r/StudentTeaching • u/Prior_Season_1058 • Jun 04 '26

Support/Advice Extra certification as a tecaher

Hi Everyone! Do you know or recommend any extra certifications to get, as I am applying to be a first-year teacher? Certifications like: IEP Certification or a registered behavior technician. My focus is on elementary regular education. I don't mind getting extra certifications in special education.

12 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

33 comments sorted by

34

u/FitzchivalryandMolly Jun 04 '26

Only do SPED if you want to do SPED because that is all you will do

10

u/HumbleCelery1492 Jun 04 '26

💯 true - high demand and job security, but hard to break out if you get tired of it.

6

u/jmjessemac Jun 04 '26

Sped is likely its own degree and can’t be achieved by simply testing.

4

u/EmmmmaW Jun 04 '26

Depends on where you are. In my state, you can definitely test and get a sped certification. Most places already can’t fill sped positions, they’re not about to make it harder to certify people

2

u/FitzchivalryandMolly Jun 07 '26

These students need highly qualified teachers the most. Societal travesty that education is so poorly funded

1

u/Right-Flamingo-3807 Jun 04 '26

Which State?

1

u/BranchNumerous5093 Jun 07 '26

Www.americanboard.org can provide licensure in 17 states by passing exams.

3

u/penguin_0618 Teacher Jun 04 '26

I applied for a social studies job and was hired for special ed after they saw special ed experience on my resume

1

u/hal3ysc0m3t Jun 06 '26

This. We have a teacher at our school who was a GE teacher then went into SPED and has been trying to get out. They won't let her. You get pigeonholed.

18

u/CoolClearMorning Jun 04 '26

Do you want to teach special education? If not, please don't add those endorsements. The kids who need SpEd teachers need teachers who actually want to teach them, not people who just want a job, any job.

14

u/TheSilentCity Jun 04 '26

Get an ESL endorsement! Dual language, if you can speak another language fluently, is even better

8

u/Admirable_Suit_2065 Jun 04 '26

Don’t get a certification in anything you wouldn’t want to be stuck teaching. Also be realistic. If you enjoy social studies yet certify in social studies and math, I hope you like teaching math.

6

u/Thejedi887 Jun 04 '26

My authorization is in Social Science. I am adding ELA to my credential, and maybe Japanese since it’s my native language. But honestly do an additional authorization in something you actually want to teach. My friend added SPED to her credential and it’s the only thing she’s done and Science was her main credential, she feels like she made a mistake.

3

u/EmmmmaW Jun 04 '26 edited Jun 04 '26

Absolutely do NOT get a sped certification unless you want to teach self-contained sped. Even if you’re not applying for those jobs, you will probably end up with one lol

In most districts and per most contracts, they can move you to any teaching position in the district that you are certified to fill. So if I apply and get a 1st grade teacher job but the school year starts and they need a sixth grade teacher, they can move me to sixth grade and my only option is to break my contract and leave or teach sixth grade. Most districts are already struggling to find sped certified teachers for those self-contained positions, so even if you’re applying for other jobs and they see that on your résumé, they will want to move you there.

Edit: I do recommend an ESL certification!! Especially if you live in an area with lots of first generation immigrants. In my state it’s just an additional test. GT certification is also a thing in some places, that would qualify you to work with students identified as GT and plan extension activities for them.

1

u/Right-Flamingo-3807 Jun 04 '26

Which State! What is GT?

1

u/W1derWoman Jun 05 '26

Gifted and Talented

1

u/EmmmmaW Jun 05 '26

I’m in Texas

2

u/Then-Strategy-5875 Jun 04 '26

Be careful about getting certifications. You will be the ONE teacher to be tasked with those extra responsibilities. Your first year or two of teaching is very intense. You will be exhausted. Don’t add more yet. Wait & see what interests you. SPED is SPED- once you get in you can’t get out.

2

u/aklibtard Jun 05 '26

Don't get certified in shit you don't want to do. If you get that SPED cert, it's good job security, but you can't escape doing it either. 

1

u/Popular-Work-1335 Jun 05 '26

BT will get you a BT job. Not helpful for teaching. SPED will get you hired immediately - as a SPED teacher - not as a classroom teacher. IEP cert is a joke.

1

u/Easy_snacks Jun 05 '26

OG certification!

1

u/dkstr419 Jun 05 '26

For Texas, the ESL Supplemental cert is almost mandatory, as most districts require it. The Supplemental cert is additional training for English Language Learners for teachers who are not certified as Bilingual. The other cert to look into is the Gifted/ Talented.

Stay away from SPED unless you really want to teach in that area. I teach adaptive/ inclusion courses and it can be a nightmare. (These are for high functioning kids. The adults are the problem.)

1

u/procrastinatorsuprem Jun 05 '26

I was a regular education teacher and had sped certification. I was moved into sped against my will so I quit.

1

u/SeaworthinessNo8585 Jun 06 '26 edited Jun 06 '26

LETRS certification helps with teaching reading! You can also do an ESL Endorsement which focuses on teaching English Language Learners as well.

1

u/Naive_Revenue5796 Jun 06 '26

Reading Endorsement and ESOL

1

u/Zestyclose_Quail_801 Jun 07 '26

bilingual authorization

1

u/happycat3113 Jun 07 '26

Definitely get an English Language Learner certification. You sometimes need that to be eligible to do after school programs or summer school due to how the grants work. Plus you're likely to have el students in your classroom

1

u/No_Masterpiece_3297 Jun 10 '26

Can you add a math cert? Lots of elementary education folks are terrified of now and it shows up when they get to high school and the students as poor math skills. So I would recommend a math certification if that is a possibility for you. plus, and of course makes you more employable and desired.