ESU Students Part of First Department of Education Cohort Complete Accelerated Special Educator Certification Program

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) announced that the first-ever cohort of the Accelerated Special Educator Certification program has completed coursework to become special educators in the Commonwealth. Seventeen East Stroudsburg University students were among the 142 students from 14 colleges and universities to successfully complete the program work funded through a grant.

“Like many other states across the nation, Pennsylvania has been facing an educator workforce shortage—with a particularly critical need to fill thousands of special educator vacancies,” said Interim Acting Secretary Angela Fitterer. “Special educators play an essential role in the lives of their students and families, and this cohort of new teachers will make a lasting impact in classrooms across the Commonwealth for years to come.”

In 2023 the PDE awarded $1.5 million in grant money to colleges and universities with approved PK-12 special education certification programs to partner with at least one school district, approved private school, career and technical center, charter school, cyber charter school, or intermediate unit to provide bachelor’s degrees holders with summer field experiences, mentoring by experienced special educators during the school year, and deliver a post-baccalaureate program for PK-12 special education teacher certification within 18 months. Programs offered most of the coursework during summer 2023 and summer 2024; provided a combination of in-person and virtual options for flexibility and support to the accelerated program participants working full-time; and ensured a minimum of 12 weeks of student teaching.

“Through this PDE grant, ESU received $100,000 to help expedite the process of becoming a certified special educator,” said Gina Scala, Ed.D., professor and department chair of special education. “The objective of this grant falls in line with many initiatives ESU’s College of Education is already doing to help alleviate the teacher shortage in our region, and we were delighted to see so many current teachers interested in expanding their credentials to include special education.”

“My experience in the Accelerated Program for Teaching Certification in Special Education was both enriching and successful. The professors were not only knowledgeable but also incredibly supportive and kind, creating a learning environment that inspired me to grow,” said Niloofar P. Aflatooni, who is a teacher at Forks Elementary School in the Easton Area School District. “I particularly loved the ‘Teaching Reading to Students with Disabilities’ course, which taught me innovative and engaging strategies to help my students develop their reading skills. I often revisit my notes to reinforce what I’ve learned. Courses like Assistive Technology and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) were especially impactful, as they provided practical skills I now use in my classroom.” Aflatooni credits the program and the coursework for building lasting relationships with the faculty in ESU’s college of education, who continue to offer their guidance. “My adviser, Dr. Scala, and her team offered exceptional support and always ensured I had the right courses at the right time. Their unwavering dedication—day and night, through every season—played a pivotal role in my success.”

ESU is the only educator preparation program in Northeast PA recognized by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, has programs that have achieved “gold- standards” nationally, and has a School University Partnership, meaning education majors are working with partnering school districts to gain field experience for several years before they even begin their traditional student teaching. ESU has been working closely with area school districts to address the need for teachers including creating post-baccalaureate opportunities such as this accelerated Special Educator Certification program.

For more information about the PDE grant, visit pa.gov/agencies/education/newsroom. For more information about ESU’s College of Education, visit esu.edu/college_education

Search

Recent Posts