Educator Resources

Special Education Teaching Assignments and Certification

The following table shows the certification required for various types of special education teaching assignments. The types of teaching assignments are described on the Continuum of Special Education Services for School-Age Students with Disabilities webpage. Certification requirements are available on the Search Certification Requirements webpage.

Effective July 1, 2021, all special education teachers who teach one or more subject areas in a special class (self-contained class) in grades 7-12, with some or no students under alternate assessment, must either:

Please note that teachers who hold any of the special education certificates listed in the following table can teach students who are under alternate assessment at any grade level.

For questions about teaching assignments that are not answered in the following table, please contact the Office of Special Education at speced@nysed.gov. For questions about certification requirements, please contact the Office of Teaching Initiatives at tcert@nysed.gov.  

A printable version can be found at: Special education teaching assignment by certificatePDF file

Special Education Certification

Special Education Teaching Assignment:

Preschool Itinerant Teacher

Consultant Teacher, Resource Room Teacher, Integrated Co-Teacher

Special Class Teacher – Some or No Students Under Alternate Assessment

Special Class Teacher – All Students Under Alternate Assessment

SWD (Birth-Grade 2) only

Yes

Birth-Grade 2

Birth-Grade 2

All grades

SWD (Birth-Grade 2)

  • with SWD grade-level extension (Grades 3-4)

Yes

Birth-Grade 4

Birth-Grade 4

All grades

SWD (Grades 1-6) only

No

Grades 1-6

Grades 1-6

All grades

SWD (Grades 1-6)

  • with SWD grade-level extension (PK-K)

Yes

PK-Grade 6

PK-Grade 6

All grades

SWD (Grades 1-6)

  • with SWD grade-level extension (Grades 7-8)

No

Grades 1-8

Grades 1-6

All grades

SWD (Grades 5-9) Generalist only

No

Grades 5-9

Grades 5-6

All grades

SWD (Grades 5-9) Generalist

  • with SWD grade-level extension (Grades 10-12)

No

Grades 5-12

Grades 5-6

All grades

SWD (Grades 5-9) Generalist

  • with a certificate or extension in grades 5-9 and in the subject area to be taught

No

Grades 5-9

  • Grades 5-6
  • Grades 7-9 in the subject area of the certificate held

All grades

SWD (Grades 5-9) Generalist

  • With a limited extension or statement of continued eligibility (SOCE) in grades 7-12 and in the subject area to be taught (only valid in a special class)

No

Grades 5-9

  • Grades 5-6
  • Grades 7-12 in the subject area of the certificate held

All grades

SWD (Grades 5-9) Content Specialist only

No

Grades 5-9

  • Grades 5-6
  • Grades 7-9 in the subject area of the content specialty

All grades

SWD (Grades 5-9) Content Specialist

  • With SWD grade-level extension (Grades 10-12)

No

Grades 5-12

  • Grades 5-6
  • Grades 7-12 in the subject area of the content specialty

All grades

SWD (Grades 5-9) Content Specialist

  • With a limited extension or statement of continued eligibility (SOCE) in grades 7-12 and in the subject area to be taught (only valid in a special class)

No

Grades 5-9

  • Grades 5-6
  • Grades 7-9 in the subject area of content specialty
  • Grades 7-12 in the subject area of the certificate held

All grades

SWD Generalist (Grades 7-12) only

No

Grades 7-12

Not eligible; does not hold content area certification

All grades

SWD Generalist (Grades 7-12)

  • With SWD grade-level extension (Grades 5-6)

No

Grades 5-12

Grades 5-6

All grades

SWD Generalist (Grades 7-12)

  • With a certificate, extension, limited extension, or statement of continued eligibility (SOCE) in grades 7-12 and in the subject area to be taught

No

Grades 7-12

Grades 7-12 in the subject area of the certificate held

All grades

SWD (Grades 7-12) Content Specialist only

No

Grades 7-12

Grades 7-12 in the subject area of the content specialty

All grades

SWD (Grades 7-12) Content Specialist

  • With SWD grade-level extension (Grades 5-6)

No

Grades 5-12

  • Grades 5-6
  • Grades 7-12 in the subject area of the content specialty

All grades

SWD (Grades 7-12) Content Specialist

  • With a limited extension or statement of continued eligibility (SOCE) in grades 7-12 and in the subject area to be taught

No

Grades 7-12

  • Grades 7-12 in the subject area of the content specialty
  • Grades 7-12 in the subject area of certificate held

All grades

SWD (All Grades) or Permanent Special Education only

Yes

PreKindergarten-Grade 12

PreKindergarten-Grade 6

All grades

SWD (All Grades) or Permanent Special Education

  • With a certificate, extension, limited extension, or statement of continued eligibility (SOCE) in grades 7-12 and in the subject area to be taught

Yes

PreKindergarten-Grade 12

  • PreKindergarten-Grade 6
  • Grades 7-12 in the subject area of certificate held

 All grades

Severe or Multiple Disabilities Annotation

Special education teachers who hold the Severe or Multiple Disabilities Annotation can teach a special class where all students are under alternate assessment and all students have severe cognitive disabilities. Students can be at any developmental level (birth-grade 12).


Last Updated: October 26, 2023