Education · 1 of 5
The path
A bachelor's degree, a supervised teaching placement, state exams, then a state license.
- 1
High school diploma
Grade 12
Nothing specific required. Volunteering with children, especially disabled children, is the thing that will actually tell you whether you want this.
- 2
Bachelor's degree with a teacher preparation program
4 years
Either a special education major, or a subject major plus an approved preparation program. It must be an approved program in the state where you want the license.
- 3
Student teaching
One semester
A full semester in a real classroom under a mentor teacher, unpaid, and effectively a long job interview.
- 4
Pass your state exams
Final year
Most states use the Praxis series, including Special Education: Foundational Knowledge, plus a basic skills test and sometimes a subject test.
- 5
Apply for your state license
Weeks to months
Background check, fingerprints, transcripts and exam scores. Then you can be hired into a public school classroom.