Education Specialist Credential

Which Specialization Should I Get? 

Mild to Moderate Support Needs
(Previously Mild/Moderate Disabilities)
Address the educational and social needs of students with specific learning disabilities, mild to moderate intellectual disabilities, and emotional and behavioral disorders. 

Choose this specialty area if you want to:

• Foster academic success for students with specific learning needs
• Provide support and instruction in many academic areas
• Co-teach and collaborate with general education teachers on student supports
• Work closely with families and service providers on student-centered teams

Extensive Support Needs
(Previously Moderate/Severe Disabilities)
Address the educational and social needs of students with autism, developmental or intellectual disabilities, and emotional and behavioral disorders.

Choose this specialty area if you want to:

• Promote student independence by teaching daily living skills
• Provide instruction across skill areas, such as academic, social, and recreational skills
• Collaborate with general education teachers and a team of paraprofessionals
• Work closely with families and service providers on student-centered teams

Community

The ESC program works to provide our candidates with both the values and strategies they need to see themselves as change agents in today's schools. We strive for inclusive, meaningful life outcomes for students with disabilities and that value is at the center of all of our decision-making. Our mission is to prepare educators who will:

• Contribute to creating a more inclusive society so that individuals with disabilities can become contributing members of society.
• Promote inclusion of all students by fostering positive attitudes within schools towards students with disabilities.
• Provide best practices, support, and instruction for students with moderate/severe disabilities and to provide positive, non-aversive, effective behavioral interventions for students with challenging behaviors to maximize their potential
• Understand the most recent research practices for best teaching and value, understand, keep updated on new research and understand the value of action research to evaluate their own instruction.
• Work in collaborative teams with other professionals, families of students with disabilities to form positive partnerships.
• Work on interdisciplinary teams and manage classrooms with paraprofessionals and volunteers.
• Be advocates for their students.
• Have an understanding of broader issues of policy and organization related to individuals with disabilities and respond to the cultural and linguistic context of their students.
• Maximize their resources by utilizing available supports, such as peer tutoring, volunteer training, training families, assistive technology, self-management, in order to realize the goal of genuine self-individualization.

Placements

In your student teaching placements, you will be on local school campuses from the first day of school until the last. Our special education program has two placements throughout the academic year. The Teacher Education Program secures placements through our strong partnerships with these schools. Your student teaching will be at a school in Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, or Goleta. Throughout your student teaching, you will be mentored and supported by a university supervisor and a cooperating teacher, many of whom are graduates of our program.