8VAC20-23-560. Special education – general curriculum K-6 (add-on endorsement).
Endorsement requirements: The candidate shall have:
1. Earned a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university and hold a license issued by the Virginia Board of Education with an endorsement in elementary education, such as early/primary education preK-3 or elementary education preK-6.
2. Completed 15 semester hours in the education of students with disabilities distributed in each of the following areas:
a. Foundations: 3 semester hours. Characteristics that include knowledge of the foundation for educating students with disabilities; historical, ethical, and legal aspects that include an understanding and application of the federal and state regulatory requirements; and expectations associated with identification, education, and evaluation of students with disabilities.
b. Individualized education program development and implementation: 3 semester hours. Knowledge of the eligibility process and legal and regulatory requirements of IEP development, including timelines, components, team composition, and roles and responsibilities. Skills in this area include the ability to apply knowledge of assessment and evaluation throughout the K-12 grade levels to construct, use, and interpret a variety of standardized and nonstandardized data collection techniques; to make decisions about student progress, instructional, program, goal development, accommodations, placement, and teaching methodology for students with disabilities who are accessing the general education curriculum and the Virginia Standards of Learning; and to demonstrate the use of assessment, evaluation, and other information to develop and implement individual educational planning and group instruction with students with disabilities who are accessing the general education curriculum across the K-12 grade levels.
c. Assessment and evaluation: 3 semester hours. Includes an understanding and application of the foundation of assessment and evaluation related to best practice in special education, including types and characteristics of assessment, introduction to formal and informal assessment, and the use of assessments and other information to determine special education eligibility, service delivery, curriculum, and instruction of students with disabilities. Understanding of the current legal and ethical issues related to assessment selection and use, including comprehensive evaluation requirements, students with disabilities' participation in the state and local accountability systems, assessment options, appropriate grading and testing accommodations, and assessment of students from diverse backgrounds.
d. Instructional strategies in reading and writing: 3 semester hours. Skills in this area include:
(1) An understanding and application of service delivery, curriculum, and instruction of students with disabilities in reading and writing.
(2) Knowledge of the general curriculum, English requirements and expectations, and how to provide access to the curriculum based on student characteristics and needs.
(3) Ability to assess, interpret data, and implement instructional practices to address the identified reading needs of the students. Skills in this area include the ability to identify, understand, and implement a range of specialized instructional strategies and research-based interventions that reflect best practice in reading and writing instruction for students with disabilities.
(4) Ability to align the instructional practices and intervention with the Virginia Standards of Learning and state assessments.
(5) Knowledge and ability to utilize current assistive and instructional reading and writing technologies to promote learning and independence for students with disabilities in the general curriculum and the ability to evaluate the effectiveness of the use of the technologies.
(6) Ability to develop and use curriculum-based and standardized reading and writing assessments to conduct ongoing evaluations of instructional materials and practices to determine effectiveness and assess student needs as they relate to the curriculum design and delivery.
(7) Ability to model and directly teach reading and writing instructional strategies in a variety of settings, collaborate and co-teach with general educators to develop and implement instructional practices that meet the needs of students with disabilities in the general curriculum, and monitor student progress.
e. Instructional strategies in mathematics: (3 semester hours). Skills in this area include:
(1) An understanding and application of service delivery, curriculum, and instruction of students with disabilities in mathematics.
(2) Knowledge of the general curriculum mathematics requirements and expectations and how to provide access to the curriculum based on student characteristics and needs.
(3) Ability to assess, interpret data, and implement instructional practices to address calculations, reasoning, and problem-solving skills. Skills in this area include the ability to understand and use a range of specialized mathematics instructional strategies and research-based interventions that reflect best practice in mathematics instruction for students with disabilities.
(4) Ability to align the instructional practices and intervention with the Virginia Standards of Learning and state assessments.
(5) Knowledge of and ability to utilize current mathematics-related assistive and instructional technologies to promote learning and independence for students with disabilities in the general curriculum and the ability to evaluate the effectiveness of the use of the technologies.
(6) Ability to develop and use curriculum-based and standardized mathematics assessments to conduct ongoing evaluations of instructional materials and practices to determine effectiveness and assess student needs as they relate to the mathematics curriculum design and delivery.
(7) Ability to model and directly teach mathematics instructional strategies in a variety of settings, collaborate and co-teach with general educators to develop and implement instructional practices that meet the needs of students with disabilities in the mathematics general curriculum, and monitor student progress.
3. Completed a practicum of at least 45 instructional hours. This practicum shall include a minimum of 45 instructional hours of successful teaching experiences with students with disabilities accessing the general curriculum in a public or an accredited nonpublic school. In lieu of the practicum, one year of successful, full-time teaching experience with students with disabilities accessing the general curriculum in a public or an accredited nonpublic school may be accepted provided the teacher is assigned a mentor holding a valid license with an endorsement in special education.
Statutory Authority
§§ 22.1-298.1 and 22.1-299 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 34, Issue 24, eff. August 23, 2018.