Learning Disabilities MDE Grant Program

Northern Michigan University's learning disabilities endorsement and master's degree are delivered 100% online and can be completed tuition-free for educators working in districts that qualify for the Michigan Department of Education's Special Education Tuition Reimbursement Grant (see details below).

Educators interested in levering this benefit must verify that their school district qualifies for the Special Education Teacher Tuition Reimbursement Grant (60% Free and Reduced-Meals population).

Full details for the Special Education Teacher Tuition Reimbursement Grant can be found here.

The Special Education Teacher Tuition Reimbursement Grant Application must be submitted by a district administrator. Reimbursement will be made to the district, not the individual teachers. An overview of the grant an an application checklist can be reviewed here.

The educator intending to enroll in Northern Michigan University's Learning Disabilities program is required to complete an application for admission through the Office of Graduate Studies and Research.

Contact Dr. Abby Cameron Standerford for questions and a plan of study: acameron@nmu.edu

NMU Online Learning Disabilities Michigan Department of Education Tuition Reimbursement

In response to the ongoing and intense need to provide appropriately certified and endorsed teachers for students with disabilities, the Michigan Department of Education Office of Special Education (MDE OSE) is offering a Special Education Teacher Tuition Reimbursement Grant opportunity. Districts eligible to apply for the Special Education Teacher Tuition Reimbursement Grant are those that have a 60 percent or higher Free and Reduced-Meals population, based on the fall 2019 data.

The Special Education Teacher Tuition Reimbursement Grant funds are intended to incentivize certified Michigan teachers to earn an additional endorsement in special education for employment in a program where they are currently not qualified. The Special Education Teacher Tuition Reimbursement Grant can be used to cover tuition costs up to $800.00 per credit hour for a maximum of six credits per year, per teacher for up to three years. Tuition reimbursement does not apply to repeat courses. Enrolling in NMU's online Learning Disabilities Program at a tuition rate of $612 per credit hour and $50 per credit hour online fee is a financial benefit to the student that works to benefit every K12 student these individuals teach.

NMU Online Learning Disabilities Graduate Certificate and Master's Program

Total Credits Required for Degree	34-40

Tier 1 Courses	12-15
ED 500 Educational Research**	3
ED 560 Issue and Trends in Special Education *Exempt if taken with prior endorsement and department approval	3
ED 561 Collaboration in Special Education	2
ED 562 Introduction to Learning Disabilities	3
ED 571 Diagnosis and Treatment of Reading Disabilities (approved by the State of Michigan to meet the PA 32 reading requirement for professional certification)	4

Tier 2 Courses (all Tier 1 courses must be completed before starting Tier 2)	14-17
ED 558 Teaching of Reading: Methods for Students with Learning Disabilities	4
ED 566 Classroom Management: Methods for Students with learning Disabilities *Exempt if taken with prior endorsement and department approval	3
ED 567 Teaching of Math: Methods for Students with Learning Disabilities	3
ED 581 Oral and Written Expression: Methods for Students with Learning Disabilities	3
ED 587 Assessment in Special Education: Methods for Assessing Students with Learning Disabilities	4

Tier 3 Courses (all Tier 1 and Tier 2 courses must be completed before starting Tier 3)
ED 568 Internship for Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities	3
ED 569 Seminar in Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities	1
NOTE: ED 568 and ED 569 must be taken during the same semester

Capstone Project	2-4
ED 574 Seminar in Educational Research (2 cr.)
[OR] ED 599 Thesis** (2-8 cr.)

*Students who already satisfy these requirements, whether from undergraduate preparation or through another area of endorsement, would not be required to include them in their plan, and appropriate electives, if needed, would be substituted.

**These courses are not required for those seeking a LD endorsement only (33 credit hours).

Note: To obtain the additional endorsement in learning disabilities (K-12) from the State of Michigan, students must pass the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) in Learning Disabilities and file the appropriate application at www.michigan.gov/moecs.