Low Incidence
Endorsement ONLY
If you already hold a Master's degree or if you only want to add the Low Incidence Special Education Full Endorsement to your existing, valid teaching license, you will apply through the Graduate School for the Non-Degree Special Education (Low Incidence) program.
The requirements for earning the Low Incidence Special Education endorsement include:
Completion of 27 credit hours (see Program of Study below)
Completion of the Comprehensive Examination in SPED 849
Passing the Praxis 5547 Special Education: Severe to Profound
Entry GPA requirement is 3.0 on last 60 undergraduate hours. Candidates must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 throughout the program.
Most students can complete this program in 2-3 years. We highly recommend that you only take 2 courses or less per semester, based on your work and home obligations and needs. This program is designed to teach through practical application. As such, you will be required to observe in special education settings across grade levels (pre-K through 12th grade) and engage in case study applications of what you will be learning in courses with students with low incidence exceptionalities. All SPED courses also have face-to-face sessions hosted through Zoom.
Please note: If you have been hired to teach special education in the state of Kansas without having completed the coursework for a Full Endorsement, see Teaching on a Waiver and follow the course plan determined on your QPA Waiver Plan of Study.
Licensure Information:
The Low Incidence endorsement program is NOT a licensure program in the state of Kansas. If you want to teach Low Incidence Special Education, you will need to have an existing, initial valid teaching license. Completion of this program will grant you a Full Endorsement in Low Incidence Special Education (Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade). This full endorsement will then be added to your existing valid teaching license. If you plan to apply for the endorsement in a non-Kansas state, you will likely need to obtain an Institutional Verification Form from your state department of education. That form will need to be sent to Kerry Schuckman (kschuckm@fhsu.edu or fax 785-628-4447), FHSU Licensure Officer, for completion.
Graduate Course Credit:
If you already have graduate credit hours from another institution, contact your adviser to see if they will transfer. You will need to send FHSU Gradaute School an official transcript of your gradaute courses.
Non-Degree Special Education Low Incidence Program of Study
Start with these courses first (taken in any order):
SPED 804: Behavior Management in Schools/Practicum (3 hours)
SPED 808: Assessment in Low Incidence Special Education (3 hours)
SPED 842: Methods and Strategies in Low Incidence Special Education(3 hours)
Then take these courses next (taken in any order):
SPED 801: Legal and Professional Issues in Special Education (3 hours)
SPED 802: Theories of Exceptionalities and Diversity (3 hours)
SPED 860: Transition in Special Education: Early Childhood to Adulthood (3 hours)
Then take these courses next:
SPED 867: Collaboration and Consultation in Special Education (3 hours)
SPED 823: Autism Spectrum Disorder and Leadership
SPED 849: Practicum in Low Incidence Special Education (3 hours) [Prerequisites: SPED 801, SPED 802, SPED 804, SPED 808, SPED 842, SPED 860, SPED 823, SPED 867] Requires a Memorandum of Understanding