Certification Central
Training Educators & Behavior Technicians
The mission of Certification Central is to provide an alternative, career-ready program for licensing educators and training behavior technicians using a competency-based model that is affordable and accessible.
North Dakota's 1st Alternative Educator Preparation Program
Each person’s road to success looks different.
Where do you want yours to lead?
Our Programs and Services
Special Education Licensure Program
Program Description
Certification Central’s program is approved by the North Dakota Education Standards and Practices Board. Upon completion, you will be eligible for full, initial licensure as a special education teacher, as well as four special education endorsements: strategist, specific learning disabilities, emotional disturbance, and intellectual disabilities. Disability-specific content (LD, ED, ID, ASD) is integrated into modules for an inclusive framework. CC is a practice-based program with a robust clinical practice requirement for an authentic, career-ready experience. CC offers a saving of 60-70% compared to other state programs as there are no separate charges for introductory & disability-specific content; everything is embedded using high-impact practices. There are 3 pathways for those seeking full licensure.
Candidates must have a bachelor's degree in any discipline to apply
Cost varies depending on program of study based on a $300 per credit cost
Program of Study 1 - $8,400
Program of Study 2 - $10,400
Program of Study 3 - $11,300
Special Education Technician
Program Description
This program is comprised of a Special Education Core and a Special Education Technician Core. The Special Education Core is comprised of a 15-credit equivalency that provides learners the foundational knowledge of special education. The Special Education Technician Core is a 25-credit equivalency that equips learners with the skills and dispositions to become a successful special education technician. Certification Central is a practice-based program that leverages on-the-job training by adding a lab to each module. This provides learners the opportunity to anchor their learning into an applied educational setting, which can be completed while on-the-job in an educational setting.
Candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent to apply
Cost of program is $7,700
Build You Own Master's Equivalent
Program Description
Certification Central offers a build your own Master’s degree equivalent. You select modules/courses that best fit your career interests and goals. The only requirement is the SPED 900 Scholarly Capstone Portfolio (3 credit equivalent). To complete a Master’s equivalent, you select 9 modules to build your personalized program of study, then at the end of your program complete SPED 900 Scholarly Capstone Portfolio. To answer your questions or to help you get started, contact Dr. Katherine Terras for an individualized advising session. We look forward to hearing from you!
Behavior Specialist Program
Program Description
The Behavior Specialist Program is designed to build leadership capacity by training special education teachers to become behavior specialists for their school, unit, or district. This coursework is aligned to the Council for Exceptional Children’s advanced preparation standards. Certification Central is approved by the North Dakota Education Standards and Practices Board.
Who Should Take This Training?
Special Education Teachers
Cost
Behavior Intervention Specialist................. $4,400
Bundled with Special Education Core..........$7,500
Registered Behavior Technician
Program Description
This 40 hour training is aligned with the Behavior Analyst Certification Board’s 2nd Ed. Task List. Training is module-based and includes the following topics: Behavior Basics, Measurement, Assessment, Skill Acquisition, Behavior Reduction, Documentation and Reporting, and Professional Conduct and Scope of Practice. The focus of this training is application of knowledge and skills to make you career ready to pass the national examination and to make you an effective RBT! This training is independent of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board.
Who Should Take This Training?
This training is for anyone who wants to take a deeper dive to understand and manage behavior. While this training meets RBT requirements, it is certainly valuable for those who are only seeking professional development.
Cost $175
Professional Development: Self Paced Book Studies
Choose from 10 different book studies plus an educational documentary video series
Educational Documentary Bundle
Professional Development: WIAT-4
Program Description
Welcome to the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test®, Fourth Edition (WIAT-4) Professional
Development!
Wechsler Individual Achievement Test® (WIAT-4) is an individually administered achievement
test for use in a variety of clinical, educational, and research settings. The WIAT-4 Professional
Development course is designed to teach educators how to utilize the WIAT-4 in an educational
setting. Educators will gain an understanding of the features and subtests related to the WIAT-4,
as well as how to administer, score (using Pearson’s Q-Global), interpret results, and generate a
diagnostic summary report. The lessons will focus on administering, scoring, and interpreting
results for the Reading, Written Expression, and Mathematics Core Composites, and the
Dyslexia Index Supplemental Composite. Subtests related to other Supplemental Composites
will be introduced. Please note that you will need to obtain a WIAT-4 kit from your special
education unit or district in order to take this PD.
Cost is $250 and includes 1 credit equivalent. You will receive a transcript upon completion.
Cost $250
Professional Development: Trauma-Informed Practices
Program Description
Trauma-Informed Practices is designed to teach educators how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) impact students’ neurological, physical, and emotional development. Educators will learn how to respond to students’ trauma-based characteristics by identifying their mental state and corresponding brain function. The 10 essential elements of a trauma-informed school system are presented, with a focus on Individualized Education Programs and assessments. Trauma-informed interventions will be taught following three primary principles:
1) empowering students by meeting physical needs,
2) connecting in the classroom by creating relationships that matter, and
3) correcting behavior by rethinking classroom management.
Cost $200
Professional Development: Supervising Paraeducators
Program Description
The purpose of this training is to equip you with the knowledge and skills to be an effective supervisor for the paraprofessionals whom you work with on a daily basis. This supervisory responsibility can be one of the hardest jobs as a special education teacher. This training offers practical methods interwoven across six lessons:
Lesson 1 Supervising Paraeducators: Introduction
Lesson 2 Supervising Paraeducators in the Classroom
Lesson 3 Supervising Paraeducators: Training
Lesson 4 Supervising Paraeducators: Role of the Supervisor
Lesson 5 Supervising Paraeducators: Evaluation
Lesson 6 Supervising Paraeducators: Professional and Ethical Issues
Cost $200
Professional Development: Teaching 101/Pedagogy
Program Description
The purpose of Pedagogy/Teaching y 101 is to provide an introductory examination of key practices new teachers must know to be effective the first day in their unique learning environments. In addition, this course is to bring about a greater awareness of evidence-based practices of effective teaching and learning, as well as to get the participants thinking about applying each of these practices within their own settings. Each module of this online course contains interactive lectures, brief videos, and supplemental handouts. There is no text required for this course; however, at the end of each module, multiple sources and resources are provided that new teachers can (and should) seek out on the topics discussed.
This course contains six interconnected modules:
- Effective Teaching and Learning
- Developing Positive Relationships Between Teacher and Student
- Lesson Design
- Summative, Formative, and Authentic Assessments
- Personalized Learning for the 21st Century Learner
- Models of Teaching
Cost $125
Behavioral Consulting
Service Description
Services may include, but are not limited to the following:
• Individualized functional behavior assessments and positive behavior support plans
• Social/emotional assessments and individualized programming
• Adaptive behavior assessments
• Coaching to build team capacity for behavioral strategies and data collection
• Development and implementation of treatment fidelity
Educational Diagnostics
Service Description
• Cognitive Assessment Measures
• Academic Achievement Measures
• Executive Function Measures
• Social/Emotional Measures and Screening
• Behavior Analytic Measures and Screening
Professional Mentorship
Service Description
• classroom observations
• modeling of skills
• individual/small group discussions
• review of paperwork, reports, and instructional materials
• provide resources
• assist with progress monitoring
Professional Development
Service Description
• Customized trainings to meet school, district, or unit needs
• unit/credit equivalency is available for licensure renewal
Check out our 2023-2024 Catalog
