Special Education Services

The Special Education Teacher Registry is a training project funded by the Oklahoma State Department of Education and coordinated by The Center for Learning and Leadership, OUHSC. Registry training was created as a mechanism to provide approved training in federal criteria areas for which no special education certification exists. These federal criteria areas include: Autism, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Multiple Disabilities, and Deaf/blindness. Thirty-two-hour trainings have been developed and are coordinated by The Center for Learning and Leadership, OUHSC. Other entities may be approved to offer training by completing an application approval process. For more information about this process contact Chris Francl, Registry Coordinator at The Center for Learning and Leadership, OUHSC.

Who needs Registry status?

Special education teachers holding categorical certification and serving as teacher of record for a student with Autism, TBI, Multiple Disabilities or Deaf/blindness.

Special education teachers who hold mild/moderate or severe/profound certification are not required to complete teacher registry training in order to assist in developing and monitoring the implementation of students served in the categories of Autism, TBI, or Multiple Disabilities.

How do I obtain Registry training?

Registry trainings are offered every school year. In August, training registration information is mailed statewide to superintendents and special education directors for further dissemination to special education personnel. Registration forms may be obtained from any of these sources or through The Center for Learning and Leadership, OUHSC.

Registration for each 32-hour registry training is limited to 60 to ensure that individual attention is given to participants and to accommodate small group work and a case study format. The following priority system is implemented on each registration deadline date to determine which participants are confirmed.

Priority: Priority #1
Special education teachers serving a student with the disability being targeted by the registry training in multiple disabilities, deaf/blindness, autism or TBI. NOTE: First consideration will be given to teachers with approved emergency status from the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE).

Priority #2
All other personnel who are serving a student with the targeted disability. Such personnel may include physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech and language pathologists, counselors, nurses, special education paraprofessionals and general education teachers.

Priority #3
Special education teachers not currently serving a student with the targeted disability.

Priority #4
All other special education personnel not currently serving a student with the targeted disability.

Priority #5
Administrators currently serving a student with the targeted disability.

Priority #6
Administration not currently serving a student with the target disability.

Priority #7
Independent consultants.

How do I obtain approved emergency status?

To get approved OSDE emergency status, your superintendent sends a letter of request to Dr. Ramona Paul, Assistant State Superintendent, Professional Services, Oklahoma State Department of Education. Professional Services of the OSDE sends an approval letter to the superintendent with a copy to the Registry Coordinator.

Once on approved OSDE emergency status, a special education teacher has three (3) years to complete the 32 hours of approved training for that registry area. The teacher can sign the IEP as teacher of record during that period.

When special education teachers on approved emergency status register to attend training in the area of emergency, they are given top priority for a slot.

Once I have completed registry training, what do I need to do to document my registry status?

Following completion of an approved 32 hour training, special education teachers are asked by the workshop coordinator to complete a Trainee Registration Form. This form contains the demographic information needed for the Teacher Registry Database.

Once the information is entered into the database, The Center for Learning and Leadership, OUHSC transmits the information to the OSDE Professional Standards for further documentation of registry status. The Center for Learning and Leadership, OUHSC sends a certificate verifying hours and the registry completed to each special education teacher participant. Other participants receive verification of attendance. Eligible teachers should then renew their teaching certificate(s) and indicate on the renewal form registry(s) completed. The new certificate will contain registry information and will serve as a permanent record of registry completion.

Teacher Registry has been in collaboration with the OSDE and the Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma. OSDE is asking Higher Education to incorporate into their college curriculum the educational information necessary to provide Oklahoma graduates with the competencies and skills necessary to meet the critical needs of Oklahoma's children and youth with the disabilities identified in the registry trainings. The OSDE will continue to collaborate until the 2007-2008 school year; at which time, the registry trainings will no longer be available.

Contact Information
Chris Francl, Registry Project Coordinator; The Center for Learning and Leadership, OUHSC 1-800-627-6827