Carina-i wish I coudl email you Colleges do not recognize IEPS-that is ineffective once teh high school diloma is received- Colleges are required to make accommodations--but not as many as an IEP--it is done under section 504 of teh rehab act for instance-some colleges will not allow course substitutions--An IEP may allow a student to graduate after only passing pre algebra--but if algebra or other advanced math is required to graduate form colleg-they do not necessarily have to allow a substitute math course--tehy way make a case that it will fundamentally alter teh college program some colleges will--i knew someone withOUT a LD--he was exempt from teh foreign language requirement-even though he passed it inhigh school--adn teh college course was at the same level-Spanish 1 and 2... colleges to regualrly give accommodations--extra time, technology support, etc..--they will do this even if there was not an IEP-but the student is found to have LD in college

Question: What is the role of the special education teacher in the inclusion class? I am wondering what is the role and responsibilities of the special education teacher in an inclusion class?

Answer: Ideally, the special education teacher shares joint responsibility for all students. In record keeping, the special education teacher retains primary responsibility for the sp. ed. students- reporting their grades, and ensuring that all testing accommodations are provided, and making sure that IEP goals are met. However, during actual classroom instruction the sp.ed. and general ed. teacher share responsibility for all students. (in a perfect world- if one teacher is resistant to the arrangement, this can prove difficult). However, there are 6 basic models for inclusion: For one-teach-one-assist, one teacher is giving instruction while the other is drifting around to help (most common, but least helpful). Or, the 2 teachers can teach in stations, each one teaching a short lesson on a related topic before students switch locations. They can team teach, jumping in on each other to clarify a topic (only attempt when both teachers are comfortable). They can teach the same lesson in two small groups- good when using manipulatives. They can also have one teacher (NOT necessarily the sp. ed. teacher) pull a small group of students for alternate instruction - sometimes a lower group for reinforcement, sometimes a higher group for enrichment. Switching it up between all these strategies makes the instruction a thousand times better for the kids- but only if the teachers trust each other and work well together.

Question: What is the best way to combine puppetry with special education? I am a credentialed special education teacher. I am also an experienced puppeteer and puppet builder. How have some of you combined special education with puppetry?

Answer: this is quite ironic. Last week I was toying with the idea of incorporating puppets with some special needs kids, as I am a Teachers Aide Special. There is some great stuff on the net and some good themes. I would explore that fact that any storytelling could be told through your puppet. Any way check it out and let me know how you went. Good luck. Pip

Question: What are the different areas of Special Education? I am currently in college and I will eventually become a Special Education teacher. I have been blessed with the opportunity to work with autistic children, but I have never had the opportunity to work in the other areas. Can you give me a list of the different areas of Special Education and maybe a description? Thanks in advance!!

Answer: look up special education categories here is one list http://www.isbe.state.il.us/spec-ed/html/categories.htm The Special Education Categories site includes information, research, resources, and best practices on the following program areas: Deaf-Blindness, Deafness, Emotional Disturbance, Hearing Impairment, Mental Retardation, Multiple Disabilities, Orthopedic Impairment, Other Health Impairment, Specific Learning Disability, Speech/Language Impairment, Speech/Language Pathology Services, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Visual Impairment. (External Resources are also available.) Autism is a developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction, generally evident before age three, that adversely affects a child's educational performance. (A child who manifests the characteristics of autism after age 3 could be diagnosed as having autism if the other criteria of this Section are satisfied.) Other characteristics often associated with autism are engagement in repetitive activities and stereotyped movements, resistance to environmental change or change in daily routines, and unusual responses to sensory experiences. The term does not apply if a child's educational performance is adversely affected primarily because the child has an emotional disturbance. Cognitive Disabilitymeans significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning, existing concurrently with deficits in adaptive behavior and manifested during the developmental period, that adversely affects a child's educational performance. Deaf-Blindness means concomitant hearing and visual impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication and other developmental and educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for children with deafness or children with blindness. Deafness means a hearing impairment that is so severe that the child is impaired in processing linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification, that adversely affects a child's educational performance. Emotional Disability(includes schizophrenia but does not apply to children who are socially maladjusted, unless it is determined that they have an emotional disturbance) means a condition exhibiting one or more of the following characteristics over a long period of time and to a marked degree that adversely affects a child's educational performance: An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory, or health factors; An inability to build or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships with peers and teachers; Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances; A general pervasive mood of anxiety or unhappiness or depression; or A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal or school problems. Hearing Impairmentsmeans an impairment in hearing, whether permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects a child's educational performance but that is not included under the definition of deafness. Multiple Disabilitiesmeans concomitant impairments (such as mental retardation-blindness, mental retardation-orthopedic impairment, etc.), the combination of which causes such severe educational needs that they cannot be accommodated in special education programs solely for one of the impairments. The term does not include deaf-blindness. Orthopedic Impairmentmeans a severe orthopedic impairment that adversely affects a child's educational performance. The term includes impairments caused by congenital anomaly (e.g., clubfoot, absence of some member, etc.), impairments caused by disease (e.g., Poliomyelitis, bone tuberculosis, etc.), and impairments from other causes ( e.g., cerebral palsy, amputations, and fractures or burns that cause contractures). Other Health Impairmentmeans having limited strength, vitality or alertness, including a heightened sensitivity to environmental stimuli, that results in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment that is due to chronic or acute health problems such as asthma, attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, diabetes, epilepsy, a heart condition, hemophilia, lead poisoning, leukemia, nephritis, rheumatic fever, or sickle cell anemia; and adversely affects a child's educational performance. Specific Learning Disabilitiesmeans a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations, including such conditions as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia. The term does not include learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing or motor disabilities, of mental retardation, of