Complete coursework 100% online through the University of Sioux Falls to earn Special Education Alternative Certification through the South Dakota Department of Education (DOE). Alternative certification allows experienced educators, with the recommendation and support of their school and prior approval of the South Dakota DOE, an alternative pathway to receive the special education endorsement. To qualify for alternative certification, teachers must have a valid teaching certificate and a minimum of three years of teaching experience within the past five years. They must also be currently employed at a qualifying school district.
This alternative route allows experienced educators — with the support of their school and approval by the DOE — to obtain all 15 credits of approved coursework needed to sit for the state certification exam. Note that for those not interested in the SD DOE endorsement, courses are open to all.
Make a difference in the lives of students with exceptional needs? Here’s what to do:
The first step in applying for this endorsement is to talk to your school district because ultimately you and your school district must apply directly to the SD Department of Education on your behalf. Applicants do not need to fill out an application to the University of Sioux Falls. To begin the application process, the school district must submit the SD DOE’s Alternative Certification District Intent to Employ form to certification@state.sd.us or Department of Education, Certification Office, 800 Governors Drive, Pierre, SD 57501 and you must submit the online application for the Special Education Alternative Certificate. Once the South Dakota Department of Education approves you for the special education alternative certification, you may register for coursework at USF.
To register for courses, complete this registration form and submit it to the Registrar's Office. To obtain the course number for the appropriate term, see USF course requirements below, or view USF’s full list of course offerings. You will not be required to provide approval paperwork for the endorsement. Questions? Contact Becky.Thurman@usiouxfalls.edu.
Work full-time and conveniently complete your coursework 100% online with the personal attention you expect from USF’s respected and accredited Fredrikson School of Education.
The SD DOE requires 15 credit hours of coursework in the following areas in order to sit for the state certification exam:
Available Online
Summer 2024 (May 28 - July 9)
This graded 3 credit hour online course is a study of federal and South Dakota rules and regulations mandating the provision of special education and related services to students with disabilities. A focus of the course will be providing access to the general education curriculum and equitable opportunity for students with disabilities in K-12 schools. Students will gain knowledge and skills needed for compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), emphasizing student rights to a free and appropriate public education along with the procedures required for the delivery of a special education and related for eligible students in K-12 school districts. Prerequisites: Certification in South Dakota.
This course meets three credits of the required coursework for Special Education Alternative Certification.
Available Online
Summer 2024 (July 10 - August 21)
This graded 3 credit hour online course is a study of current, evidence-based practices in teaching all students who are eligible for special education and related services. Emphasis will be on developing appropriate, individualized programs to meet the needs of each student. Content will address instructional strategies, academic and functional curriculum, behavioral programming, material development, and transition services which support the learning of each student identified with a disability. Prerequisites: Certification in South Dakota
This course meets three credits of the required coursework for Special Education Alternative Certification.
Available Online
Summer 2024 (July 10 - August 21)
This graded 3 credit hour online course is an introductory course in assessment principles and practices specific to special education programs. The course focuses on the process of collecting, analyzing and interpreting data from a variety of sources to use for eligibility, educational and instructional decisions for students with disabilities. The content includes basic assessment and measurement concepts, academic achievement, adaptive and social behavior, norm-referenced, curriculum-based and criterion referenced diagnostic procedures. Prerequisites: Certification in South Dakota
This course meets three credits of the required coursework for Special Education Alternative Certification
Available Online
August 26 - December 13
This graded 6 credit hour online course is designed for licensed teachers to learn about and implement evidence-based practices in special education, gain first-hand experiences with students eligible for special education and related services, experience the different types and levels of service delivery across the continuum, and reflect on how, when, and why specific evidence-based practices are implemented in public school settings. Students will register for the 3-credit EDU 594 course in the Fall; a similar course will be offered in the Spring as a continuation. EDU 594 is an online course. Register by emailing Registrar@usiouxfalls.edu. Prerequisites: Certification in South Dakota.
This course meets six credits of the required coursework for Special Education Alternative Certification.
Request info by emailing Becky.Thurman@usiouxfalls.edu
This particular certification is an alternative pathway to receive a special education endorsement. This new route was authorized by the South Dakota Department of Education (SD DOE) on July 1, 2017, to address the shortage of special education teachers.
To qualify for the endorsement, teachers must have three years of experience in a classroom and have a valid teaching certificate. They must be currently employed at a qualifying school district. A qualifying district includes one that is unable to find a certified special education teacher.
The first step is communicating with your current administration. Your principal must recommend you and complete the DOE paperwork which serves as an application. You must be under contract to teach in a special education classroom and be provided mentorship by an individual with special education experience. Once the DOE has been notified and has accepted the application, an alternative special education endorsement will be added to your current license. In other words, the certification is granted immediately upon acceptance.
The next step is completing the requirements, which include nine credits of coursework and a six credit internship. In addition, you must pass the state-designated pedagogy test (which you may have already done) and the state-designated special education content test. The employing school district must sign off, indicating that you have completed all requirements.
The fee for the one-year initial request is $25, which can be renewed twice at a cost of $25. Your administrator must file the appropriate form for renewal.
No. Once all the requirements are met, alternative certification will be changed to completed.
After three years, the alternative certification status is removed from your license and you are not endorsed to teach special education. In other words, if you do not re-apply or your district does not sign off after the first or second year, the endorsement is removed.
Yes. The 15 credits are offered online through the Fredrikson School of Education.
The per-credit price mirrors the graduate education tuition. All credits are transcribed as graduate credits.