Rule 505-3-.98 - Special Education Deaf Education Endorsement(1)Purpose. This rule states field-specific content standards for approving endorsement programs that prepare teachers to teach students who are deaf or hard of hearing in grades P-12. This rule supplements requirements in GaPSC Rule 505-3-.01 REQUIREMENTS AND STANDARDS FOR APPROVING EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROVIDERS AND EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROGRAMS.(2)In-Field Statement. Completers of the Special Education Deaf Education Endorsement program are qualified to provide educational services for students with hearing impairments in grades P-12 and preschool students (ages three [3] to five [5]), subject to the following conditions: (a) The educator may work collaboratively with a content area teacher of record in all content subjects.(b) To serve as the teacher of record, the educator may teach only the content subjects of her/his base certificate field(s) and the Special Education academic content concentrations with designated cognitive levels identified on their certificate.(3)Requirements.(a) A GaPSC-approved educator preparation provider may seek state approval to offer this field as either a stand-alone endorsement program to candidates who hold a level four (4) or higher valid professional or induction certificate in any teaching field or in the service field of Speech and Language Pathology, or as an endorsement program embedded in a GaPSC-approved initial preparation Special Education or Special Education/Elementary Education (P-5) program or an advanced (degree-only) preparation program. In addition to meeting all applicable approval requirements and standards, embedded endorsement programs must meet requirements specified in paragraph (e) 4. (ix) of GaPSC Rule 505-3-.01 REQUIREMENTS AND STANDARDS FOR APPROVING EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROVIDERS AND EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROGRAMS.(b) To receive approval, a GaPSC-approved educator preparation provider shall offer a preparation program described in program planning forms, catalogs, and syllabi addressing the following standards adapted from the standards published by the Council for Exceptional Children (2020): 1.Engaging in Professional Learning and Practice within Ethical Guidelines. Candidates practice within ethical and legal guidelines; advocate for improved outcomes for individuals with exceptionalities and their families while considering their social, cultural, and linguistic differences; and engage in ongoing self-reflection to design and implement professional learning activities. (i) Candidates practice within ethical guidelines and legal policies and procedures;(ii) Candidates advocate for improved outcomes for individuals with exceptionalities and their families while addressing the unique needs of those with varying social, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds; and(iii) Candidates design and implement professional learning activities based on ongoing analysis of student learning; self-reflection; and professional standards, research, and contemporary practices.2.Understanding and Addressing Each Individual's Developmental and Learning Needs. Candidates use their understanding of human growth and development, the multiple influences on development, individual differences, unique characteristics, including exceptionalities, and families and communities to plan and implement supportive and welcoming learning environments and experiences that provide individuals with exceptionalities high quality learning experiences reflective of each individual's strengths and needs.(i) Candidates apply understanding of human growth and development to create developmentally appropriate and meaningful learning experiences that address individualized strengths and needs of students with exceptionalities; and(ii) Candidates use their knowledge and understanding of various factors that influence development and learning, including differences related to families, languages, cultures, and communities, and individual differences, including exceptionalities, to plan and implement learning experiences and environments.3.Demonstrating Subject Matter Content and Specialized Curricular Knowledge. Candidates apply their understanding of the academic subject matter content of the general curriculum and specialized curricula to inform their programmatic and instructional decisions for learners with exceptionalities. (i) Candidates apply their understanding of academic subject matter content of the general curriculum to inform their programmatic and instructional decisions for individuals with exceptionalities; and(ii) Candidates augment the general education curriculum to address skills and strategies that students with disabilities need to access the core curriculum and function successfully within a variety of contexts as well as the continuum of placement options to assure specially designed instruction is developed and implemented to achieve mastery of curricular standards and individualized goals and objectives.4.Using Assessment to Understand the Learner and the Learning Environment for Databased Decision Making. Candidates assess students' learning, behavior, and the classroom environment in order to evaluate and support classroom and school-based problem-solving systems of intervention and instruction. Candidates evaluate students to determine their strengths and needs, contribute to students' eligibility determination, communicate students' progress, inform short and long-term instructional planning, and make ongoing adjustments to instruction using technology as appropriate.(i) Candidates collaboratively develop, select, administer, analyze, and interpret multiple measures of student learning, behavior, and the classroom environment to evaluate and support classroom and school-based systems of intervention for students with and without exceptionalities;(ii) Candidates develop, select, administer, and interpret multiple, formal and informal, culturally and linguistically appropriate measures and procedures that are valid and reliable to contribute to eligibility determination for special education services; and(iii) Candidates assess, collaboratively analyze, interpret, and communicate students' progress toward measurable outcomes using technology as appropriate, to inform both short- and long-term planning, and make ongoing adjustments to instruction.5.Supporting Learning Using Effective Instruction. Candidates use knowledge of individuals' development, learning needs, and assessment data to inform decisions about effective instruction. Candidates use explicit instructional strategies and employ strategies to promote active engagement and increased motivation to individualize instruction to support each individual. Candidates use whole group instruction, flexible grouping, small group instruction, and individual instruction. Candidates teach individuals to use meta-/cognitive strategies to support and self-regulate learning. (i) Candidates use findings from multiple assessments, including student self-assessment, that are responsive to cultural and linguistic differences and specialized as needed, to identify what students know and are able to do. They then interpret the assessment data to appropriately plan and guide instruction to meet rigorous academic and non-academic content and goals for each individual;(ii) Candidates use effective strategies to promote active student engagement, increase student motivation, increase opportunities to respond, and enhance self-regulation of student learning;(iii) Candidates use explicit, systematic instruction to teach content, strategies, and skills to make clear what a learner needs to do or think about while learning. Candidates use flexible grouping to support the use of instruction that is adapted to meet the needs of each individual and group; and(iv) Candidates organize and manage focused, intensive small group instruction to meet the learning needs of each individual. Candidates plan and deliver specialized, individualized instruction that is used to meet the learning needs of each individual.6.Supporting Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Growth. Candidates create and contribute to safe, respectful, and productive learning environments for individuals with exceptionalities through the use of effective routines and procedures and use a range of preventive and responsive practices to support social, emotional and educational well-being. They follow ethical and legal guidelines and work collaboratively with families and other professionals to conduct behavioral assessments for intervention and program development. (i) Candidates use effective routines and procedures to create safe, caring, respectful, and productive learning environments for individuals with exceptionalities;(ii) Candidates use a range of preventive and responsive practices documented as effective to support individuals' social, emotional, and educational well-being; and(iii) Candidates systematically use data from a variety of sources to identify the purpose or function served by problem behavior to plan, implement, and evaluate behavioral interventions and social skills programs, including generalization to other environments.7.Collaborating with Team Members. Candidates apply team processes and communication strategies to collaborate in a culturally responsive manner with families, paraprofessionals, and other professionals within the school, other educational settings, and the community to plan programs and access services for individuals with exceptionalities and their families. (i) Candidates utilize communication, group facilitation, and problem-solving strategies in a culturally responsive manner to lead effective meetings and share expertise and knowledge to build team capacity and jointly address students' instructional and behavioral needs;(ii) Candidates collaborate, communicate, and coordinate with families, paraprofessionals, and other professionals within the educational setting to assess, plan, and implement effective programs and services that promote progress toward measurable outcomes for individuals with and without exceptionalities and their families;(iii) Candidates collaborate, communicate, and coordinate with professionals and agencies within the community to identify and access services, resources, and supports to meet the identified needs of individuals with exceptionalities and their families; and(iv) Candidates work with and mentor paraprofessionals in the paraprofessionals' role of supporting the education of individuals with exceptionalities and their families.8. Candidates are prepared to demonstrate understanding of the Specialty Standards for Deaf and Hard of Hearing (D/HH) published by the Council for Exception Children (2018). (i)Learner Development and Individual Learning Differences. (I) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate understanding of the effects of the interrelationship among age of identification, type and etiology, level of hearing, auditory development, and provision of services on the development of individuals who are D/HH;(II) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate understanding of auditory development of individuals who are D/HH;(III) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate understanding of visual and spoken languages and communication modes;(IV) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate understanding of the impact of exceptionalities on the development of language and learning for individuals who are D/HH, including the ways in which exceptionalities may interact with varying hearing levels resulting in more complex needs;(V) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate understanding of the importance of advocating for equal access to language and communication in the individual's preferred mode across all educational settings;(VI) Candidates are prepared to incorporate current theories of spoken and signed language development of individuals who are D/HH and components of communication competence into programming and planning for students;(VII) Candidates are prepared to develop individualized programming and instruction in light of various aspects of hearing status;(VIII) Candidates are prepared to incorporate auditory development of individuals who are D/HH into programming and planning for students;(IX) Candidates are prepared to implement evidence-based practices in early intervention services specifically related to overall development of children who are D/HH and family outcomes;(X) Candidates are prepared to identify and support communication modes that provide equal access, based on the needs and preferences of individuals and their families;(XI) Candidates are prepared to deliver individualized programming and planning informed by the presence of identified exceptionalities; and(XII) Candidates are prepared to identify and support all Least Restricted Environment (LRE) options to facilitate Individualized Education Program (IEP) team decisions taking communication into account.(ii)Learning Environments.(I) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate understanding of the influence of educational placement, family communication, language, cultural identity, socioeconomic status, home and community environment, and child maltreatment on development and learning;(II) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate the value of peers and role models who are D/HH on family perceptions, decision making, and student outcomes;(III) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate factors impacting visual and/or auditory learning;(IV) Candidates are prepared to promote ongoing opportunities for interactions between individuals who are D/HH and their families with peers and role models who are D/HH;(V) Candidates are prepared to assist with routines related to assistive technology used by individuals who are D/HH to enhance access to the environment;(VI) Candidates are prepared to design or modify a language-rich learning environment that maximizes opportunities for visual and/or auditory learning and meets developmental and learning needs; and(VII) Candidates are prepared to structure the learning environments to encourage developmentally appropriate self-advocacy and self-determination skills.(iii)Curricular Content Knowledge.(I) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate understanding of the interrelationship between services and curricular sequencing and progressions;(II) Candidates are prepared to integrate evidence based language and literacy instruction across all academic areas; and(III) Candidates are prepared to differentiate and adapt curricula in response to the variety of populations across multiple educational settings.(iv)Assessment. (I) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate understanding of the range of assessment types, from informal to standardized;(II) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate understanding of the appropriate formative, summative, and diagnostic assessment of expanded core curriculum, auditory skills, visual language skills, self-advocacy, self determination, functional listening, self-care skills, and student safety;(III) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate understanding of the relationship between assessment data, reporting, and programming and planning;(IV) Candidates are prepared to utilize appropriate terminology and interpret results across assessments;(V) Candidates are prepared to ensure equal access to communication and minimized partiality in assessment with regard to laws, policies, and ethical principles;(VI) Candidates are prepared to use and interpret technically sound assessments for individuals with D/HH;(VII) Candidates are prepared to administer appropriate formative, summative, and diagnostic assessments;(VIII) Candidates are prepared to identify or develop appropriate specialized assessments that allow for alternative forms of expression, and select appropriate accommodations and modifications;(IX) Candidates are prepared to collect and analyze a range of spoken, signed, written, or other language and communication samples; and(X) Candidates are prepared to utilize assessment data to develop reports and to inform programming and planning.(v)Instructional Planning and Strategies. (I) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate language/modes of communication used by individuals who are D/HH;(II) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate understanding of the strategies that promote curricular programming that is responsive to the variety of populations across multiple educational settings;(III) Candidates are prepared to tailor evidence-based instructional strategies and specialized technologies across a variety of service delivery models and instructional setting;(IV) Candidates are prepared to coordinate and collaborate to ensure appropriate instruction and planning;(V) Candidates are prepared to implement strategies for supporting audition;(VI) Candidates are prepared to implement strategies for conserving vision and hearing;(VII) Candidates are prepared to implement evidence-based strategies for developing language in individuals' preferred communication mode(s);(VIII) Candidates are prepared to promote optimal access to communication to facilitate supportive and welcoming experiences;(IX) Candidates are prepared to develop proficiency in the languages/modes of communication used by individuals who are D/HH;(X) Candidates are prepared to promote literacy and content area reading and writing through the individual's preferred communication mode(s);(XI) Candidates are prepared to apply first and second language teaching strategies;(XII) Candidates are prepared to ensure use of visual tools, organizers, and current assistive technology that enhances communication access that support programming and planning across a variety of service delivery models and instructional settings; and(XIII) Candidates are prepared to plan and implement transitions across service continua.(vi)Professional Learning and Ethical Practice.(I) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate understanding of laws, policies, and ethical principles guiding equal access to communication in individuals' preferred communication mode(s);(II) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate understanding of the awareness of the educator's language competence in supporting individual outcomes;(III) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate understanding of the sociocultural, historical, and political considerations unique to Deaf culture and the field of education of individuals who are D/HH;(IV) Candidates are prepared to advocate, using impartial ethical practices, based on the needs of the individual or family;(V) Candidates are prepared to apply ethical decision making related to optimal access to communication in individuals' preferred communication mode(s) for all programming and planning;(VI) Candidates are prepared to increase educator's competence in the individual's preferred communication mode(s);(VII) Candidates are prepared to advocate for and implement programming and planning to provide equal communication access to individuals across all educational settings; and(VIII) Candidates are prepared to use historical foundations and research evidence to inform educational programming and planning;(vii)Collaboration.(I) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate understanding of the services, organizations, and networks that are relevant to individuals who are D/HH;(II) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate understanding of the policies, procedures, and resources for universal newborn hearing screening and early intervention;(III) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate understanding of the roles and responsibilities of support staff in programming and planning;(IV) Candidates are prepared to demonstrate collaborative behaviors within the boundaries of the professionals' scope of practice;(V) Candidates are prepared to interpret relevant data and statistics related to hearing levels and their potential impact on outcomes;(VI) Candidates are prepared to participate in professional networks relevant to the education of individuals who are D/HH;(VII) Candidates are prepared to provide families with information in an impartial manner to make informed choices regarding communication modes, philosophies, and educational options; and(VIII) Candidates are prepared to prepare and assist team members to work with D/HH team members across a variety of service delivery models and instructional environments.Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 505-3-.98
O.C.G.A. § 20-2-200.
Original Rule entitled "Special Education Deaf Education Endorsement Program" adopted. F. Apr. 24, 2014; eff. May 15, 2014, as specified by the Agency.Amended: F. May 25, 2016; eff. June 15, 2016, as specified by the Agency.Amended: F. June 26, 2019; eff. July 1, 2019, as specified by the Agency.Amended: F. June 15, 2021; eff. July 1, 2021, as specified by the Agency.Repealed: New Rule of same title adopted. F. Apr. 4, 2023; eff. Apr. 15, 2023, as specified by the Agency.Amended: New title, "Special Education Deaf Education Endorsement." F. Aug. 10, 2023; eff. Aug. 15, 2023, as specified by the Agency.