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Special Education Add-On Endorsement

Our VDOE-Approved Endorsement

The fully-online and VDOE-Approved Special Education Add-On Endorsement will help you to acquire the skills and expertise necessary to teach and support students with diverse learning needs.

Longwood University is known for its unsurpassed educator development, where professionals mentor other professionals. The Special Education Add-On Endorsement coursework prepares teachers to educate students with a wide variety of abilities, whether in general or special education classrooms.

Why an Endorsement?

The Special Education Add-On Endorsement opens doors by offering busy licensed teachers the opportunity to add valuable Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) endorsement credentials to their resumes. Each Special Education Add-On Endorsement consists of five courses delivered through a convenient online format that makes the experience realistic and achievable for full-time teachers. A provisional Special Education license is not required to begin courses.

Do you have a provisional license? Learn more. 

Format

  • 16 credits
  • Three semesters
  • Under $4,800 total tuition (in-state), excluding textbooks

Upon completion of the courses you will be able to: 

  • Describe characteristics of different disability categories
  • Identify strategies appropriate for different disabilities
  • Create and deliver effective reading lessons
  • Create and deliver effective math lessons
  • Evaluate students with formal and informal assessments
  • Understand and write an IEP 

 

Courses

CORE COURSES (Required)

  • PSPE 513 Foundations and Legal Aspects of Special Education (3)
  • PSPE 522 Curriculum and Instruction for Students with Disabilities in the Area of Literacy (3)
  • PSPE 523 Curriculum and Instruction for Students with Disabilities in the Area of Mathematics (3)
  • PSPE 577 IEP Writing and Implementation (3)

GRADE LEVEL COURSES (Depending on your Licensure Area)

  • PSPE 544 Formal and Informal Assessment of Students with Disabilities (3)
  • PSPE 574 Transition Planning (3)

PRACTICUM

  • PSPE 510 Special Education Practicum Integration (1)

Costs

This endorsement is being offered at our professional studies rate of $295 per credit hour (in-state) or $365 per credit hour (out-of-state) plus a one-time application fee. All courses are three credits. There are no additional fees.

Convenient payment options are available, including the Graduate Monthly Payment Plan available in fall and spring.

$4,720 (in state)
$5,840 (out of state)

Admission Requirements

  • Official bachelor’s degree transcript from a regionally accredited college or university
  • Valid Virginia Teaching License

This is not an initial licensure program.

Tracks

Following VDOE regulations, candidates holding valid licensure in elementary, middle, or secondary education may add the following corresponding endorsement:

Special Education Add-On Endorsement – Elementary Track:
You must hold a license issued by the Virginia Board of Education with an endorsement in Elementary Education (early/primary education PreK-3 / elementary education PreK-6).

Special Education Add-on Endorsement – Middle Track:
You must hold a license issued by the Virginia Board of Education with an endorsement in middle education, such as middle education 6-8 English, middle education 6-8 history and social sciences, middle education 6-8 mathematics, or middle education-sciences.

Special Education Add-On Endorsement – Secondary Track:
You must hold a license issued by the Virginia Board of Education with an endorsement in English, History and Social Sciences, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, or Physics.

Endorsement Flyer

View, download, and print the Special Education Add-On Endorsement (pdf) flyer.

 

Request Information
Apply to Special Education Add-On Endorsement
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Department of Education and Counseling
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Continuing Education

"Completing a special education endorsement in addition to my master’s degree has profoundly enriched my teaching career. This advanced qualification has equipped me with a comprehensive set of skills to effectively support students with a wide range of disabilities and learning challenges.

The endorsement has not only enhanced my ability to foster a more inclusive and equitable learning environment but has also broadened my professional opportunities. This qualification underscores my commitment to continuous professional development and my passion for creating meaningful educational experiences that promote the success of every learner."

Juliana Spierto
Endorsement Completer '24

Contacts

College of Graduate & Professional Studies

(434) 395-2140

professionalstudies@longwood.edu

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Longwood alumni honored as top teachers

Chanel Vaughan Leslie ’97 Alabama PTA Council Elementary Teacher of the Year

Chanel Vaughan Leslie made her way on hands and knees under a loft in her Huntsville, Alabama, classroom to reach an autistic child.

"He wouldn’t come out; no one could reason with him," she said. "No one could do anything. I remember crawling under the loft and talking to him. Fifteen minutes later he and I crawled out, and he wrapped his arms around my neck, told me he loved me and went to sit down."

Moments like these are career-defining and underscore the passion great teachers have for connecting with their students. For Leslie ’97, 15 minutes under a loft with a child showed her she was where she was meant to be.

Read the full story