All of the teachers working in Idaho today completed accredited education degree programs in Idaho or another state. These programs provide graduates with the skills needed to create assignments, identify any problems that students might have and educate students on specific topics. Early childhood education is a branch within the education field that focuses more on younger students, and some programs will even help you learn the fundamentals of working with special education students in dedicated classes. Idaho college and university graduates will also find a number of opportunities open to them after completing one of the top programs in the state.
Boise State University
College of Education
Boise State University, also known as BSU, is a public university that opened in the 1930s as Boise Junior College. Though the Episcopal Church helped found that junior college, the affiliation ended in later years. It also served as Boise State College before adopting its current name in 1970. BSU now offers more than 100 master’s programs and nearly 200 options for undergrad students. U.S. News & World Report considers it a Tier 2 university, and Forbes included BSU on a list of the nation’s best colleges. It also ranks among the highest salaries for graduates of public schools.
Dual Special Education, Early Childhood Education
BSU offers three of the best accredited education degree programs in Idaho. One of those programs is its Dual Special Education, Early Childhood Education program, which focuses on the importance of catching learning disabilities and other medical conditions at a young age. Designed for those who want to work in special education settings, this program will teach you how to identify disabilities and handicaps as well as how to adjust your teaching style to fit the needs of multiple students. It also deals with intervention, which may include talking to a student’s parents or presenting information to the school principal and superintendent. This program covers students as young as preschool up to those in third grade. Though it includes some general education courses, it also requires that you take classes like foundations of professional practice, behavior support in early childhood, learning assessments and elementary school health and physical education.
Dual Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education
Another program available from Boise State University is its Dual Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education programs, which trains you on working with children in preschool all the way up to junior high or middle school. To ensure that you can handle the difficulties of working with children, the university requires that you do two professional experiences. One will come early in your studies and be an observational experience that lets you view teachers at work. The second experience will require that you actually work with students and that a licensed teacher view your work. Completing this program will help you obtain an Idaho teaching license too. In addition to your teaching experiences, you can look forward to taking classes like elementary math curriculum and instruction, elementary science curriculum and instruction and positive behavior intervention. The university offers courses in special education too, including diagnostic assessment in special education and teaching students with severe disabilities.
Master of Education in Early Childhood and Special Education
The Master of Education in Early Childhood and Special Education offered by Boise State University is a dual program that lets you earn two graduate degrees. This is the only dual program in special and early childhood education in Idaho. When you apply, you have the chance to apply for funding from the university that can cover your entire tuition and some of your personal and professional expenses. Though each program consists of 37 credits, you can use some required courses in one program to cover courses in the other program. The special education program includes courses such as positive behavior programs, mathematics for special educators, language arts for special educators and secondary transition. Some of the courses in the early childhood program include ECSE methods, special education and the law, universal design and assistive technology and family systems and collaboration. Boise State University requires that education students take one seminar too.
Accreditation
Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation
Contact
1910 University Dr.
Boise, ID 83725
(208) 426-1000
https://education.boisestate.edu/
Idaho State University
College of Education
Idaho State University is a doctoral university in Idaho that offers degree programs for bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral students. Founded in 1901, it opened as an academy rather than a college, but just a few years later, it became a technical institute. Soldiers returning from World War I helped the college grow, and it grew even faster after soldiers coming back from World War II used their GI Bill benefits to enroll. Though once a branch of the University of Idaho, it separated from that school system in 1947 and became a state college. Now called ISU, it educates more than 13,000 students annually.
Bachelor of Arts in Blended Early Childhood Education
One of the top accredited education degree programs in Idaho might be the Bachelor of Arts in Blended Early Childhood Education at Idaho State University, which is a branch of its child and family studies program. This program is open to student’s who have an associate’s degree in early childhood education. The university lets students transfer the credits they earned in that program to reduce the number of classes they need to take. If you do not have an associate’s degree, you’ll need to complete some required courses before beginning the program. You’ll do a student teaching internship that helps you gain some necessary and practical experience, and the university will award you between seven and 14 credits for those work. The program requires that you take 18 specific classes, including elementary math methods, elementary science methods, direct instruction systems and instructional planning, delivery and assessment.
Accreditation
National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
Contact
921 South 8th Avenue, Stop 8059
Pocatello, ID 83209
(208) 282-2783
Idaho college and university education programs will help you get your teaching license before taking over a classroom of your own. These programs come in different versions based on the age and type of students you’ll work with later. All accredited education degree programs in Idaho will get you ready for a teaching career.
Related Resource: 50 Most Affordable Small Colleges for a Master’s in Education
