Indiana Special Education Teacher Certification

Special Education Licensing Has Its Own Requirements

Getting a special education teaching license in Indiana follows the same general framework as other Indiana teaching credentials — LVIS 360 application, background checks, mandatory trainings — but with additional testing requirements and a critical literacy mandate that doesn't apply to most secondary content areas.

Special education is also one of Indiana's most persistent shortage areas, which means the state has created more flexible entry paths for this field than for almost any other teaching license.

Testing Requirements for Special Education

Special education candidates must pass the Praxis 5355: Special Education — Foundational Knowledge exam with a minimum score of 145. The exam costs $120 and covers legal foundations, assessment, instruction, and transition planning.

But that's not the only test. Under Indiana's Science of Reading mandate (IC 20-28-5-19.7), effective July 1, 2025, all candidates seeking an initial special education license must also pass the Praxis 5205: Teaching Reading — Elementary exam with a minimum score of 159. This exam costs $156.

The Praxis 5205 requirement catches many special education candidates off guard because it's traditionally associated with elementary licensure. But the state considers reading instruction foundational to special education practice across all grade levels, so the requirement applies regardless of which age group you plan to teach.

You also need a pedagogy exam. For all-grades special education, the relevant test is the Praxis 5625: Principles of Learning and Teaching PreK-12, requiring a minimum score of 157 at $146.

Total testing cost for special education: roughly $422 across three exams, before any retake fees.

The Alternative Special Education License

Indiana offers an alternative licensing path specifically for special education that differs from the standard alternative routes. Candidates with a bachelor's degree who meet the state's GPA thresholds (3.0 cumulative, or 2.5 with five years of professional experience) can pursue licensure through an approved Transition to Teaching program with a special education focus.

The T2T program for special education uses 22 to 24 credit hours of coursework (compared to 18 for secondary). The permit is three years, non-renewable, and you teach with full pay while completing the program.

Several approved providers offer special education T2T tracks, including both traditional universities and online alternative programs. The Indiana Teacher Certification Guide compares program costs and structures side by side.

Emergency Permits for Special Education

Indiana's emergency-permit route is not available for special education. Do not assume a school corporation can request an emergency permit for a special education position; work with an approved Transition to Teaching provider or the IDOE on the applicable route.

The One-Year Professional Educator License Extension

Candidates who meet every other requirement for a special education license but haven't yet passed the Praxis 5205 Teaching Reading exam can receive a one-year Professional Educator License Extension (PELE). This non-renewable extension lets you teach while preparing to pass the reading exam.

The PELE exists specifically because the Science of Reading mandate is still relatively new, and the state recognizes that some otherwise qualified candidates need additional preparation time for Praxis 5205. But it's a one-time extension — if you don't pass the exam within that year, your license path stalls until you do.

The Practical Sequence

Here's the order that minimizes wasted time and money for special education candidates:

1. Get your transcripts evaluated through LVIS 360 to confirm which coursework gaps exist.
2. Complete the four mandatory trainings — CPR (hands-on), suicide prevention, human trafficking, and child abuse.
3. Register for the Praxis 5355 first. This is your core content exam. Schedule the Praxis 5205 and your PLT pedagogy exam for subsequent testing windows. ETS enforces a 28-day waiting period between attempts on the same exam, so stagger your registrations.
4. Use Indiana's state recipient code 7238 when registering with ETS so your scores transmit directly to LVIS.
5. Complete the ISP background check within 60 days of your planned LVIS application submission.

If your district is ready to hire you before your full license is processed, your T2T program can recommend you for a T2T Permit, which can allow you to start teaching while your application progresses.

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