Alternate Path to Professional Educator Licensure - Special Education (USBE APPEL-SpEd)

Welcome to APPEL-SpEd: USBE’s Alternate Path to Professional Educator Licensure for Special Education. Please note this program leads to licensure only–not a degree. This program is available to participants who already have:

• • A bachelor's degree
  • Sponsored by a Local Education Agency (LEA) committed to providing:
    • access to students receiving special education services,
    • administrator evaluations,
    • a qualified mentor, and
    • opportunities for depth and breadth in clinical experience

The task list below outlines the requirements to qualify for the SpEd Associate Educator License (AEL) and serves as the pre-requisites to begin the APPEL-SpEd program. Upon completion of the APPEL-SpEd program participants will be recommended for SpEd Professional Educator Licensure. (If you are working as a paraprofessional, you do not need an Associate License--specific details are below.) Your Associate Educator License is good for three academic years during which time you may be the Special Education teacher of record. You must finish all of the requirements during that time to receive your Professional educator license in Special Education.

If you have questions about the tasks below, feel free to book an appointment using the APPEL-SpEd Questions - book a 30 minute consultation. Links to an external site.

▸Create your Utah Educator Record  in the Utah Schools Information Management System (USIMS). Links to an external site. (SpEd AEL requirement and APPEL-SpEd pre-requisite)

• • • • Sign up for an account.
      • Provide a personal email address.
      • Check your email to retrieve the verification code.
      • Use verification code to continue setting up your profile, providing Personal Information, and looking up your information. 
      • Use the Personal Information button to retrieve your Cactus ID or educator identification number.  

▸ Double-check you know your CACTUS ID by creating a my.uen Links to an external site. account to use its CACTUS look-up tool if needed, OR by logging into your USIMS account at https://usims.schools.utah.gov Links to an external site.. (You may want store your CACTUS ID in your phone or other convenient location for easy referral.) (APPEL-SpEd recommendation) 

(Skip Task 2 if you already have your Utah Professional Educator License or Associate Educator License in another area)

▸ Successfully complete all USIMS Checklist Items (SpEd AEL requirement and APPEL-SpEd pre-requisite)

• • Log in to your USIMS account Links to an external site..
  • Answer Licensing Issues questions.
  • Request Criminal Background Review, if prompted. You will need to provide your social security number and your date of birth to complete this step.  Once requested, you will receive the instructions to complete fingerprinting; these instructions may be revisited by clicking on Criminal Background Review.  Once fingerprints are received, it can take 2-12 weeks to complete the background review depending on your background history.
  • Complete Educator Ethics Review.
  • You may log in to your USIMS account at any time to review these items.

▸ Complete Educator Licensing Pedagogical Modules in Canvas (SpEd AEL requirement)

• • • • Complete four modules. Use the e-mail address of your CACTUS record for your log-in ID.  https://usbe.instructure.com/register and using the "I'm a Student" option, and use the following join code: KBCND4
        NOTE: If you already have a Canvas account, then log-in to Canvas and the go to this URL: https://usbe.instructure.com/enroll/KBCND4 

NOTE: the Educator Licensing Pedagogical Modules are not required for anyone with a Utah Associate or Professional teaching license area of concentration in Elementary Education, Secondary Education, Preschool Special Education, or Early Childhood.

▸ Supply official transcripts to USBE (SpEd AEL requirement and APPEL-SpEd pre-requisite)

• • Applicant must hold a bachelor's degree or higher
  • Send all transcripts from all attended institutions electronically to transcripts@schools.utah.gov

▸  Apply to the APPEL-SpEd Program (APPEL-SpEd requirement)

• • • • Find an LEA willing to sponsor your enrollment and progression through the APPEL-SpEd program. 
      • Request provisional acceptance to the APPEL-SpEd preparation program to generate a Statement of Assurances for APPEL-SpEd https://forms.gle/a33CS4y8YVwR2QCcA Links to an external site. 

      • Once the form is submitted, it usually takes 2-3 business days to process and prepare the Statement of Assurances. This document is then emailed to the applicant, administrators, and human resource director for signatures. After every required individual signs the Statement of Assurances verifying sponsorship, you will receive an enrollment letter into the APPEL-SpEd Program.

        •  Applicant must have access to students receiving special education services.

▸ Demonstrate USBE's Minimum Special Education Content Competencies (SpEd AEL requirement)

• • USBE has designed multiple pathways to ensure all Special Education teachers have the preparation, knowledge, and skills necessary to provide a free and appropriate education for all students. All educators working toward an associate educator license in Special Education (K-12) or Preschool Special Education need to complete ONE of the options listed below. If you are working as a para, you do not need an associate license, but we do require you to complete one of the designated options below matching the area in which you are seeking licensure. The recommended option is marked with a red asterisk. USBE tracks progress and completion of an educator's chosen pathway within the modules. 

• • • • Preschool Special Education (Birth-Age5)

* Option #1: Complete the Preschool Preparation Program Course here

Option #2: Pass Praxis 5692 Special Education: Early Childhood/Early Intervention (4 hour assessment)

• • • • Special Education (K-12+) Mild/Moderate and/or Severe

* Option #1: DirectSTEP Training  (recommended)

Option #2: USBE Running Start (only offered in the summer)

Option #3: Proof of Equivalency (instructions available in Canvas)

Option #4: Pass Praxis 5355 Special Education: Foundational Knowledge (4 hour assessment)

Option #5:  Pass Praxis 5543 Special Education: Core Knowledge & Mild/Moderate Applications (4 hour assessment)

Option #6: Pass Praxis 5547 Special Education: Severe to Profound Applications (4 hour assessment)

▸ After selecting an option, please see the canvas course for the Minimum Special Education Content Competencies for further information:  

https://usbe.instructure.com/enroll/7AB88B. Alternatively, you can sign up at https://usbe.instructure.com/register and use the following join code: 7AB88B

▸ Complete the Special Education Law Training course through MIDAS (SpEd AEL requirement)

• • Create MIDAS account Links to an external site. and register for MIDAS 59403  (Use the e-mail address of your CACTUS record for your log-in ID.)
    • Complete USBE SpEd Law Training Links to an external site. at 80% or better on each assignment (Use the e-mail address of your CACTUS record for your log-in ID.)

NOTE: if you have a recent Special Education Law course with a C or better on your University transcript, you do not need the SpEd Law Training course.

▸  Prepare to submit the Associate Educator License application (SpEd AEL requirement and APPEL-SpEd pre-requisite)

• • Gather documents needed for the AEL application:
    
    • Copy of Educator Licensing Pedagogical Modules completion (task 3)
    • Copy of Enrollment Letter into the APPEL-SpEd Program from APPEL-SpEd email (task 5- NOT Statement of Assurance Form)
    • Copy of completion for demonstration of USBE's Minimum Special Education Content Competency (task 6)
    • Copy of SpEd Law Training course completion (task 7)
  • Follow the instructions in the Status Letter email from the APPEL-SpEd Program to apply for your Associate Educator License.

If you are working as a SpEd paraprofessional, you do not need a SpEd teaching position to move forward nor do you need an Associate SpEd License (AEL). If a paraprofessional chooses to apply for an AEL, please note the 3 year timeline starts when the AEL is awarded. This may be a problem in future employment.

▸ Apply for and be awarded an Associate license:

• • Special Education (K-12+) with Mild/Moderate Disabilities OR
  • Special Education (K-12+)  with Severe Disabilities OR
  • Preschool Special Education (Birth-Age5)

• • • Your AEL application will go directly to USBE’s Licensing Department. This is a separate department from APPEL-SpEd. You will receive an email notification when the USBE Licensing Department has processed your application. Please allow approximately 4-6 weeks to process your application.

▸Complete the APPEL-SpEd Program after receiving your AEL  (APPEL-SpEd requirement)

• • Receive custom Professional Learning Plan (PLP) derived by the APPEL-SpEd team
  • Complete the requisite coursework and required assessments
  • Work with a USBE approved LEA assigned mentor
  • Track Clinical Experience Hours

Professional Learning Plan (PLP) is derived by the USBE APPEL-SpEd team from USBE APPEL-SpEd framework and applicant should continue making adequate and regular progress toward completion, and continuing in a related special education assignment.

REMINDER: USBE APPEL-SpEd is a licensure-only program and not a degree-granting program.

Completing the requirements for your Professional Educator License could take up to three years depending on previous credentials.