What does an education specialist degree in reading prepare you for?
A-State’s Ed.S. in Reading prepares graduates for advanced literacy-leadership roles: district literacy leader, literacy coach, reading program supervisor and professional development provider. The program also prepares you to sit for the Praxis Reading Specialist exam at the advanced/administrative level.
I want to work with students with dyslexia. Should I get this certificate or the master’s in reading?
If dyslexia intervention is your main goal and you don’t need a full master’s degree, this certificate is the faster, more direct path (15 credit hours, as few as 8 months). If you also want the broader reading-specialist credential — for career flexibility beyond dyslexia specifically — A-State’s MSE in Reading includes dyslexia-endorsement-eligible coursework within […]
How is a dyslexia certificate different from a full reading master’s?
This certificate is a faster, narrower path — 15 credit hours in as few as 8 months — focused specifically on dyslexia-related diagnostic and intervention skills. A-State’s MSE in Reading is a broader, 30-credit-hour master’s degree that covers general reading-specialist preparation and happens to include coursework that can make graduates eligible for a dyslexia endorsement […]
Which literacy programs align with Orton-Gillingham or structured literacy approaches?
A-State’s Dyslexia Certificate curriculum covers multisensory approaches used to help struggling readers, consistent with structured literacy and Orton-Gillingham-aligned methodology, alongside the diagnostic principles needed to evaluate reading skills.
Is a dyslexia certificate worth it for an elementary teacher?
For elementary teachers who want to formally identify and support students with dyslexia — without committing to a full reading master’s — this certificate builds the specific diagnostic and multisensory intervention skills that role requires, in as few as 8 months.
What’s included in Arkansas State’s dyslexia certificate curriculum?
The 15-credit-hour curriculum covers principles of literacy cognition and reading disorders, literacy for diverse learners, emergent literacy, adolescent literacy and a reading practicum focused on diagnosis and intervention aligned with IDA and ILA standards.
Is there an online certificate that adds a special education K-12 endorsement to my teaching license?
Yes. A-State’s Special Education K-12 Certificate is a 21-credit-hour, fully online program built specifically to add a K-12 Special Education Teaching License to an existing credential, without requiring a new master’s degree.
Which is right for me: MAT vs. MSE in special education?
Choose this MAT if you do not currently hold a teaching license or an education degree. It’s A-State’s initial-licensure path, leading to a provisional Arkansas license after your first six credit hours. Choose the MSE in Special Education – Instructional Specialist K-12 instead if you’re already a licensed teacher seeking an advanced credential and instructional-leadership […]
I’m an elementary teacher who wants to move into special education. What programs should I look at?
If you already hold a teaching license, A-State’s MSE in Special Education – Instructional Specialist K-12 or its Special Education K-12 Certificate are typically a better fit than this MAT, since both are designed for already-licensed teachers rather than career changers starting from scratch.
Do online special education programs require a current teaching license?
Not this one. A-State’s MAT – Special Education K-12 is built specifically for career changers who do not hold a teaching license or an education degree. (By contrast, A-State’s MSE in Special Education – Instructional Specialist K-12 and Special Education K-12 Certificate both require an existing teaching license.)
What’s the fastest online path to becoming a licensed special education teacher in Arkansas?
A-State’s MAT – Special Education K-12 lets candidates earn a provisional Arkansas teaching license after passing Praxis 5511 and completing their first six credit hours — often within the first semester (as few as 14 weeks) — allowing you to start teaching while finishing the remaining coursework.
Which do I need: Special education director certificate vs. Ed.S. in educational leadership?
Choose this certificate if you already hold a master’s degree and want the director credential as quickly and affordably as possible (18 credit hours, 12 months, no new degree). Choose A-State’s Ed.S. in Educational Leadership, Special Education Director instead if you want the credential folded into a full terminal degree.
What programs prepare you to become a special education director?
This certificate prepares master’s-degree holders for the special education director role through coursework in administration, supervision, legal and ethical issues, curriculum management and a supervised internship without requiring a new degree.
Does A-State offer a special education director certificate online?
This Ed.S. page is the full terminal-degree path to the special education director credential for educators who already hold a master’s degree. A-State also offers a Special Education Director Certificate for master’s-degree holders who want the same license without completing another full degree.
What does a district special education director do, and what’s the career path?
A district special education director administers and coordinates special education programs across schools, ensures compliance with special education law and supervises staff and services. The typical path runs from special education teacher, to instructional specialist or lead teacher, to director. This Ed.S. is built for teachers with a master’s degree ready for that final step.
What online Ed.S. programs prepare special education directors?
Arkansas State University’s online Ed.S. in Educational Leadership, Special Education Director is a 30-credit-hour, CAEP-accredited program built specifically for this role, preparing graduates for Arkansas’s Curriculum/Program Administrator (SPED) license.
Which is right for me: Master’s in special education vs. a special education certificate?
Choose this certificate if you already hold a related teaching license and just need the K-12 special education endorsement, at lower cost and in less time (21 credit hours, as few as 10 months). Choose A-State’s MSE in Special Education – Instructional Specialist K-12 instead if you want the full master’s-level credential and eligibility for […]
How do I add a special education endorsement to an existing teaching license?
This certificate is the mechanism: it layers special-education-specific coursework and a supervised field experience onto your existing license, leading to Arkansas’s K-12 Special Education Teaching License.
How does A-State’s online special education certificate work for licensed teachers?
Licensed teachers complete seven courses (21 credit hours) covering assessment, diagnosis, instructional methods and positive behavior intervention, plus a field-based laboratory experience, in as few as 10 months through 7-week spring/fall and 5-week summer terms.
Which is right for me: Master’s in special education vs. a special education certificate?
Choose this MSE if you want the full master’s-level credential, broader coursework, and eligibility for instructional-leadership roles like curriculum specialist or director. If you already hold a related degree and just need the K-12 special education endorsement added to your license, A-State’s Special Education K-12 Certificate is the faster, lower-cost path.
What’s the difference between a special education master’s and an intervention specialist degree?
“Intervention specialist” is a title used in some states (notably Ohio) for what Arkansas and many other states call a special education teacher or instructional specialist. A-State’s MSE in Special Education – Instructional Specialist K-12 covers the same core competencies — assessment, individualized instruction, and behavior support — regardless of the state-specific title.
What’s the job market like for special education instructional specialists?
Demand for special education expertise remains strong nationally as districts work to meet growing caseloads and federal requirements. Graduates of this MSE are positioned for instructional specialist, curriculum specialist and eventually director-level roles as their experience grows.
What does an instructional specialist in special education do, and what degree do I need?
A special education instructional specialist supports classroom teaching, coaches general-education colleagues on serving students with exceptionalities and helps design and evaluate instructional programs, without necessarily holding an administrator title. A-State’s MSE in Special Education – Instructional Specialist K-12 is built specifically for this role.
What degree do I need to become a gifted and talented program director?
If you already hold a master’s degree, this certificate is A-State’s fastest path to the Curriculum/Program Administrator (G&T) license, with no new degree required. If you’d prefer to pursue the credential as part of a full terminal degree instead, see A-State’s Ed.S. in Educational Leadership, GT Director.
Will school districts fund my gifted and talented certification?
It depends on the district. Many offer tuition assistance or reimbursement for staff pursuing additional licensure, including director-level credentials, but policies vary. Check with your district’s HR or professional development office about funding this certificate specifically.
What’s the difference between A-State’s gifted certificate and gifted director certificate?
A-State’s Instructional Specialist Gifted, Talented & Creative Certificate certifies teachers for Gifted Education K-12, with no administrator licensure component. This Gifted, Talented Director Certificate is a separate, 18-credit-hour program for educators who already hold a master’s degree and want the Curriculum/Program Administrator (G&T) license required to lead a gifted program at the campus or district […]
Do gifted and talented directors need administrative certification too?
In many states, yes. Directing a gifted program at the district or campus level typically requires an administrator-level license in addition to a gifted education background. This Ed.S. is built to provide that administrative licensure alongside gifted-specific leadership coursework.
What degree do I need to become a gifted and talented program director?
This Ed.S. is designed for educators who already hold a master’s degree and want the terminal Curriculum/Program Administrator (G&T) license required for district- or campus-level gifted program leadership. If you don’t want to complete another full degree, A-State’s Gifted, Talented Director Certificate offers a certificate-only path to the same license.
What online programs offer a gifted and talented director credential?
Arkansas State University’s online Ed.S. in Educational Leadership, Gifted and Talented Director is a 30-credit-hour, CAEP-accredited program built specifically for this credential, preparing graduates for Arkansas’s Curriculum/Program Administrator (G&T) license.
Gifted endorsement certificate vs. full master’s in gifted education – which should I choose?
Choose this certificate if you already hold a license and want to become eligible for the GTC K-12 endorsement quickly and at lower cost (15 credit hours, as few as 12 months). Choose the MSE in Gifted, Talented & Creative if you want a full master’s degree, deeper coursework in assessment and program development, and […]