CEC Professional Standards

In 1922 the founders of CEC embraced professional standards and ethics for the field of special education. As the recognized leader for special education professional standards, CEC develops standards, ethics and practices and guidelines to assure that individuals with exceptionalities have well-prepared, career-oriented special educators. CEC collaborates with other professional organizations to ensure that all educators have a robust professional working environment and are well-prepared to support the learning of individuals with exceptionalities.

P5904_LRG"Redbook 2009"
What Every Special Educator Must Know
Sixth Edition, Revised, 2009

What Every Special Educator Must Know (7th edition) expected in the fall 2013.


News and Notices

NEW edTPA Online Community and Resource Library available at edtpa.aacte.org.

The edTPA Resource Library combines into one location the important information and materials necessary for the successful implementation of edTPA – including implementation resources, handbooks, webinars, and research articles. 

Call for Service on New CAEP Governance Committees

You are invited to participate in an unprecedented opportunity to shape the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) as the new single specialized accrediting body for educator preparation. The mission of CAEP is to advance excellence in educator preparation through evidence-based accreditation that assures quality and supports continuous improvement to strengthen P-12 student learning.

In its commitment to inclusivity and transparency, the nominating process for CAEP governance allows for self-recommendation in addition to recommendation by member organizations. CAEP is recruiting volunteers from various sectors, including P-12 practitioners, policymakers, postsecondary faculty and administrators, employers, parents, school board members, and the public at-large. Governance committees currently seeking volunteers include the following:

  •          International Committee
  •          Nominating Committee
  •          Research Committee
  •          Standards Committee
  •          State Partnerships and Content Areas Committee

For more information regarding service opportunities, and to submit your application for service, please visit http://caepnet.org/aboutus/serve/.  Please note that all application materials are due by 11:59 p.m. (Eastern), Sunday, June 16, 2013.

New MetLife Survey of the American Teacher

  • Teacher satisfaction continues to decline.
  • Biggest challenges for leaders are beyond the capacity of schools alone to address.

CEC Initial and Advanced Preparation Standards

The National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) has approved the revised initial and advanced CEC Preparation Standards for special educators.

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New! Standards for Professional Preparation

The CEC Special Education Preparation Standards are the specialized knowledge and skills that provide the foundation of professional preparation and that influence licensure. The standards provide benchmarks to states, provinces, and nations for program accreditation, entry-level licensure, professional practice, and continuing professional growth.

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Ethical Principles & Practice Standards

As professionals serving individuals with exceptionalities, special educators have a special purpose endowed by the community and recognized by a professional credential. As such, special educators have a responsibility to be guided by their Ethical Principles and Professional Practice Standards.

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Paraeducator Preparation Standards

Special education paraeducators have become an essential member of the special education team. The CEC Paraeducator Development Standards ensure paraeducator programs address validated knowledge and skills.

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Evidence-based Practices Resources

CEC Evidence-based Practice Studies are systematic analyses of the research on a practice to determine the quality of the evidence so that practicing special educators have a trusted source of reliable information.