Quick Navigation

Northern Illinois University

Department of Teaching & Learning

Director of Special Education (certificate)

The Department of Teaching and Learning and the Department of Leadership, Educational Psychology and Foundations at NIU offer a standards-based preparatory program leading to certification in Director of Special Education.

Requirements

The program is comprised of five three-semester-hour courses, with a one-hour internship experience associated with each course. Candidates will generally enroll in these courses in cohort groups in which the courses will be offered in the following order:

  • TLSE 592 Seminar in Special Education (3)
  • LEEA 726 Special Education: Leadership and the Law (3)
  • TLSE 660 The Special Education Director (3)
  • LEEA 577 Administration and Supervision of Special Education (3)
  • TLSE 765 Seminar: Professional Collaboration in Schools (3)
  • TLSE 786 Internship in Special Education (5)
  • TLSE 786 (1) with TLSE 592: Candidates will conduct a culture audit of the internship setting, relating findings to the organization's mission. The culture audit must address cultural and linguistic diversity

Admissions

A completed application packet of all materials for the program is due July 15, 2009 for the course work that will start in the fall. No students will be admitted to the group after the course work has started. All courses for a single group will be held in the same location and are planned for the same day until the completion of that group. The group starting in Fall 2009 we be located at the DeKalb campus.

  • Accepted to the Graduate School as a student-at-large.
  • A separate application to the Department of Teaching and Learning for the Director of Special Education program.
  • Hold Type 10 Special Education certificate.
  • 3.2 cumulative GPA in most recent degree program.
  • Four or more years of teaching experience in a Special Education setting.
  • Three letters of recommendation citing successful professional experience, positive dispositions, and potential for success as a director of special education. One of these letters must be written by someone with a type 75 certification.
  • Application essay addressing the program core values of ethical and visionary leadership.
  • A Basic Skills exam result of "passed" not exceeding ten years in validity at the time of application for the IL Type 75-Administrative Certificate's- Director of Special Education endorsement.

*** To be recommended for the Type 75 with Director of Special Education endorsement candidates must have completed an MS degree. Students may complete the Director of Special Education coursework as part of an degree program at NIU.

Applications are due to Dr. Leslie Hecht by July 15, 2009.

For a more comprehensive view of the entire program, please see the checklist.

Assessment

Candidates will be assessed throughout their program for competency on the appropriate standards and will submit a comprehensive standards-based portfolio at the completion of TLSE 665. Candidates for the endorsement of special education director receive information about the development of their professional portfolio in two ways: (1) The information is available on the program website, and (2) Hard copies of the information are presented to students at their orientation meeting held during their first class in the program.

The following table summarizes assessments for major points in the program:

STAGES

At completion of 8 hours of coursework and related internship experiences Completion of program
Meets standards in completion of standards-based assessments in TLSE 592 and LEEA 626 and related internship experiences.

Program steering committee review of
  • Disposition assessments (Appendix B)
  • Internship performance appraisals (Appendix C)
followed by candidate-advisor conference to review progress.
  • Evidence of meeting Director of Special Education content (29.140) standards in a comprehensive portfolio.
  • Meet disposition requirements as indicated by ratings on assessment checklist at conclusion of TLSE 655. (checklist appears in Appendix B).
  • Successful completion of the Director of Special Education state content test 180 (and APT if not completed previously)
  • Exit essay addressing the program core values of ethical, visionary leadership (prompt and rubric in Appendix E)

Additional Information

Contacts

Leslie Hecht
Academic Advisor
(815) 753-8457
lbhecht@niu.edu