(a) A GaPSC-approved educator preparation
provider may seek state approval to offer this field as either a stand-alone
endorsement program or as an endorsement program embedded in a GaPSC-approved
initial preparation program or an advanced (degree-only) preparation program.
In addition to meeting all applicable approval requirements and standards,
embedded endorsement programs must meet requirements specified in paragraph (e)
4. (ix) of GaPSC Rule
505-3-.01 REQUIREMENTS AND STANDARDS
FOR APPROVING EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROVIDERS AND EDUCATOR PREPARATION
PROGRAMS.
(b) To receive approval,
a GaPSC-approved educator preparation provider shall offer a preparation
program described in program planning forms, catalogs, and syllabi addressing
the following standards adapted from the standards published by the Council for
Exceptional Children 2020:
1.
Engaging in Professional Learning and Practice within Ethical
Guidelines. Candidates practice within ethical and legal
guidelines; advocate for improved outcomes for individuals with
exceptionalities and their families while considering their social, cultural,
and linguistic differences; and engage in ongoing self-reflection to design and
implement professional learning activities.
(i) Candidates practice within ethical
guidelines and legal policies and procedures;
(ii) Candidates advocate for improved
outcomes for individuals with exceptionalities and their families while
addressing the unique needs of those with varying social, cultural, and
linguistic backgrounds; and
(iii)
Candidates design and implement professional learning activities based on
ongoing analysis of student learning; self-reflection; and professional
standards, research, and contemporary practices.
2.
Understanding and Addressing
Each Individual's Developmental and Learning Needs. Candidates use
their understanding of human growth and development, the multiple influences on
development, individual differences, unique characteristics, including
exceptionalities, and families and communities to plan and implement supportive
and welcoming learning environments and experiences that provide individuals
with exceptionalities high quality learning experiences reflective of each
individual's strengths and needs.
(i)
Candidates apply understanding of human growth and development to create
developmentally appropriate and meaningful learning experiences that address
individualized strengths and needs of students with exceptionalities;
and
(ii) Candidates use their
knowledge and understanding of various factors that influence development and
learning, including differences related to families, languages, cultures, and
communities, and individual differences, including exceptionalities, to plan
and implement learning experiences and environments.
3.
Demonstrating Subject Matter
Content and Specialized Curricular Knowledge. Candidates apply
their understanding of the academic subject matter content of the general
curriculum and specialized curricula to inform their programmatic and
instructional decisions for learners with exceptionalities.
(i) Candidates apply their understanding of
academic subject matter content of the general curriculum to inform their
programmatic and instructional decisions for individuals with exceptionalities;
and
(ii) Candidates augment the
general education curriculum to address skills and strategies that students
with disabilities need to access the core curriculum and function successfully
within a variety of contexts as well as the continuum of placement options to
assure specially designed instruction is developed and implemented to achieve
mastery of curricular standards and individualized goals and
objectives.
4.
Using Assessment to Understand the Learner and the Learning
Environment for Databased Decision Making. Candidates assess
students' learning, behavior, and the classroom environment in order to
evaluate and support classroom and school-based problem-solving systems of
intervention and instruction. Candidates evaluate students to determine their
strengths and needs, contribute to students' eligibility determination,
communicate students' progress, inform short- and long-term instructional
planning, and make ongoing adjustments to instruction using technology as
appropriate.
(i) Candidates collaboratively
develop, select, administer, analyze, and interpret multiple measures of
student learning, behavior, and the classroom environment to evaluate and
support classroom and school-based systems of intervention for students with
and without exceptionalities;
(ii)
Candidates develop, select, administer, and interpret multiple, formal and
informal, culturally and linguistically appropriate measures and procedures
that are valid and reliable to contribute to eligibility determination for
special education services; and
(iii) Candidates assess, collaboratively
analyze, interpret, and communicate students' progress toward measurable
outcomes using technology as appropriate, to inform both short- and long-term
planning, and make ongoing adjustments to instruction.
5.
Supporting Learning Using
Effective Instruction. Candidates use knowledge of individuals'
development, learning needs, and assessment data to inform decisions about
effective instruction. Candidates use explicit instructional strategies and
employ strategies to promote active engagement and increased motivation to
individualize instruction to support each individual. Candidates use whole
group instruction, flexible grouping, small group instruction, and individual
instruction. Candidates teach individuals to use meta-/cognitive strategies to
support and self-regulate learning.
(i)
Candidates use findings from multiple assessments, including student
self-assessment, that are responsive to cultural and linguistic differences and
specialized as needed, to identify what students know and are able to do. They
then interpret the assessment data to appropriately plan and guide instruction
to meet rigorous academic and non-academic content and goals for each
individual;
(ii) Candidates use
effective strategies to promote active student engagement, increase student
motivation, increase opportunities to respond, and enhance self-regulation of
student learning;
(iii) Candidates
use explicit, systematic instruction to teach content, strategies, and skills
to make clear what a learner needs to do or think about while learning.
Candidates use flexible grouping to support the use of instruction that is
adapted to meet the needs of each individual and group; and
(iv) Candidates organize and manage focused,
intensive small group instruction to meet the learning needs of each
individual. Candidates plan and deliver specialized, individualized instruction
that is used to meet the learning needs of each individual.
6.
Supporting Social,
Emotional, and Behavioral Growth. Candidates create and contribute
to safe, respectful, and productive learning environments for individuals with
exceptionalities through the use of effective routines and procedures and use a
range of preventive and responsive practices to support social, emotional and
educational well-being. They follow ethical and legal guidelines and work
collaboratively with families and other professionals to conduct behavioral
assessments for intervention and program development.
(i) Candidates use effective routines and
procedures to create safe, caring, respectful, and productive learning
environments for individuals with exceptionalities;
(ii) Candidates use a range of preventive and
responsive practices documented as effective to support individuals' social,
emotional, and educational well-being; and
(iii) Candidates systematically use data from
a variety of sources to identify the purpose or function served by problem
behavior to plan, implement, and evaluate behavioral interventions and social
skills programs, including generalization to other environments.
7.
Collaborating with
Team Members. Candidates apply team processes and communication
strategies to collaborate in a culturally responsive manner with families,
paraprofessionals, and other professionals within the school, other educational
settings, and the community to plan programs and access services for
individuals with exceptionalities and their families.
(i) Candidates utilize communication, group
facilitation, and problem-solving strategies in a culturally responsive manner
to lead effective meetings and share expertise and knowledge to build team
capacity and jointly address students' instructional and behavioral
needs;
(ii) Candidates collaborate,
communicate, and coordinate with families, paraprofessionals, and other
professionals within the educational setting to assess, plan, and implement
effective programs and services that promote progress toward measurable
outcomes for individuals with and without exceptionalities and their
families;
(iii) Candidates
collaborate, communicate, and coordinate with professionals and agencies within
the community to identify and access services, resources, and supports to meet
the identified needs of individuals with exceptionalities and their families;
and
(iv) Candidates work with and
mentor paraprofessionals in the paraprofessionals' role of supporting the
education of individuals with exceptionalities and their families.
8. Candidates are prepared to
demonstrate understanding of the Specialty Standards for Special Education
Physical and Health Disabilities published by the Council for Exception
Children (2012).
(i) Candidates are prepared
to demonstrate understanding of the implications of physical and health
disabilities on development and learning;
(ii) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate
understanding of the functional effects of the type and severity of physical
and health disabilities on individual performance;
(iii) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate
understanding of the psychosocial effects of physical and health
disabilities;
(iv) Candidates are
prepared to demonstrate understanding of the adaptations of educational
environments to enhance the potential of individuals with physical and health
disabilities;
(v) Candidates are
prepared to demonstrate understanding of the barriers to accessibility by
individuals with physical and health disabilities;
(vi) Candidates are prepared to use proper
positioning techniques and equipment to promote participation in academic and
social environments;
(vii)
Candidates are prepared to demonstrate proper body mechanics to promote
individual and teacher safety in transfer, lifting, positioning, and
seating;
(viii) Candidates are
prepared to demonstrate understanding of continuum of non-symbolic to symbolic
forms of communication;
(ix)
Candidates are prepared to demonstrate understanding of valid and reliable
assessment instruments for individuals who have poor motor skills and for those
who are nonverbal;
(x) Candidates
are prepared to teach response modes to establish accuracy in the assessment of
individuals with physical and health disabilities;
(xi) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate
understanding of the adaptations and assistive technology necessary to
accommodate the unique characteristics of individuals with physical and health
disabilities;
(xii) Candidates are
prepared to demonstrate understanding of the incorporation of augmentative and
assistive communication into instruction and daily living activities;
(xiii) Candidates are prepared to use
specialized instructional strategies for academic and functional tasks for
individuals with physical and health disabilities;
(xiv) Candidates are prepared to use
adaptations and assistive technology to provide access to and participation in
the general education curriculum; and
(xv) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate
techniques for teaching literacy skills to individuals who are
nonverbal.