USM adds bachelor's degree in much-needed field of special education

FILE PHOTO The University of Southern Maine, whose Portland campus is shown here, is part of the University of Maine System.

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By Alexis Wells

The University of Southern Maine is offering a new bachelor's degree, and it's designed to help address the state's critical need for special education teachers.

The degree program starts this fall, as Maine schools continue trying to fill positions. Without education technicians or teachers, the schools have to worry about how to meet the needs of students with disabilities.

"IEPs (Individualized Education Programs) are not getting fulfilled, we know that," said Rachel Brown-Chidsey, USM associate professor of special education, in a news release.

"Without trained personnel, it's not possible to implement the IEPs. It means students are not getting the education they were promised; they're falling farther behind. It puts them at risk for not completing school."

The new degree is an online program that accepts prior learning credits and course transfer and allows students to complete their student-teaching internship while working as ed techs.

The program is open to applicants from any background, including those with prior college credit. Applications are now being accepted for spring 2024.

"Because we don't have enough special educators in Maine, we really want to find a way to build capacity from within the ranks of folks already interested in this type of work," said Brown-Chidsey.

The program also includes an apprenticeship option, which is co-sponsored by the federal government. USM has agreements with several southern Maine school districts, including Gorham, Scarborough, and School Administrative District 6, which is the Bonny Eagle school district, to hire apprentices. Under this option, they will complete associate degrees through Southern Maine Community College and then earn bachelor's degrees in special education at USM.

The University of Southern Maine is a public university with 8,000 undergraduate and graduate students taking courses online and at campuses in Portland, Gorham, and Lewiston-Auburn.

USM was ranked No. 3 among Maine's largest colleges and universities in the 2023 Mainebiz Book of Lists, based on full-time undergraduate enrollment in fall 2022.