Director of Special Education Endorsement for School Administrators: What It Is and How It Can Advance Your Career
The Director of Special Education Endorsement is an add-on endorsement for individuals with a current school administrative license who want to become a director of special education for a school district. It is not a degree, but an additional endorsement you can add to your current administrative license after completing the required coursework. The National College of Education at National Louis University offers coursework that leads to the Director of Special Education endorsement.
What Is a Director of Special Education Endorsement?
In Illinois, individuals can earn this endorsement while pursuing an administrative endorsement for their Professional Educator License. Most special education directors hold a Learning Behavior Specialist I (LBS1) endorsement and have received additional special education training while teaching. This endorsement typically requires 21 semester hours of coursework that can count toward requirements for special education administrative roles. The required coursework covers a variety of special education topics.
Tational Louis University's National College of Education offers the Director of Special Education endorsement, along with many other endorsement and non-degree programs for licensed educators. This is another high-need area in Illinois for school and district administrators. The coursework for this special endorsement can be used to complete a degree program or to earn the endorsement as a standalone credential.
Why Pursue a Director of Special Education Endorsement?
The Director of Special Education endorsement is needed in school districts because there are too few individuals in this role, and special education administrative roles of this nature are in high demand within the state and, most importantly, in K-12 schools across the nation. Therefore, we encourage school and district administrators to pursue this special endorsement to lead programs and services that serve students with disabilities in K-12 school settings, especially when they have a background or desire to serve students with disabilities in special education programs.
Many Special Education teachers want to move up to the role of Administrator at the District Level and need the Director of Special Education endorsement to apply for those positions, rather than returning to the classroom or remaining as Building-Level Administrators.
In essence, the Director of Special Education programs in schools is one of the highest-paid leadership roles in schools. Program Directors of Special Education work in school districts and manage programs for students with special needs, as well as oversee compliance with federal special education laws (IDEA) and state special education laws. In many school districts, the director of special education role is considered one of the highest-paying administrator positions. positions
Key Questions About This Endorsement
Do I need an administrative license to pursue this endorsement?
A director of special education is typically an administrator who has already completed an administrative endorsement on their Professional Educator License (unless applying for a special administrative license concurrently).
How much coursework does this endorsement typically require?
In Illinois, Director of Special Education candidates complete 21 semester hours of special education coursework. Most of the coursework is given in a cross-categorical special education methods class. The remaining hours cover topics like assistive technology, the least restrictive environment, and strategies for collaboration with families and other school teams.
Do I need prior special education teaching experience?
Some prior special education teaching experience can be applied to the Director of Special Education Endorsement, depending on whether the candidate already holds a Learning Behavior Specialist I (LBS1) endorsement or has equivalent special education teaching experience. In this case, some prior coursework can transfer, reducing the additional coursework the candidate would need to complete the requirements for the Director of Special Education Endorsement.
How is the endorsement actually granted?
Finally, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) grants the Director of Special Education (DS) Endorsement. The candidate applies for the endorsement after completing all requirements (coursework, deficiency removal, etc.). The State of Illinois then determines whether the requirements have been met and grants the endorsement.
Career Impact
This endorsement makes you eligible for the position of Director of Special Education at the district level. As mentioned above, this is one of the most specialized positions in K-12 education and,d as a result, one of the positions with the greatest need. As a result, the state and other national organizations report educator shortages, including in special education administrative positions. These positions are frequently identified as a high-need area; thus, individuals who complete this endorsement will find strong job availability and, in many cases, compensation at the upper end of the scale for this type of administrative position.
The Director of Special Education Endorsement is also an excellent way for School Administrators to work in a variety of positions in school districts, i.e., Assistant Director of Special Education, Coordinator of Special Education, etc. In many of these roles, administrators work in the district's central office and are responsible for compliance and individualized education program (IEP) issues across the district.
Director of Special Education Endorsement at National Louis University
National Louis University offers the Director of Special Education endorsement through its National College of Education as part of its endorsement and certificate programs for currently licensed educators. Educators can use the coursework for this high-need area of special education leadership to earn either a standalone endorsement or a degree with this endorsement.
