South Dakota Special Education Certification & Requirements

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Special Education in South Dakota

South Dakota employs nearly 900 special education students to serve its 156 school districts. According to the U.S. Department of Education, 14 percent of South Dakota students have disabilities, above the national average of 13 percent. Education Week reports that the U.S. Department of Education has given this state its highest rating, “Meets Requirements,” in regard to delivery of special education services. The South Dakota Department of Education (SDDE) establishes policies regarding the state’s public schools. Its Office of Special Education promotes collaboration among teachers, students, parents and others connected to the special education community.

Licensure Requirements

For Undergraduates

Teachers in South Dakota must have completed a teacher certification program from an accredited institution. Undergraduates can pursue a bachelor’s degree program that includes the coursework required for licensure.

For Graduates

Graduates can enter a teacher preparation program emphasizing the area in which they wish to teach. They can also earn a master’s degree or a doctorate in education or special education that includes the coursework necessary to certify them to teach in South Dakota schools. For more information, see the certification process page of the SDDE website. Educators with advanced degrees may be eligible for SDDE’s 10-year teaching license.

Types of Licenses

The SDDE’s guide to the certification process lists the teaching licenses it awards and the requirements for obtaining them. The standard license for new educators is Initial Certification, with either a five-year certificate or a one-year certificate. The Renewal Certification has one-year, five-year and 10-year options. Teachers already holding licenses can apply for additional endorsements and additional authorizations. To receive a Special Education Endorsement, certified teachers must pass the state special education teaching license exam and complete a special education practicum.

Reciprocity

Educators from outside the state or from other countries may qualify to teach in South Dakota. They must apply for Initial Certification by filling out the online initial application, and need to supply verification from their universities that they completed an accredited, approved teacher preparation program. Applicants from outside the United State must also prove legal alien status and demonstrate that their international academic credentials are recognized in the United States as equivalent to SDDE requirements.

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Special Education Degrees in South Dakota

The University of South Dakota School of Education features several programs to prepare special educators. If you choose to pursue a bachelor’s degree in elementary or secondary education, you can opt for double major program that adds special education to your course of study, simultaneously certifying you to teach in a general classroom and a special education classroom. Note that this is a five-year plan and includes student teaching. This university also offers master’s degrees in several areas of special education, but these programs do not include the coursework necessary for teacher certification in the state. The university is located in the small city of Vermillion, and has approximately 10,000 students. Black Hill State University offers bachelor’s degrees in early childhood/special education and K-12 special education. Teachers already holding licenses can choose from several courses of study leading to endorsements. Classes are held at the Spearfish campus, an area with a rich Native American history situated at the base of the Black Hills. Dakota Wesleyan University, located in Mitchell, has a teacher preparation program in K-12 Special Education, as well as endorsement programs in K-12 Special Education, 7-12 Special Education and K-8 Special Education.

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

Alternatives to Certification

The SDDE has very limited options for alternative certification. Elementary educators cannot use this option, though secondary educators may be eligible for alternative certification if they have a bachelor’s degree or five years of experience in the area in which they wish to teach. The process begins with candidates receiving a job offer from an accredited school; they must then apply for the Alternative Route to Certification Program. Teachers in this program must complete courses and pass pedagogical and subject mastery tests to earn a five-year certificate. In addition, Teach for America places corps members in South Dakota, focusing on serving the state’s Lakota population.

Special Education Teaching Jobs in South Dakota

Public schools

Associated School Boards of South Dakota’s Teacher Placement Center serves as the primary resource for educators seeking public school jobs in South Dakota. For an alphabetical list of school districts in South Dakota, including links to each district’s webpage, visit the State of South Dakota K-12 Data Center.

Private schools

DakotAbilities in Sioux Falls offers a day program, vocational training and a number of other services for those with disabilities.

Other programs

With branches in Sioux Falls and Rapid City, Children’s Care Hospital and School provides individualized care for children with special needs, ages birth through 21.

Professional Development

The University of South Dakota’s Professional Development Center (PDC) features a unique program that pairs veteran teachers with pre-service or new teachers. Both parties can earn credits toward degrees or professional development requirements, as well as gain professional experience.
The SDDE keeps a list of state and national professional development opportunities of interest to general and special educators.
At the University of Sioux Falls, current teachers can pursue workshops on campus or online that allow them to earn credits toward academic or professional goals.

South Dakota’s Special Educator Professional Groups

The state teacher’s union, the South Dakota Education Association (SDEA), is open to those working in South Dakota’s public schools, colleges and universities.

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South Dakota Special Education Bloggers

Rapid City Journal: The online edition of this newspaper covers educational policy in Rapid City as well as in South Dakota as a whole.
Wings for Life: This project of South Dakota Kids Mental Health consists of grade-level newsletters about children’s emotional development and how it can inform the daily practices of teachers and family members.
Lakota Children’s Enrichment: This blog is run by a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting children and families in South Dakota’s Pine Ridge Reservation. Though not a special education blog, posts discusses the unique needs of families from one of the poorest regions in the United States.