The table below is intended to support credential analysts in determining which authorizations align with Special Education disability categories. Note, the table includes only currently issued documents.

Credentials and authorization codes currently issued by the Commission can be found in the Authorization Sort Table.

Additional resources:

Disability CategoryCredentials Authorizing Disability CategoryNotes
Autism

Education Specialist Instruction Credential:

  • Extensive Support Needs (R3EN)1
  • Mild to Moderate Support Needs (R3MN)1
  • Moderate/Severe Disabilities (R3MS)
  • Early Childhood Special Education (R3ER or R3EC)2
  • Deaf and Hard of Hearing (R3HD)3
  • Visual Impairments (R3VB)4

Education Specialist Added Authorization:

  • Autism Spectrum Disorders (AAAS)
  • Early Childhood (SEEC or ECSE)2

Speech-Language Pathology Services Credential:

  • Special Class Authorization

Education Specialist Bridge Document:

  • Mild to Moderate Support Needs (R3BM)1
  • Extensive Support Needs (R3BE)1
  • Early Childhood (R3BC)2

1. Limited by Student Support Level.

2. Restricted to students eligible for early intervention special education and related services. R3ER, SEEC, and R3BC are limited to birth-kindergarten. R3EC and ECSE are limited to birth-prekindergarten.

3. May teach students with the disability areas of Deafness/Hearing Impairment, Hard of Hearing, or Deaf-Blindness, who also have Autism, but the educator cannot serve students with the Autism disability area alone.

4. May teach students with the disability area of Visual Impairment including Deaf-Blindness, who also have Autism, but the educator cannot serve students with the Autism disability area alone.

 

 

Deaf-Blindness

Education Specialist Instruction Credential:

  • Extensive Support Needs (R3EN)1
  • Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (R3HD or R3DH)
  • Visual Impairments (R3VB or R3VI)
  • Moderate/Severe Disabilities (R3MS)

Education Specialist Added Authorization:

  • Deaf-Blind (AADB)

Education Specialist Bridge Document:

  • Extensive Support Needs (R3BE)1

1. Limited by Student Support Level.


Deafness

Education Specialist Instruction Credential:

  • Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (R3HD or R3DH)

Emotional Disability

Education Specialist Instruction Credential:

  • Mild to Moderate Support Needs (R3MN)1
  • Extensive Support Needs (R3EN)1
  • Mild/Moderate Disabilities (R3MM)
  • Moderate/Severe Disabilities (R3MS)
  • Early Childhood Special Education (R3ER or R3EC)2

Education Specialist Added Authorization:

  • Emotional Disturbance (AAED)
  • Early Childhood (SEEC or ECSE)2

Education Specialist Bridge Document:

  • Mild to Moderate Support Needs (R3BM)1
  • Extensive Support Needs (R3BE)1
  • Early Childhood (R3BC)2

1. Limited by Student Support Level.

2. Restricted to students eligible for early intervention special education and related services. R3ER, SEEC, and R3BC are limited to birth-kindergarten. R3EC and ECSE are limited to birth-prekindergarten.

Established Medical Disability

Education Specialist Instruction Credential:

  • Mild to Moderate Support Needs (R3MN)1
  • Extensive Support Needs (R3EN)1
  • Physical and Health Impairments (R3PI)
  • Early Childhood Special Education (R3ER or R3EC)2

Education Specialist Added Authorization:

  • Early Childhood (SEEC or ECSE)2

Education Specialist Bridge Document:

  • Mild to Moderate Support Needs (R3BM)1
  • Extensive Support Needs (R3BE)1
  • Early Childhood (R3BC)2

1. Limited by Student Support Level.

2. Restricted to students eligible for early intervention special education and related services. R3ER, SEEC, and R3BC are limited to birth-kindergarten. R3EC and ECSE are limited to birth-prekindergarten.

Hard of Hearing/ Hearing Impairment

Education Specialist Instruction Credential:

  • Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (R3HD or R3DH)
 
Intellectual Disability

Education Specialist Instruction Credential:

  • Mild to Moderate Support Needs (R3MN)1
  • Extensive Support Needs (R3EN)1
  • Mild/Moderate Disabilities (R3MM)
  • Moderate/Severe Disabilities (R3MS)
  • Early Childhood Special Education (R3ER or R3EC)2

Education Specialist Added Authorization:

  • Early Childhood (SEEC or ECSE)2

Education Specialist Bridge Document:

  • Mild to Moderate Support Needs (R3BM)1
  • Extensive Support Needs (R3BE)1
  • Early Childhood (R3BC)2

1. Limited by Student Support Level.

2. Restricted to students eligible for early intervention special education and related services. R3ER, SEEC, and R3BC are limited to birth-kindergarten. R3EC and ECSE are limited to birth-prekindergarten.

Multiple Disabilities

Education Specialist Instruction Credential:

  • Mild to Moderate Support Needs (R3MN)1
  • Extensive Support Needs (R3EN)1
  • Physical and Health Impairments (R3PI)
  • Moderate/Severe Disabilities (R3MS)
  • Early Childhood Special Education (R3ER or R3EC)2

Education Specialist Added Authorization:

  • Early Childhood (SEEC or ECSE)2

Education Specialist Bridge Document:

  • Mild to Moderate Support Needs (R3BM)1
  • Extensive Support Needs (R3BE)1
  • Early Childhood (R3BC)2

1. Limited by Student Support Level.

2. Restricted to students eligible for early intervention special education and related services. R3ER, SEEC, and R3BC are limited to birth-kindergarten. R3EC and ECSE are limited to birth-prekindergarten.

Orthopedic Impairment

Education Specialist Instruction Credential:

  • Mild to Moderate Support Needs (R3MN)1
  • Extensive Support Needs (R3EN)1
  • Physical and Health Impairments (R3PI)
  • Early Childhood Special Education (R3ER only)2

Education Specialist Added Authorization:

  • Orthopedic Impairment (AAOI)
  • Early Childhood (SEEC only)2

Education Specialist Bridge Document:

  • Mild to Moderate Support Needs (R3BM)1
  • Extensive Support Needs (R3BE)1
  • Early Childhood (R3BC)2

1. Limited by Student Support Level.

2. Restricted to students eligible for early intervention special education and related services. R3ER, SEEC, and R3BC are limited to birth-kindergarten. 

Other Health Impairment

Education Specialist Instruction Credential:

  • Mild to Moderate Support Needs (R3MN)1
  • Extensive Support Needs (R3EN)1
  • Mild/Moderate Disabilities (R3MM)
  • Physical and Health Impairments (R3PI)
  • Early Childhood Special Education (R3ER or R3EC)2

Education Specialist Added Authorization:

  • Other Health Impairment (AAOH)
  • Early Childhood (SEEC or ECSE)2

Education Specialist Bridge Document:

  • Mild to Moderate Support Needs (R3BM)1
  • Extensive Support Needs (R3BE)1
  • Early Childhood (R3BC)2

1. Limited by Student Support Level.

2. Restricted to students eligible for early intervention special education and related services. R3ER, SEEC, and R3BC are limited to birth-kindergarten. R3EC and ECSE are limited to birth-prekindergarten.

Specific Learning Disability

Education Specialist Instruction Credential:

  • Mild to Moderate Support Needs (R3MN)1
  • Extensive Support Needs (R3EN)1
  • Mild/Moderate Disabilities (R3MM)
  • Early Childhood Special Education (R3ER or R3EC)2

Education Specialist Added Authorization:

  • Early Childhood (SEEC or ECSE)2

Education Specialist Bridge Document:

  • Mild to Moderate Support Needs (R3BM)1
  • Extensive Support Needs (R3BE)1
  • Early Childhood (R3BC)2

1. Limited by Student Support Level.

2. Restricted to students eligible for early intervention special education and related services. R3ER, SEEC, and R3BC are limited to birth-kindergarten. R3EC and ECSE are limited to birth-prekindergarten.

Speech or Language Impairment

Education Specialist Instruction Credential:

  • Language and Academic Development (R3LD)

Speech-Language Pathology Services Credential:

  • Special Class Authorization
 
Traumatic Brain Injury

Education Specialist Instruction Credential:

  • Mild to Moderate Support Needs (R3MN)1
  • Extensive Support Needs (R3EN)1
  • Physical and Health Impairments (R3PI)
  • Early Childhood Special Education (R3ER or R3EC)2

Education Specialist Added Authorization:

  • Traumatic Brain Injury (AATB)
  • Early Childhood (SEEC or ECSE)2

Education Specialist Bridge Document:

  • Mild to Moderate Support Needs (R3BM)1
  • Extensive Support Needs (R3BE)1
  • Early Childhood (R3BC)2

1. Limited by Student Support Level.

2. Restricted to students eligible for early intervention special education and related services. R3ER, SEEC, and R3BC are limited to birth-kindergarten. R3EC and ECSE are limited to birth-prekindergarten.

Visual Impairment

Education Specialist Instruction Credential:

  • Visual Impairments (R3VB or R3VI)
 

Note:

  • CALPADS code set was updated in July 2024 changing "Deafness/Hearing Impairment" to "Deafness" and "Hard of Hearing" to "Hard of Hearing/Hearing Impairment".
  • Pursuant to Assembly Bill 2173, Education Code 97 was added to allow the term "Emotional Disability" to refer to the federal definition of "Emotional Disturbance". CALPADS code set was updated in March 2025 changing "Emotional Disturbance" to "Emotional Disability".
Updated June 10, 2025