Comprehensive K-12 Program Information

UT - Personal Learning at Your Speed (PLAYS) - Special Education Comprehensive K-12 Program aims to address the shortage of highly qualified special education teachers in Tennessee by providing an accessible program by which current teachers can concurrently become fluent in special education content and pedagogy and add a Special Education Comprehensive K-12 (461) endorsement to their current Tennessee educator’s license. 

If you would like to teach in a Comprehensive K-12 setting now, UT-PLAYS Special Education provides an opportunity to receive a Provisional Special Education Comprehensive K-12 Endorsement (Endorsement Code 195) while completing our online program. 

Program Timeline

Start now. Finish by June 30, 2024. Coursework can be completed in approximately 100 clock-hours. On your own time and at your own pace. 

Course Materials

All course materials will be provided to candidates at no cost. The costs are funded by the Tennessee Department of Education. 

Teaching With a Comprehensive K-12 License

In TN, a Comprehensive K-12 license allows educators to teach in special education positions working with students with "low-incidence" disabilities. Low-incidence is a general term used to describe disabilities that occur in low numbers within a general population. Some examples of low-incidence disabilities include:

• Intellectual disability 

• Multiple disabilities 

• Orthopedic impairments 

More About Low-Incidence Disabilities

AT UT-PLAYS, we are committed to postsecondary success for ALL students. With high expectations for learning, proper supports, and appropriate adaptations or modifications, ALL students can succeed in the general curriculum. By actively participating in the UT-PLAYS Special Education Comprehensive K-12 program, you will learn about evidence-based-, research-based-, and high-leverage practices for teaching and assessing students with moderate to severe cognitive disabilities. You will learn how to properly support access to the general curriculum. Additionally, you will learn about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004  and how this law applies to teaching students with moderate to severe disabilities, including writing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and the concepts of Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) and the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). In short, we will prepare you to teach (and learn from!) individuals with moderate to severe disabilities. 

License Exam Requirements

Currently, TDOE requires the following two Praxis Exams to meet license requirements for Comprehensive K-12 Special Education:

• Praxis 5545 Special Education: Core Knowledge and Severe to Profound Applications AND

• Praxis 5205 Teaching Reading: Elementary 

Please note, licensing requirements are subject to change and you should always consult the TN Praxis website for the most up to date information. If you have questions regarding Praxis requirements related to any tests you have taken in the past, please reach out to Educator Licensure.