Early Childhood Special Education (On Campus or Online)

This program has options to begin in the fall and summer.

Please note that transfers between program options are not permitted. Once courses begin, you are required to complete the program option in which you are enrolled.

The fall application is currently open.

Application Deadlines

• Applications are reviewed in rounds to ensure you receive a timely decision. 
• You will have five business days after the application deadlines to finish providing any missing required materials. Incomplete applications will be moved to the next round for consideration.
• In some cases, applications submitted after the final deadline will be reviewed on a space-available basis. 
• We strongly encourage you to submit your application as early as possible. This guarantees the most timely admissions decision and the broadest consideration for scholarships and financial aid.

Fall

Admissions Criteria

In addition to meeting other admissions requirements, to be eligible for admission to the Early Childhood Special Education (On Campus or Online) 30 credits program you must:

• Hold a valid New York State teaching certification in Childhood Education, Grades 1-6 or Early Childhood Education, Birth-Grade 2. If you are certified in Childhood Education, Grades 1-6, there may be additional Early Childhood tests you need to take to become certified in working with Students with Disabilities, Birth-Grade 2.

An initial certification is not required for individuals seeking admission to the Teaching Student with Disabilities in Early Childhood (Online) 38-credit program.

For all program options, please review How to Apply for full details on the application process, admissions criteria, and application requirements.

Tuition

At Bank Street, tuition is charged per credit. The Early Childhood Special Education program requires 30 credits and the Teaching Students with Disabilities in Early Childhood Program requires 38 credits for completion. Read more on our Tuition page

Financial Aid

The majority of Bank Street students receive some type of financial aid. We strongly recommend applying early and submitting your FAFSA at the time you apply for the broadest consideration for scholarships and financial aid. Read more on our Financial Aid page

Technology Requirements

Students enrolling in the online options must secure access to the following required technology for all online courses: 

• A personal computer with:
  • Broadband Internet access
  • Speakers, microphone, and camera
  • Headphones, if participating from a public or shared space
  • An updated version of the Chrome or Firefox browser and a free Zoom account
• For Supervised Fieldwork: A recording device (such as a smartphone, laptop, iPad, or camcorder) suitable for use in classrooms

These are required components of your program. It is your responsibility to ensure you have access to each item on this list. Bank Street does not provide or lend access to these devices and platforms.

Our Approach

Our curriculum centers on active, inquiry-driven learning that mirrors how children learn best — through exploration, collaboration, and reflection. We engage you in rigorous study of educational theory, human development, and inclusive practice while you apply that learning immediately in classroom settings. Through rich dialogue, purposeful assignments, and collaborative projects, you will refine your ability to think critically, teach responsively, and support diverse learners. By the end of the program, you will have deepened your professional judgment, strengthened your reflective capacities, and grown as an educator ready to lead and innovate in early childhood contexts.

Time Commitment

In the online options, each course typically meets once per week in a live, synchronous online session from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM ET. In some cases, a class session may be replaced with asynchronous coursework assignments for that week, which are completed on your own schedule and must be submitted by the posted deadlines. Classes are not held on Fridays. Students should plan to dedicate approximately 10 hours per week to program-related study and activities.

In the on campus option, each course typically meets once per week, either from 4:45 PM to 6:45 PM or 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM ET. Classes are not typically held on Fridays. Depending on a student’s course schedule for that term, you can expect to dedicate approximately 10 hours per week to program-related study and activities. Over the summer, classes typically meet twice a week from 5:15 PM to 9:00 PM ET.

Course Plan for Teaching Students with Disabilities in Early Childhood (Online): 38 Credits

Course Plan for Early Childhood Special Education (On Campus or Online): 30 Credits

Course catalog

Learning Through Experience and Reflection

Supervised fieldwork, which can be completed as a working teacher or through student teaching placement, integrates hands-on teaching with intentional reflection, enabling you to see first-hand how children learn and how inclusive practices function in classrooms and are tailored to provide the individual attention young students need. You will engage in cycles of observation, planning, teaching, assessment, and reflection, which foster critical thinking and professional judgment. This experiential approach ensures that learning is active, grounded in evidence, and responsive to each child’s diverse developmental needs.

If you are a working teacher, you may be able to use your place of work for your yearlong fieldwork experience with the approval of the program director, as long as your classroom serves children with disabilities from birth to second grade. If you are completing fieldwork as a working teacher, you will need to complete additional field hours with alternate age groups and/or setting types depending on your workplace. Bank Street will work with you to identify a series of times (weekends, spring break, etc.) when you can complete these additional field requirements.

Alongside your fieldwork placements, you will meet each week with your advisor and a small group of peers in a conference group designed to support you as you grow into your role as an educator. This is a space where you can bring the real experiences, questions, and challenges that arise in your field placement and explore them openly with others who are learning alongside you. Together, you will reflect on your practice, learn from one another’s perspectives, and support each other through the complexities of teaching. Over time, these conversations help you deepen your understanding of your work, grow in confidence and skill, and build meaningful relationships that become the foundation of your lifelong professional network.

Advisement and Mentorship

At Bank Street Graduate School of Education, your fieldwork is closely supervised through an ongoing advisement process that integrates observation, mentoring, and reflective dialogue. In the online program, you document your teaching through recorded lessons and classroom interactions, which you share with your faculty advisor for review and feedback. In the on-campus option, your advisor will periodically visit your field placement site for observation.

Through these observations and follow-up conversations, your advisor provides individualized guidance, modeling, and support while conferring with you about your teaching practice and experiences in the field. This sustained mentorship helps you navigate challenges, celebrate successes, and deepen your understanding of child-centered, equitable teaching while developing practical skills, professional confidence, and the ability to advocate for all children while addressing their individualized needs in collaborative, inclusive settings.

Certification

When you successfully complete the program, you will receive a master’s degree and be eligible for New York State Certification in Students with Disabilities, Birth-Grade 2, provided you complete all other state certification requirements. Read more on our Certification page

Careers

After graduation, students pursue a range of career opportunities including:

• Teaching in early childhood special education or inclusion classrooms in public, charter, or independent schools
• Working as an early-interventionist in social service or education-based agencies, as well as in hospitals, non-profit organizations, or daycare settings
• Working one on one as a Special Education Itinerant Teacher (SEIT) in home, classroom, and daycare settings
• Designing and assessing educational programming, curriculum, and policy

Pursuing doctoral degree programs: As a student at Bank Street, you will have full access to our robust Career Services, including the CareerConnect job site, opportunities to attend job fairs and workshops, and connections to our alumni network nationwide.