Emergency Certification for Special Educators

Dear Champions of Education,

On October 4, 2022, the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) released a memorandum to clarify the requirements of IDEA Part B, which outlines the expectations for the preparation and training of all special education teachers nationwide.

Noted in the memo, special education certification or licensure requirements may not be waived, and the individual must hold at least a bachelor’s degree. If a special educator currently employed by your school administrative unit (SAU) obtained an emergency teacher certification, they must work towards a conditional special education certification. Additionally, if the educator was issued an emergency certificate, but does not hold at least a bachelor’s degree, they will not be eligible for additional emergency certificates.

To become a conditionally certified special educator, your staff member must have earned at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college, be enrolled in a Maine approved program for mentoring teachers under a conditional certificate for a special education endorsement, and have completed nine semester hours in special education. There is also a new pathway for certified Educational Technician IIIs to become conditionally certified. After receiving the conditional special education certification, the educator has three years to complete the remainder of the requirements to become a professionally certified special educator. To learn more about the full requirements for certification, please click here.

To learn more about the state-approved mentoring program, you may wish to visit MACM (Maine Alternative Certification Mentoring) program here. For more information about the program and enrollment, please contact Valerie Smith at valerie.smith@maine.edu.

For additional questions or supports, please contact Tracy Whitlock, Office of Special Services & Inclusive Education, at tracy.w.whitlock@maine.gov.