SDSU Department of Special Education

Internship Programs

What is an Internship?
What is the process for becoming an intern with the Department of Special Education (SDSU) and a collaborating school district?
What does this mean?
What other financial assistance is available?
What is the San Diego State University/ Imperial County Special Education Teacher Preparation Program?

What is an Internship?

An internship provides the opportunity for candidates to obtain their credential by taking courses in the Department of Special Education on a part-time basis while they are working as full-time teachers. Interns receive their paycheck for teaching and support from the school district. Internship programs are formal agreements between the Department of Special Education and the school district. You can only be an intern if such a formal agreement has been created and approved. Current internship programs exist for Mild/Moderate Disabilities, Moderate/Severe Disabilities, and Early Childhood Special Education with: San Diego Unified School District; Coronado Unified School District; Sweetwater Union High School District; Grossmont Union HIgh School District; and The Institute for Effective Education. An agreement for Mild/Moderate Disabilities exists with Balboa City School and multiple districts in Imperial County. An internship is most ideally suited for someone who has had experience, but limited academic training, as a classroom teacher, as a substitute teacher or as a classroom assistant and who has a basic understanding of the challenges that face a first year teacher. Candidates need to juggle their classroom and coursework responsibilities.

What is the process for becoming an intern with the Department of Special Education (SDSU) and one of the collaborating school districts?

Both SDSU and the district need to accept you into the internship program. To be accepted you must meet district employment criteria and university and department admission standards. Interns must have passed the CBEST and met the subject matter competency (such as MSAT/CSET) prerequisites.Steps to becoming an Intern:

Obtain application materials and information about prerequisites to the appropriate credential program on this website or from the Department of Special Education Office (619) 594-6655. Specify which credential program you are interested in.
Apply to San Diego State University.
Complete the identified prerequisites which are listed on the application form (if you need further information attend a group advising session).
Apply to the Department of Special Education.
Apply to the district(s) that you are interested which you are considering for employment that have internship programs with SDSU. Indicate in your application that you are interested in the internship program with SDSU.
Complete an interview with the Human Resources or Personnel Department of the district.
Arrange a meeting with the appropriate Internship Coordinator at SDSU:
- Laura J. Hall, Coordinator of the Moderate/Severe Internship Credential Program with SDUSD (619) 594-0768
- José Luis Alvarado, Coordinator of the Mild/Moderate Internship Credential Programs in Imperial County, (619) 594-2748
- Gene Valles Coordinator of the Mild/Moderate Internship Credential Program (619) 594-6147
Once accepted by the Department of Special Education at SDSU AND offered a position by the district, you can become an intern. At this point you must apply to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing for an internship credential.
When you are selected as a potential intern, you will receive a letter offering a position from the district.
Bring or fax copy of your offer letter to the Special Education
Department. Once received, you'll receive a MEMO from the Department of Special Education (from Luz Torres in the Department Office) stating that you have met the prerequisite requirements for an internship credential (passed CBEST/MSAT or CSET,TB test, U.S. Constitution, and completed the prerequsite courses) and admitting you conditionally or unconditionally.
Take letter and MEMO to the SDSU university's Credetials Office in
Business Administration room #250 and ask for the Internship Credential
Application. Complete it and return it with copy of your district's offer
letter and MEMO to the Credentials Office in BA-250. Be sure to keep two copies of the complete Internship Application: one copy for your records and one copy to give to your district to show that you have applied for the Internship Credential through SDSU's Credentials Office.

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Now you are an intern!

What does this mean?

This means that the school district will assign you an Intern Support Provider to work closely with you as you set up your teaching schedule, implement IEPs, and begin to work with your students.

Although each district operates somewhat differently, you will most likely attend a new teacher orientation meeting and other internship training events in August. These are mandatory, so it will be important to reserve this time for beginning the program and your school year.

You will take the required practicum course (SPED470 or SPED 971 for San Diego Unified School District interns only), but it will typically be offered at a site within or near (in the case of Imperial County) the district. In many instances, this class will be taught by a district employee who is working with the university on the internship program.

Some of the courses you take at SDSU may be modified as to the time they are offered or the content presented. A meeting at the beginning of the academic year will be held to explain these changes.

You will be challenged - especially by the unexpected. Do seek the support you need from school district and SDSU faculty. Do communicate!

What other financial assistance is available?

Once accepted, there are several scholarship opportunities.

If you are interested in applying for an internship, please obtain a handout from Luz Torres in the Department office.

San Diego State University/ Imperial County Special Education Teacher Preparation Program

General Description:
The program model for preparing special education teachers in Imperial County was designed in collaboration with the Imperial County SELPA, the school districts, and faculty from San Diego State University. The program design incorporates an interagency collaboration approach, as well as key features of university-rural community partnerships.

The program was designed for Imperial County special education teachers who qualify for the California Internship credential. Participants in turn, make a commitment to complete their Level I specialist credential in two years. Though the courses are offered in Imperial County during the school year, the program itself is a main campus program. The SDSU Department of Special Education has developed and implemented rules for admission into the program for students entering all special education credential programs, these rules apply to Imperial County students as well.

Program Requirements:
Individuals who are interested in participating in the SDSU/Imperial County Special Education Internship Program must be aware of the following program requirements:

First, participants must apply and be admitted as a fully matriculated student to San Diego State University. Students are only permitted to enroll in courses through Open University for one semester.

Second, participants must apply for admission to the department of special education. Students from Imperial County are allowed to enroll in special education program courses for ONE YEAR prior to completing all prerequisites. Within that first year, students are expected to enroll in summer school on main campus to take care of prerequisite courses. The grant pays the participant's tuition and provides them with a stipend for living expenses.

Program Prerequisites:
… Subject Matter Competency (Liberal Studies Major or pass the MSAT/CSET
test)
… CBEST
… Certificate of Clearance and Negative TB Test
… ED 451 - Introduction to Multicultural Education
OR
SPED 527 - SPED in a Pluralistic Society
… SPED 500 - Human Exceptionality
… SPED 501 - Typical & Atypical Learning Processes
… SPED 502 - Field Experience in General and Special Education
… SPED 524 - Characteristics and Education Mild/Moderate

If the student fails to complete prerequisites within that first year, they will not be allowed to enroll in special education courses the following year.

Third, the federal grant provides tuition support as well as partial stipend scholarships for students who hold the Internship Credential. Further, participants are eligible for full tuition scholarships and living stipends when enrolled in summer coursework on the main campus. Participants who are interested in financial support (tuition and stipends) must complete an application for scholarship support. Call our Special Education Projects office at (619) 594-3745 and ask for an IVC scholarship application and a Special Education Program application.

Contact Information for San Diego State / Imperial County Program
Special Education Projects Office at: (619) 594-3745 or you may contact Dr. Jose Luis Alvarado, Project Coordinator, at (619) 594-2748 or through e-mail at alvarado@mail.sdsu.edu.