School of Education
DEPARTMENTSPlanning for Graduate Study
Director of Special Education
This program is offered through the School of Education’s Leadership, Policy and Administration Department in cooperation with the Special Education Department. This competency-based licensure program begins with a skills and experience assessment and leads to the evaluation of competencies through coursework, portfolio completion and other means of valid documentation.
A program committee, consisting of St. Thomas faculty and a current director of special education, advises you throughout the program. Since this program is jointly sponsored by the both departments, incoming students should note that they will be co-advised by both departments. New or potential students should schedule a meeting with special education advisors in both the departments before enrolling in any coursework.
Portfolio for Director of Special Education
Each candidate for licensure for the Director of Special Education is asked to document the attainment of competencies through professional portfolios. Please note that two portfolios will ultimately be developed: one for the special education competencies and one for the leadership, policy and administration competencies. In special education, the portfolio is completed during the special education practicum. You are strongly advised to enroll in the leadership, policy and administration course that prepares you for building a professional portfolio.
The St. Thomas bookstore on the Minneapolis campus offers students a binder that can be used as the foundation for the portfolios in leadership, policy and administration and special education. The binder includes tabbed headings for the various areas of competencies.
Opening Pages of the Portfolio
For the special education portfolio, please open the portfolio with information outlined at Director of Special Education Portfolio: Opening Pages.
Description of Documentation
For the special education portfolio, please open each competency section with a listing and description of the documents that follow. Example: Description of Section Documentation.
Assessment of the Special Education Portfolio
The 200-hour director of special education practicum will culminate in a formal assessment of the special education portfolio conducted by both the St. Thomas adviser and the on-site practicum supervisor who is a licensed director of special education.
During the practicum experience, the licensure candidate will work with the special education adviser to build a viable, complete portfolio. The assessment meeting will be held at the candidate’s practicum site. It is the responsibility of the candidate to present the portfolio to their supervising director.
With the candidate present, the St. Thomas adviser and on-site director will evaluate the portfolio and sign the document titled, Assessment of Portfolio: Director of Special Education. This completed form will become part of your permanent record at St. Thomas. Following the assessment process, you will retain the portfolio.
