Holders of Early Childhood Special Education Credentials combined with any specialty area except Moderate/Severe may add an ASD AASE if it will expand their authorization to serve students with autism. This is for individuals who completed a Level I program as the Preliminary program includes an ASD authorization. A Clear Education Specialist Credential holder may add an ASD AASE if the individual held a Level I Credential or other previously initially issued special education credential prior to earning a clear credential. The ASD authorization is earned in the Preliminary program not in the Level I or Level II program.

KEY: Yes – Eligible to add the authorization, No – Not eligible to add the authorization, already authorized

LEVEL I* or LEVEL II* Education Specialist Instruction Credentials (initially issued effective September 27, 1997)

Credential Held Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) Deaf-Blind Emotional Disturbance Orthopedic Impairment Other Health Impairment Traumatic Brain Injury
Mild/Moderate (K-12 to age 22) Yes Yes No Yes No Yes
Moderate/Severe (K-12 to age 22) No No No Yes Yes Yes
Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (Birth to Age 22) Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes
Physical and Health Impairment (Birth to Age 22) Yes Yes Yes No No No
Visual Impairment (Birth to Age 22) Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes
Early Childhood Special Education (Birth - Pre-K only) No Yes No Yes No No

 

PRELIMINARY* Education Specialist Instruction Credential (includes Autism Spectrum Disorder authorization; initially issued effective 6/26/2010 for all but Language and Academic Development which was effective 9/2/2011)

Credential Held Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) Deaf-Blind Emotional Disturbance Orthopedic Impairment Other Health Impairment Traumatic Brain Injury
Mild/Moderate (K-12 to age 22) No Yes No Yes No Yes
Moderate/Severe (K-12 to age 22) No No No Yes Yes Yes
Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (Birth to Age 22) No No Yes Yes Yes Yes
Language & Academic Development (Preschool, K-12 to age 22) No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Physical and Health Impairment (Birth to Age 22) No Yes Yes No No No
Visual Impairment (Birth to Age 22) No No Yes Yes Yes Yes
Early Childhood Special Education * (Birth - Pre-K only) No No No Yes No No

 

Ryan Specialist Instruction Teaching Credentials (initially issued 1976 until Education Specialist; authorizes grades preschool, K-12, & adults)

Credential Held Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) Deaf-Blind Emotional Disturbance Orthopedic Impairment Other Health Impairment Traumatic Brain Injury
Communication Handicapped Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes
Learning Handicapped Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes
Severely Handicapped No No No Yes Yes Yes
Physically Handicapped Yes Yes Yes No No No
Visually Handicapped Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes
Clinical or Rehabilitative or Speech Language Pathology Services (SLP) in Language, Speech and Hearing With Special Class Authorization (SCA) No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Clinical or Rehabilitative or SLP Services in Language, Speech and Hearing Without SCA No No No No No No

 

Standard Teaching Credentials (initially issued 1961 to 1976; authorizes grades K-12)

Credential Held Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) Deaf-Blind Emotional Disturbance Orthopedic Impairment Other Health Impairment Traumatic Brain Injury
Minor-Mentally Retarded Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Minor-Speech and Hearing Handicapped Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Minor-Deaf and Severely Hard-of Hearing Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Minor-Visually Handicapped Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Minor-Orthopedically Handicapped Including the Cerebral Palsied Yes Yes Yes No No No

 

Standard Limited Specialized Preparation Teaching Credentials (initially issued 1961 to 1976; authorizes grades K-12)

Credential Held Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) Deaf-Blind Emotional Disturbance Orthopedic Impairment Other Health Impairment Traumatic Brain Injury
Mentally Retarded Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Speech and Hearing Handicapped Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Deaf and Severely Hard-of Hearing Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Visually Handicapped Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Orthopedically Handicapped Including Cerebral Palsied Yes Yes Yes No No No

 

Standard Restricted Teaching Credentials (initially issued 1961 to 1976; authorizes grades K-12)

Credential HeldAutism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)Deaf-BlindEmotional DisturbanceOrthopedic ImpairmentOther Health ImpairmentTraumatic Brain Injury
Educable Mentally RetardedYesYesYesYesYesYes
Trainable Mentally RetardedYesYesYesYesYesYes
Speech and Hearing TherapyYesYesYesYesYesYes
Orthopedically Handicapped Including the Cerebral PalsiedYesYesYesNoNoNo
Deaf and Severely Hard-of-HearingYesYesYesYesYesYes
Deaf-BlindYesNoYesYesYesYes
Severely Hard-of-HearingYesNoYesYesYesYes
Visually HandicappedYesYesYesYesYesYes

 

Exceptional Children Teaching Credentials (initially issued prior to 1961; authorizes grades K-12)

Credential Held Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) Deaf-Blind Emotional Disturbance Orthopedic Impairment Other Health Impairment Traumatic Brain Injury
Mentally Retarded Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Speech Correction and Lip Reading Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Orthopedically Handicapped Including the Cerebral Palsied Yes Yes Yes No No No
Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Visually Handicapped Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

 

Special Secondary Teaching Credentials (initially issued prior to 1961; authorizes grades K-12)

Credential Held Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) Deaf-Blind Emotional Disturbance Orthopedic Impairment Other Health Impairment Traumatic Brain Injury
Mentally Retarded Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Correction of Speech Defects Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Deaf Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Lip Reading Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Partially Sighted Child Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Blind Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

 

Updated July 22, 2025