TOPEKA (KSNT) — As school districts throughout the state of Kansas struggle to find qualified special education teachers, a new program is being offered by Kansas State University that could help get more teachers into the workforce.
The new “Special Education Master of Arts and Teaching” program is a new master’s degree program being offered by K-State. It is designed to put Kansans on a fast track towards becoming a special education teacher.
The program is entirely online, and is available to anyone who has a bachelor’s degree.
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It takes 16 months to complete the program, and graduates would earn a master’s degree, as well as a Kansas teaching license for both elementary and special education.
This means graduates would be qualified to teach elementary school, or special education classes in grades K-6.
Lotta Larson, the director of the program, tells us it’s a great option for Kansans who are looking for a career change.
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“Special education is a high needs area and we have so many classrooms that don’t have qualified special education teachers in those classrooms,” said Larson. “We highly encourage anybody that has interest in education to apply for this program, and we welcome people with a bachelor’s degree in any field. Then of course, we provide the education they need in the education field.”
The program begins in Jan. 2026 and the first round of participants are expected to graduate in May 2027.
Those interested can learn more by attending an informational webinar on Nov. 19th.
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