Are you a special education professional working in Utah? The recent updates from the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) regarding LEA-Specific Licensing are crucial for you to understand. These changes impact various roles within the special education framework, from preschool educators to school psychologists. Let’s break down the key points in an easy-to-read format.
Effected License Areas
The changes affect the following areas:
- Special Education (K-12)
- Preschool Special Education
- School Social Worker
- School Psychologist
- Deaf Education
- Audiologist
- Speech Language Pathologist
- Speech Language Therapist
Changes Effective Immediately
There are significant changes that have taken effect immediately:
- LEA-Specific Licenses are no longer allowed.
- Educators can work for only three years without obtaining a Professional License.
Requirements for Associate Educator License (AEL)
To qualify for an Associate Educator License, the following are required:
- Bachelor’s Degree
- State Approved Exam, where required
- Program Enrollment or Department of Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL)
License Area Exam and Program Enrollment
Specific requirements vary by role:
- Audiologist: No exam required; must enroll in a Utah University-Based Educator Preparation Program (EPP).
- Deaf Education: Praxis 5272 exam; enroll in a Utah University-Based EPP or a Regionally Accredited EPP.
- Preschool Special Education: Praxis 5691 exam; multiple enrollment options including Utah University-Based EPP, USBE APPEL-SpEd, or a Regionally Accredited EPP.
- School Psychologist: Praxis 5402 exam; must enroll in a Utah University-Based EPP.
- School Social Worker: No educator license required; must enroll in a Utah University-Based EPP or DOPL CSW/LCSW.
- Special Education (K-12): Multiple Praxis exams (5001, 5354, or 5543); multiple enrollment options including Utah University-Based EPP, USBE APPEL-SpEd, or a Regionally Accredited EPP.
- Speech Language Pathologist: No exam required; must enroll in a Utah University-Based EPP.
- Speech Language Therapist: No exam required; must enroll in the USBE SLT Program.
Funding and Salary Adjustments
To qualify for funding through the Educator Salary Adjustment (ESA) and Professional Staff Costs (PSC), specific conditions must be met:
- ESA: Requires an educator license and assignment and license must be requested in CACTUS by October 15th.
- PSC: Requires the educator to be qualified for assignment and have a Bachelor’s degree.
IEP Management and Special Education Training
Depending on the qualifications, educators may or may not be able to sign the IEP as the Licensed Special Educator:
- With a Bachelor’s degree and Praxis exam, educators can manage IEPs and qualify for ESA but not PSC.
- Without a Bachelor’s degree but with Praxis, educators need a mentor to manage IEPs and only qualify for ESA.
- Without both Bachelor’s and Praxis, educators also need a mentor and only qualify for ESA.
Special education training is required through USBE SpEd Law Training for those without a Bachelor’s degree.
LEA-Specific License Renewals
LEA-Specific License renewals must be approved by the USBE Board and entered in CACTUS by October 15th. Status can be checked in the Dossier.
For more information, please follow this link.
