Standards and Licensure

State Certification, Licensure and Credentialing Overview

States and state agencies use a variety of mechanisms to indicate that providers of services to young children and their families are appropriately qualified. These include state certification, licensure, and credentialing.

• In general, state certification is provided by state Departments of Education to teachers and related service providers.
• This certification should be differentiated from some professions' national certification [e.g., speech-language pathologists and audiologists may be certified by ASHA (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association).]
• States may also control the practice of some professions using state licensure, with regulations established by the state's legislature.
• Support personnel may be regulated by licensure or through registration, which typically involves fewer controls.
• In addition, states may establish a separate credentialing process to govern the provision of services to a specific group, such as young children with disabilities and their families.
• For example, some states have established a set of competencies for early interventionists and/or services coordinators which must be met by all those who deliver such services, regardless of certification or licensing standards they may have met within their professions.
• In a similar fashion, states may have specific credentials for those who deliver services to children with specific disabilities, such as autism. These credentials typically require additional coursework and/or professional experience.

Programs may also need to be credentialed. Pre-service provider training programs may have certification requirements that assure consumers that their graduates are appropriately qualified. Agencies and programs that deliver services to children with disabilities and their families may also need to meet accreditation standards.

National Centers, Clearinghouses, Reports and Studies

The National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (NECTAC) provides several resources related to personnel standards and licensure.

• The NECTAC Section 619 Profile, 15th edition (2007) has the Section 619 state licensing and certification requirements for early childhood education and special education, as well as information about (State Education Authorities') SEAs' support for the use of paraprofessionals.
• NECTAC's Web page on Service Coordination includes an overview of this mandated Part C service.

The Center on Personnel Studies in Special Education (COPSSE) has released three research syntheses, including Executive Summaries, pertaining to special education certification and licensure:

• The Status of Licensure of Special Education Teachers in the 21st Century (PDF: 207kb)
• Getting Teachers Where They're Needed Most: The Case for Licensure Reciprocity (PDF: 291kb)
• The Proliferation of Alternative Routes to Certification in Special Education: A Critical Review of the Literature (PDF: 210kb)

COPSSE has also published several Issue Briefs, which synthesize literature on supply and demand, professional preparation, and certification and licensure for the following professionals who provide services in schools to children with disabilities:

• Audiology Services in the Schools (PDF: 305kb)
• Personnel Issues in School-Based Occupational Therapy: Supply and Demand, Preparation, Certification and Licensure (PDF: 641kb)
• Personnel Issues in School-Based Physical Therapy: Supply and Demand, Professional Preparation, Certification and Licensure (PDF: 299kb)
• Issue Brief on Personnel Preparation and Credentialing in Speech-Language Pathology (PDF: 444kb)
• Special Education Administration at a Crossroads: Availability, Licensure, and Preparation Of Special Education Adminstrators (PDF: 405kb)
• U. S. Deaf Education Teacher Preparation Programs: A Look at the Present and a Vision for the Future (PDF: 446kb)
• Free and Appropriate Public Education and the Personnel Crisis for Students with Visual Impairments and Blindness (PDF: 427kb)

• Principals and Special Education: The Critical Role of School Leaders (PDF: 353kb)
• Paraprofessionals (PDF: 319kb)

The Center to Inform Personnel Preparation Policy and Practice in Early Intervention and Preschool Education collects, synthesizes, and analyzes information concerning personnel working with infants, toddlers, and preschool children with special needs and their families. This center also maintains a database with information about states' initial licensure or certification requirements (e.g., examination, education, and experience) for each professional discipline providing services for young children under IDEA. Information is given for each state based on IDEA Program, Services, and specific Job Title. In addition, the Center has produced the following reports on the standards and requirements for services providers:

• Part C Data Report (PDF: 490kb) includes summaries for all service providers in the Early Intervention system
• 619 Data Report (PDF: 482kb) includes summaries for all service providers in the Early Childhood Special Education system

The National Center for Special Education Personnel and Related Services Providers (The Personnel Center) is charged with building state and local capacity to recruit and retain highly qualified special education and related service personnel to serve children and youth with disabilities, birth to 21, and their families. The Personnel Center has information on states' certification and licensing requirements.

The Monarch Center promotes the participation of minority institutions of higher education in IDEA personnel preparation grant competitions as well as supporting recruitment and retention of qualified personnel. Resources on Standards for Professional Practice, Preparation and Accreditation for a variety of professional disciplines are provded.

The National Child Care Information Center provides summaries of Child Care Licensing Requirements, including Minimum Preservice Qualifications and Annual/Ongoing Training Hours in Early Childhood Education. They have also released a report, Cross-Sector Early Childhood Professional Development: A Technical Assistance Paper, which includes examples from several states related to their public school licensure for early childhood professionals.

The Research and Training Center on Service Coordination is developing competencies and training materials for service coordinators.

The Study of Personnel Needs in Special Education (SPeNSE) was designed to address concerns about nationwide shortages in the number of personnel serving students with disabilities and the need for improvement in the qualifications of those employed. Part of a national assessment of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act mandated by Congress, SPeNSE examined (1) the extent to which personnel are adequately prepared to serve students with disabilities, (2) variation in personnel preparation, and (3) factors that explain that variation.

Their reports include:
• Key Findings (PDF: 283kb)
• Summary Sheet : Beginning Special Educators: Characteristics, Qualifications, and Experiences (PDF: 199kb)

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has information about training and qualifications for special education teachers and related service providers, including those who work with young children.

Professional Associations and Organizations

The Education Commission of the States (ECS) publishes reports and maintains a data base concerning the states' educational programs. Information available includes:

• A list of State-funded pre-kindergarten programs' staff qualification requirements, including those requiring a bachelor's degree for teachers in pre-kindergarten programs.
• A 2003 report, State Efforts Regarding Teacher Preparation, Certification, Recruitment and Retention, provides an overview on how states are preparing general education teachers to meet the needs of students with special needs.
• A 2004 publication, Special Education Teacher Certification/Licensure and Endorsement Categories in the States, focuses on the different types of certification systems and the endorsement areas for special education teachers in the states. The certification systems have been divided into three categories: generalist, mild/moderate-severe/profound and categorical.
• A 2004 report, Professional Standards Boards - State Policies, reviews information about professional standards boards in 46 states.

The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) provides information related to personnel standards for individuals delivering services to young children with disabilities and their families.

• Professional Standards

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) provides an overview of standards for programs to prepare early childhood professionals (PDF: 120kb) and Associate Degree Programs (PDF: 164kb) .

Professional Standards and Guidelines

Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)

Division for Early Childhood (DEC)

• Personnel Standards for Early Education and Early Intervention, Position Paper (PDF: 129kb)
• Recommended Practices in Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education Initiative

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

• Accreditation for Early Childhood Programs
• Policy statements including conceptual frameworks for early childhood professional development, teacher certification, guidelines for personnel preparation and personnel standards
• Resources on Professional Preparation and Program Review including Personnel Standards for Early Childhood Teacher Preparation (2001)

National Board for Professional Teaching Standards

Standards and National Board Certification

Examples of State Competency Requirements, Certification and Licensure

Part C

• Connecticut - Personnel Standards (DOC: 113kb)
• Connecticut - Early Intervention Specialist Program
• Hawaii - Professional Standards for Early Intervention Services Staff (PDF: 47kb)
• Indiana - Early Intervention Personnel Guide (PDF: 65kb)
• Kentucky - Early Intervention Program personnel qualifications
• Missouri - First Steps Personnel Standards (PDF: 1,040kb)
• North Carolina - Infant-Toddler Program : Guidance for Personnel Certification (PDF: 498kb)
• South Carolina - Infant-Toddler Credential : Application and Guidelines
• Utah - Credentialing Guide and Portfolio Planner : Early Intervention Specialist I and II

Part B, Section 619

• New York - Certification and Licensing of Bilingual Special Educators, including Speech-Language Pathologists
• North Dakota - Special Education Credential (PDF: 109kb)
• Washington - Early Childhood Special Education (PDF: 47kb)