Preliminary Education Specialist Credential in Mild to Moderate Support Needs - (formerly Mild Moderate)

The program prepares individuals seeking teacher certification to work with students who have Mild to Moderate Support Needs (MMSN), including learning disabilities, English language learners with language/learning disabilities, emotional disturbances, speech and language disabilities, autism, visual or auditory processing difficulties, and intellectual disabilities. The Mild to Moderate Support Needs program provides instruction and applied experiences in legal issues, psychoeducational assessment, data-based decision making, instructional programming, behavior management, and collaboration and co-teaching among general and special educators. Credential candidates learn to develop close relationships with students and apply specialized techniques in numerous educational settings.

Currently, SFSU has two Mild to Moderate Support Needs programs that are running concurrently. The credential coursework and program requirements differ for the two MMSN programs. The new Mild to Moderate Support Needs credential replaces the Mild/Moderate Disabilities credential. The revised 2018 program standards and Teaching Performance Expectations (TPEs) include requirements around clinical practice hours and the requirement of passing a Commission-approved Teaching Performance Assessment (TPA). Students should select the required credential coursework and program which matches the time of their admission (before or after July 1, 2022).