Unique Features
SCSU's Department of Special Education and the College of Education has several unique features and services to candidates for licensure and degrees. All students in the Department of Special Education document their mastery of the Minnesota Board of Teaching licensure requirements with the development of an electronic portfolio.
Special programs include the Portal Project with Anoka-Ramsey Community College, Coon Rapids campus, and the Autism Certificate Program to be offered as part of the Teacher Preparation Partnership with North Branch Public Schools. We also provide the Adaptive Technology and Assessment Center, the Praxis Center, a very active chapter of the Student Council for Exceptional Children, and a Summer Reading and Mathematics Camp.
Portfolio
The Minnesota Board of Teaching determines the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to become effective beginning special education teachers. Please go to either of these links for additional information: Undergraduate Programs or Graduate Programs. The SPED portfolio is based on these Board of Teaching Standards:
LD- http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/arule/8710/5700.html
EBD- http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/arule/8710/5600.html
DD- http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/arule/8710/5400.html
P/HD- http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/arule/8710/5800.html
It is recommended that students use eFolio Minnesota (http://efoliominnesota.com), a product of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities developed in partnership with state workforce and education organizations.
• To view a SPED Student Portfolio example: http://kristinaclem.efoliomn.com
• To view an example that contains all sections of the portfolio and serves as an example of how to set up your portfolio (not the content): http://davidrogers.efoliomn2.com
Portal Project
The Portal Project is a partnership between the College of Education at St. Cloud State University (SCSU) and Anoka Ramsey Community College (ARCC), Coon Rapids Campus offering a baccalaureate degree in special education. Although the project was designed originally for undergraduates, graduate students are also able to take evening courses that lead to special education licensure. Planning and recruiting efforts began in 2004, initial program offerings began on the ARRC-Coon Rapids campus fall semester of 2006, and full program implementation began during the fall semester of 2007.
A primary appeal of the project is that it fosters an SCSU College of Education presence in the suburban Twin Cities. The Coon Rapids location, in turn, potentially cultivates the ability of SCSU’s Special Education Department to recruit candidates of color into special education teaching degree programs. This project is also particularly appealing to special education program paraprofessionals who are pursuing both a baccalaureate degree and special education licensure because it provides them with an alternate route to licensure.
North Branch Teacher Preparation Partnership
During the 1998-99 year, an agreement was formalized between North Branch Schools, Cambridge Community College, and the College of Education at SCSU to form the Teacher Preparation Partnership. The most recent components of the TPP are the Autism Certificate Program and the LD Certificate Program.
- The Autism Certificate Program began during the summer of 2009. The remaining two courses in the program will be offered online during the spring and intersession of 2010. The Autism Certificate program does not lead to licensure.
- The LD Certificate Program is being offered collaborativelly with Minnesota State University-Moorhead. The program began during the summer of 2009 and the final course and practicum are scheduled for the summer of 2011.
Adaptive Technology and Assessment Center (ATAC)
Candidates enjoy access to the most current adaptive technology and assessment materials at St. Cloud State. The Special Education Department maintains a laboratory with 10 computers to serve both undergraduate and graduate candidates. The ATAC includes one of the finest collections of high- and low-tech adaptive equipment in the Midwestern U.S.A. We update assessment materials (tests, checklists, scoring programs) each semester.
Praxis Center
In order to attain teaching licensure in Minnesota, candidates must pass the Praxis I (Pre Professional Skills Test) and Praxis II. Candidates in the special education program are eligible for services from trained professionals in the Praxis Center to assist them in passing these examinations.
Student Council for Exceptional Children
St. Cloud State boasts one of the most active SCSC Chapters in the region (http://www.stcloudstate.edu/sped/cec.asp). The Student Council for Exceptional Children is the student arm of the Council for Exceptional Children, the premier professional organization of special education teachers. Each year the SCSC organizes a professional conference. Through this conference, candidates meet many in-service teachers, principals, and directors of special education. Most years, interested SCEC members raise money and attend the national CEC convention, a wonderful professional development and national networking opportunity. Students in the past few years have traveled to Seattle and New Orleans.
Summer Reading and Mathematics Camp
In collaboration with the Sauk Rapids Rice School District, the Department of Special Education at St. Cloud State University conducts a large remedial summer program in reading, writing, and math with over 200 children in grades K-8. The summer camp is designed around two primary purposes. First, it provides an opportunity for eligible SCSU graduate candidates to complete practica (the graduate equivalent of student teaching). Second, the camp is designed to improve the performance of elementary and secondary students experiencing reading and mathematics difficulties.
