Changes in Special Education Certification

Effective August 31, 2006 all emergency certificates for Teacher of the Handicapped will expire. August 31, 2006 is also the deadline for completing the requirements for the Teacher of the Handicapped if an applicant holds an evaluation under the old regulations. To help ensure continued staffing of special education teachers, the State Board of Education has approved a Licensing code amendment that will ease the requirements for the alternate route certificate in special education. This amendment removes the 6 credit pedagogy requirement for the certificate of eligibility in Teacher of Students with Disabilities. The amendment will take effect on August 21, 2006. As a result, applicants will qualify for the Teacher of Students with Disabilities certificate of eligibility if they have, or are eligible for and receive, an instructional certificate. Upon hiring special education teachers with the alternate route certificate of eligibility, districts must immediately enroll these teachers in the Provisional Teacher Program. Please click here for further details. In doing so, districts must provide documentation to the department of teachers' enrollment in a state-approved special education program. Acceptable documentation includes a letter from the appropriate college dean or registrar. No provisional certificate for alternate route special education teachers will be issued without proof of enrollment in a state-approved program for special education. New Jersey colleges who offer approved special education programs are listed below:

Bloomfield College, Caldwell College, Centenary College, College of Saint Elizabeth, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Felician College - Rutherford Campus, Georgian Court University, Kean University, Monmouth University, Montclair State University, New Jersey City University, Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, Rider University, Rowan University, Rutgers University - Graduate School of Education, Seton Hall University, The College of New Jersey, William Paterson University. Questions or concerns may be directed through county offices of education to Trenton so that the department may coordinate responses to all districts.