Maine Special Education Certification & Requirements

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Maine Special Education

The percentage of Maine’s students who have Individualized Education Programs is 15.6, markedly higher than the national average of 13 percent, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Maine is among the lowest-ranked states in terms of its ability to meet academic targets through its special education services, earning a “Needs Intervention” rating from the U.S. Department of Education. The state’s 662 public schools, which are divided into 246 school districts, employ nearly 2,000 special educators. Maine is also home to 145 private schools. The Maine Department of Education (DOE) oversees programs serving students with disabilities through its Office of Special Services.

Licensure Requirements

For Undergraduates

At the undergraduate level, you must complete a teacher preparation program to qualify for traditional initial licensure in Maine. This program can be part of a bachelor’s degree in education or special education, so long as that program meets all Maine DOE requirements for courses, examinations and fieldwork.

For Graduates

The typical path to initial licensure for Maine educators and special educators entails completing a teacher preparation program. Graduates can opt for a stand-alone program that results in certification and endorsements only, or pursue a course of study that awards a master’s or doctorate degree concurrently with certification.

Types of Licenses

New, qualified teachers are issued Initial Certification with Provisional (two-year) or Professional (five-year) status. After accruing teaching experience and meeting professional development criteria, teachers can apply for full certificate renewal. The Maine DOE also awards one-year Conditional, Transitional, Targeted Need and Provisional extensions in cases in which a candidate has additional testing, work experience or coursework to complete before earning a full, professional license.

Reciprocity

The Maine DOE asks candidates who trained in other states to send an official copy of their out-of-state teaching licenses along with the necessary materials for Maine Initial Licensure. If an applicant has passed comparable state-mandated exams in their out-of-state pathway to certification, the DOE does not require that person to take Maine pedagogical exams, only the Praxis II exam. Applicants who earned degrees, certificates or endorsements at foreign institutions must satisfy the same requirements as out-of-state educators. They must also submit official transcripts to an official foreign transcript evaluation service, which will analyze each course to determine if the candidate’s degrees and certificates are equivalent to those awarded in Maine.

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Special Education Teaching Programs in Maine

The Maine DOE has approved teacher preparation programs at a relatively small number of institutions within the state.The University of Maine at Farmington offered the first teacher preparation program in Maine and provides several options for those pursuing special education. The bachelor’s degree in special education allows students to choose between an endorsement for grades K-8 or grades 7-12. Students can also pursue a degree in early childhood special education focusing on birth to age 5 with one of two certifications; this program is also available as non-certification options.The coastal campus of the University of Maine at Machias has an environmental focus. Its Teacher Education department features a special education teacher endorsement program suited for students seeking full certification, current certificate holders seeking special education endorsements and undergraduate students seeking a special education minor or concentration.

For profiles of all the schools in Maine that offer master’s in special education programs, click here.

Alternatives to Certification

The Maine DOE does not offer any alternative certification programs.

Working in Special Education in Maine

Public schools

The ServingSchools website features listings of teaching and other educational jobs in Maine. Job seekers can also search the New England Association of Schools and Colleges’ alphabetized lists of Maine’s accredited elementary and middle schools and accredited secondary schools.

Private schools

The Maine DOE website provides a directory of approved private schools.

Other programs

The Maine Education Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and the Governor Baxter School for the Deaf serve students who are deaf and hard-of-hearing from birth through age 21 with a residential program, public school support services and other outreach programs.

Professional Development

The Maine DOE has created the Maine Professional Development Model to communicate its goals concerning teachers’ professional growth.Consult the DOE’s training calendar for the latest department-approved workshops and courses.
Maine-AIM provides trainings and other support services for educators working with accessible instructional materials and assistive technology.

Professional Groups for Maine Special Educators

The state teacher’s union, the Maine Education Association, is affiliated with the National Education Association and represents public educators, public school staff, retired teachers and students in Maine teacher preparation programs.
Educators, community advocates, people with disabilities and family members of children with disabilities comprise the membership of the Maine Developmental Disabilities Council. The organization sponsors projects and initiatives that support people with developmental disabilities.

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Maine Special Education Bloggers

Maine Learning Technology Initiative: Detailed posts review research and best practices in professional development for teacher of students with diverse educational needs.
From the Commissioner: The Maine DOE e-newsletter updates educators about conferences, professional development, changes in policy and noteworthy programs. The department also publishes the Maine DOE Monthly.
Ability Maine: This advocacy group’s blog reports and provides opinion pieces on current events, proposed legislation and new research in the area of disabilities.