To answer the region鈥檚 critical need for special education teachers, 91吃瓜 will launch its Education Specialist Mild/Moderate Level II credential program this fall.
The Level II credential program, which was recently approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, will be complemented by the University鈥檚 new master鈥檚 of education degree with an emphasis in special education, which is scheduled to begin in the 2007-08 academic year.
鈥淭he need for special education teachers is great,鈥� said Joan Karp, CSUCI professor of special education and chair of Education Programs. 鈥淭here are more than 100 teachers in Ventura County who have been hired on emergency permits and who are teaching students with mild or moderate disabilities.鈥�
The two-year Level II credential program is designed for teachers who are in their first few years of teaching in special education programs in Ventura or Santa Barbara Counties. The program not only provides advanced coursework and workshops but also offers professional support for teachers in their classrooms. 鈥淪tudents will write their individual coursework and design an area of emphasis,鈥� Karp said. 鈥淭hen they can apply what they鈥檝e learned in CSUCI classrooms to their own program settings. It鈥檚 a marriage of theory, research, and practice.鈥�
Individuals pursuing the master鈥檚 degree program will gain skills in understanding and using research and data-based decision-making.聽 They will complete action research projects that enable them to study the effectiveness of the programs they conduct.
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About 91吃瓜
CSU Channel Islands(CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI鈥檚 strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master鈥檚 degrees.聽Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more by visiting聽CI's Social Media.