Special Education PK-12 Certification Pathways - Chester County Intermediate Unit 24

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Special Education PK-12 Certification Pathways

The Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) Talent Development Center offers three distinct pathways to help candidates
earn their PDE Instructional PK-12 Special Education Certification.

Why Choose CCIU

Flexibility: Complete coursework while continuing to work, with
pathways designed to fit your schedule. Course features hybrid
online learning and job-embedded projects.

Affordability: Cost-effective, graduate-level programs that reduce
financial barriers without sacrificing rigor. No need to pause your
career for student teaching.

Built for Growth: Gain hands-on experience and mentorship that
supports long-term success with options to earn graduate credits
towards a master's degree.

Personalized Support: Pathways tailored to your goals and your
district’s needs.

Who Should Apply?

Paraprofessionals
Instructional Aides/Assistants
Behavior Mentors
Personal Care Assistants
School-Based Professionals
Teachers working on an Emergency Permit or Experience-Based
Permit for Special Education
Teachers certified in other subject areas interested in an add-on
certificate in special education
Or anyone with a passion for teaching students and taking the first step toward a rewarding career in special education!

Apply now

teacher pointing to whiteboard while students in classroom sit and look

Pick Your Pathway

Explore our FAQs to help you decide whether the Experience-Based or Traditional Post-Baccalaureate pathway is the right fit
for you.

Please note: The Teacher Apprenticeship Pathway is available only to candidates referred by CCIU or participating grant
partner districts.

Experience-Based Pathway

Work full-time as a special education teacher under a Pennsylvania Department of Education Instructional Experience-Based Certificate while completing your PK-12 Instructional I Special Education Certification in just 10 months.

Earn While You Learn: Work full-time as a special education teacher while completing your certification in 10 months.
Job-Embedded Projects: Coursework connects directly to your current teaching responsibilities.
Ongoing Support: Receive weekly mentoring, monthly structured observations, and co-teaching opportunities.
Instructor-Guided Learning: Participate in five hours/month of live instruction with a dedicated CCIU advisor.
Comprehensive Content: Master 11 core modules including IEP development, literacy, diversity, and transition planning.
Flexible Delivery: Complete coursework virtually in a hybrid setting.
Real-World Readiness: Leave the program classroom-ready, legally certified, and experienced in special education practices.

Eligibility Requirements
Program Cost

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for the program, applicants must:

Hold a bachelor’s degree (any major) with a minimum 3.0 GPA
Be employed in a special education teaching position on a PDE Experience-Based (Intern) Certificate or Emergency Permit
Have passing scores on the following tests before the start of the school year: (Praxis 5511 – Fundamental Subjects: Content Knowledge, Praxis 5355 – Special Education: Foundational Knowledge)

Program Cost

A flexible, job-embedded option for experienced, emergency-certified or experience-based (intern) certified teachers.

Apply for the august cohort

Traditional Post-Baccalaureate Pathway

Designed as an alternative to traditional university programs, this hybrid post-baccalaureate certification pathway combines structured online coursework with required synchronous learning experiences and supervised field-based practice.

Flexible Online Format: Complete seven hybrid courses over 18 months.
Field-based Experience: Apply learning in real classrooms with support from certified educators. In the final semester,
participants engage in a 12-week student teaching placement
Competency-aligned Curriculum: Designed around PA’s PK-12 Special Education and PDE certification standards.
Affordable Tuition

Eligibility Requirements
Program Cost

Eligibility Requirements

Program Cost

A structured pathway ideal for candidates seeking a more traditional route to certification.

Apply for the august cohort

Teacher Apprenticeship Pathway

Built on CCIU’s PDE-approved post-baccalaureate certification program, the 21-credit apprenticeship pathway blends seven
online courses, on-the-job training, structured mentorship, and student teaching to prepare candidates to meet the needs of
diverse learners in special education classrooms.

Earn While You Learn: Stay employed in a support staff position, completing certification in two years.
Job-Embedded Learning: Apply coursework directly to
your school role.
Mentorship & Coaching: Regular support from certified
special education mentors and CCIU advisors.
Standards-Aligned: Based on PDE Special Education
PK-12 certification competencies.

Eligibility Requirements
Program Cost

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for the program, applicants must:

Hold a bachelor’s degree in any area
Be currently employed in support staff position such as educational assistant or paraprofessional roles

Participants must be employed by CCIU or referred by one of the following partner districts:

Avon Grove School District
Downingtown Area School District
Phoenixville Area School District
Tredyffrin/Easttown School District

Program Cost

An earn-while-you-learn model that blends on-the-job training, coursework, and mentorship. Available for approved school districts only.

Apply for the august cohort

Questions? Email: specialedcert@cciu.org.

In This Section

Pick Your Pathway

Experience-Based Pathway

Experience-Based Pathway

Eligibility Requirements

Program Cost

Traditional Post-Baccalaureate Pathway

Traditional Post-Baccalaureate Pathway

Eligibility Requirements

Program Cost

Teacher Apprenticeship Pathway

Teacher Apprenticeship Pathway

Eligibility Requirements

Program Cost

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