Minn. R. agency 188, ch. 8710, TEACHER STANDARDS, pt. 8710.5000

Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 24, December 9, 2024

Part 8710.5000 - CORE SKILLS FOR TEACHERS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION

Subpart 1.Licensure requirements.

A. A candidate recommended for licensure in special education shall complete the core skill area licensure requirements in subpart 2 as part of each special education teacher preparation program approved under part 8700.7600 by the Board of Teaching.

B. A candidate recommended for licensure in special education shall meet the statutory requirements regarding comprehensive scientifically based reading instruction required by Minnesota Statutes, section 122A.09, subdivision 4, paragraph (e), and as specified in part 8710.3200, subpart 3, items C to F.

Subp. 2.Core skill areas.

A teacher of special education possesses understandings and skills in special education foundations: referral, evaluation, planning, and programming processes; instructional design, teaching, and ongoing evaluation; and collaboration and communication in items A to D.

A. Foundational knowledge: A teacher of special education understands the foundations of special education, including information about students served by special education. The teacher must demonstrate knowledge of the:

(1) role of special education within the structure of a single, evolving, and changing education system that provides, based on an individualized planning and programming process, free appropriate public education to students in special education through a continuum of services;

(2) relationship of special education to other components of the education system, including access to grade-level content standards, prevention efforts and early intervening services, Title 1, bilingual education, the education of English learners, Section 504 accommodations, and gifted education;

(3) historical and philosophical foundations, legal bases, ethical principles and standards of professional practice, principles of evidence-based practice, the effects of attitudes and expectations, and contemporary issues pertaining to the education of individuals with disabilities;

(4) definitions, characteristics, and educational implications for students with disabilities eligible for special education services;

(5) similarities and differences among the cognitive, physical, sensory, cultural, social, emotional, behavioral, and communication needs of individuals with and without disabilities and across different disabilities;

(6) impact of coexisting conditions, multiple disabilities, and gifts and the implications for the provision of educational services;

(7) impact of gender, familial background, socioeconomic status, racial, cultural, and linguistic diversity on disabilities and involvement in all aspects of special education;

(8) rights and responsibilities of students, parents, teachers, other professionals, and schools related to students with disabilities;

(9) medical terminology and educational implications of medical conditions, including the effect of medication and specialized health care in educational settings;

(10) standards for restrictive procedures, alternatives to using those procedures, the risks of using those procedures including medical contraindications, and principles of individual and schoolwide positive behavioral interventions and supports, including the roles of systems, data, and practices;

(11) the importance and utility of parent involvement in student academic achievement, and the implications for the provision of educational services;

(12) legal, judicial, medical, and educational systems and their terminologies and implications in serving students with disabilities; and

(13) roles and organizational structures of general and special education and the part they play in providing total services to all students.

B. Referral, evaluation, planning, and programming: A teacher of special education understands and applies principles of prevention and intervening early and procedures for referral, assessment, evaluation, individualized planning, programming, and placement. The teacher must be able to:

(1) convey the rights and responsibilities of students, parents, teachers, and schools regarding the provision of educational services to students with disabilities;

(2) satisfy the due process, data privacy, procedural safeguards, and ethical requirements of the referral, evaluation, planning, and programming processes of special education;

(3) satisfy child find requirements during universal screening and early intervening efforts;

(4) integrate multiple sources of student data relative to progress toward grade-level content standards from prior prevention and alternate instruction efforts into the referral process;

(5) implement required prereferral intervention procedures;

(6) design, facilitate, and support a comprehensive, multidisciplinary evaluation process using unbiased assessment measures;

(7) select and use assessment measures and procedures that are technically adequate and appropriate for the student and specific assessment purpose, including assistive technology supports where appropriate;

(8) communicate the results of assessments and the evaluation process to students, families, teachers, and other professionals;

(9) understand the effects of various physical and mental health conditions, including the effects of medications, on the educational, cognitive, physical, social, and emotional behavior of individuals with disabilities when planning and administering assessments;

(10) conduct functional behavioral assessments and use the results to develop behavior intervention plans;

(11) assess the impact of environmental factors on assessment results and the special education evaluation, planning, and programming process;

(12) assess the impact of gender, familial background, socioeconomic status, and cultural and linguistic diversity on assessment results and the special education referral, evaluation, planning, and programming process;

(13) integrate multiple sources of data to develop individualized educational programs and plans;

(14) produce and maintain the reports, plans, and student assessment and performance data that are required by due process procedures and the school system according to the timelines for each;

(15) support the selection, acquisition, and use of assistive technology and supplementary aids and services in collaboration with parents and specialists; and

(16) address the transition needs of students to enhance participation in family, school, recreation or leisure, community, and work life, including personal self-care, independent living, safety, and prevocational and vocational skills.

C. Instructional design, teaching, and ongoing evaluation: A teacher of special education understands how to provide and evaluate specially designed instruction to meet the unique needs of students in special education through individualized educational plans. The teacher must be able to:

(1) adapt and modify curriculum and deliver evidence-based instruction, including scientific research-based interventions when available, aligned with state and local grade-level content standards to meet individual learner needs;

(2) lead individual education plan teams through statewide assessment options to make appropriate decisions for a learner's participation within the statewide assessment system;

(3) apply evidence-based methods, strategies, universal design for learning, and accommodations including assistive technologies to meet individual student needs and provide access to grade-level content standards;

(4) use evidence-based instruction, knowledge of subject matter, grade-level content standards, task analysis, and student performance data to sequence instruction and accelerate the rate of learning;

(5) collaborate with other professionals and parents on the design and delivery of prevention efforts, early intervening services, prereferral interventions, English learning, gifted education, and intervention strategies to promote the academic, behavioral, linguistic, communication, functional, social, and emotional competency of students;

(6) apply behavioral theory, student data, evidence-based practices, and ethics in developing and implementing individual student and classroom behavior management plans;

(7) design and manage positive instructional environments that convey high expectations for students to develop independence, self-motivation, self-direction, self-regulation, and self-advocacy;

(8) teach in a variety of service delivery models, including the delivery of specially designed instruction in the general education classroom and collaboration with other educational professionals and paraprofessionals;

(9) apply systematic procedures for compiling and using data for the purposes of continuous progress-monitoring, modification of instruction, and program and schoolwide improvement;

(10) apply knowledge of comprehensive scientifically based reading instruction including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary development, and reading comprehension as required in subpart 1, item B;

(11) construct and implement instructional sequences to address and teach transition skills based on the cognitive, affective, and academic strengths of each student and plan for transition from school to community living, recreational and leisure, postsecondary training, career training, and employment.

D. Communication and collaboration: A teacher of special education cultivates and maintains positive, collaborative relationships with children and youth, families, educators, other professionals, and the community to support student development and educational progress. The teacher must be able to:

(1) understand how disabilities can impact families as well as the student's ability to learn, interact socially, and contribute to the community throughout the life span;

(2) take into account the dynamics, roles, and relationships within families and communities resulting from differences in familial background, socioeconomic status, and cultural and linguistic diversity and collaborate with language interpreters and cultural liaisons when communicating with families and planning and implementing services;

(3) assist families in identifying resources, priorities, and concerns in relation to a child's development and education;

(4) work collaboratively with family members, including children and youth, in designing, implementing, and evaluating individual educational plans and programs;

(5) facilitate and manage student-specific teams, including those for child study, individualized education program planning, and planning for transitions;

(6) understand and make use of structures supporting interagency collaboration, including interagency services, agreements, referral, and consultation;

(7) provide consultation to and receive it from other professionals regarding specially designed instruction and program organization and development for children and youth and families;

(8) direct and monitor the activities of paraprofessionals, aides, volunteers, and peer tutors;

(9) access services, networks, agencies, and organizations relevant to the needs of the children and youth and their families;

(10) access and evaluate information, research, and emerging practices relevant to the field of special education through consumer and professional organizations, peer-reviewed journals, and other publications;

(11) engage in continuing professional development and reflection to increase knowledge and skill as a special educator and inform instructional practices, decisions, and interactions with children and youth and their families; and

(12) cultivate professional relationships that encourage peer observation, coaching, and systems for giving and receiving feedback from colleagues to enhance student instruction and program outcomes.

Subp. 3.Program requirements.

A. An institution applying to the Board of Teaching for approval to prepare teachers of special education in parts 8710.5100 to 8710.5800 shall incorporate the requirements of this part in each preparation program.

B. All colleges and universities approved by the Board of Teaching to prepare persons for classroom teacher licensure must include in teacher preparation programs research-based best practices in reading, consistent with Minnesota Statutes, section 122A.18, subdivision 2a, that enable the licensure candidate to know how to teach reading in the candidate's content areas.

Subp. 4.Effective date.

The requirements in this part are effective January 1, 2013, for all applicants for licensure in areas or fields in special education.

Minn. R. agency 188, ch. 8710, TEACHER STANDARDS, pt. 8710.5000

23 SR 1928; 36 SR 1243; L 2012 c 239 art 1s 33

Statutory Authority: MS s 122A.09; 122A.18